Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-09-08

shirt.tail off while he cried an wiped
his nose on the front, an both of 'em
begged like babies for the diamonds
an .chewelry.' But after they was
safe, how they did swear! Oh, my!
it was shockin' But, really, | never
did see the stock of jewelry store
goin' of below cost so lively before"
The enjoyment with which the man
from DeadwoOd recounted this joke at
the expense Of the Hebrews manifest
ed, l regret to say, prejudice against
that worthy people akin to:Judge
Hilton's.
"But how did you come to give up
stage driving?' l now ventured to
ask again, finding the man from Dead
wood in good humor.
A THRU LUNG INCIDENT.
"Ob, yes, | was forgettin' that.
Well, yer see, ther' was a rctenoo
agent come out to collect the gov
nment taxes on whisky a few weeks
ago. He got lot O. money in Dead
wood, where every other house is a
s'loon, an he left town late one night
in my stage with $4,000 on him. He
sat on the box next to me, carried the
money on his person. an he was wide:
awake an game fellow as | ever see.
He was armed with q Winchester
repeatin' rifle with sixteen barrels,
and two eight chambered revolvers.
About midnight we was to go through
Dead Mans Canyon, several miles out
O. Deadwood, about the darkest,
oneryest place rs ever was, l reckon.
| knew that if he was to be attacked
it'd be there, an told him so, an
that we was almost certain to he STOP
ped; but, Lord bless you, he didn't
show no more fear than YOU do now ::
but there was q kind of determined
look in his eye an could tell he was
layin' bis plans, although be never
said a word. Directly We come to the
canyon-a dark, rocky hell-bole, made
by the devil for road agents-we
listened with all our ears. Suddenly
we heerd it, low at first, then growin'
louder rapidly. 1t was the clicketty-
clack of ponies hoofs on the road
behind us. l didn't nee6 to tell him,
what it meant. We knew ther' was
a good many that they were gainln'
Oh US fast, an knew that they would
,, attack the coach just as it was goin'
slow up the rise out of the canyon.
!. told him this, when, quick as a. flash,
he jumped off an called to me to drive
on an to wait for him when | got out
, of the canyon. saw his game in q
= minnit, an It as bold one, reckon.
He hid behind rock right in the road
:, and got his weapons ready. / drove
I, on an left him alone. The thieves
= fell into the trap. They rode on after
the stage, ihinkin' him in it, an as
they passed close to where he was lie
opened fire. What, with his sixteen
= shooter an his two revolvers an they
i rcturnin' the fire, it sounded to me
i like whole regiment. | never knew
" :. whether be killed any, but he wounded
y some, sure, an they scattered like hell
= was after 'em, some of them as was
:, hurt howiIn' like devils He just
came up with the stage an rode on as
! cool as you please. He was smart
= feller."
A THREAT THAT MEANT SOMETHING.
:, "Now the next day, on my return
:, trip, noticed that one of the stage
=, company's agents at relay station
= VIC changed hosses every twelve mile
~ ~, had his arm in sling, an when
- got back to Deadwood | heerd O
=, 20 several of !be fust citizens as was sud
~ ~ denly laid up. says to the agent
- What's the matter?' Why say
~ ~ he, kinder careless, "a damn dog bi
'o &c me last night!' Yes said l, rhes
ID gov'nment dogs do bite putty bar,
.S .S sometimes, don't they? p Well, b
bo b pitched into me like the devil, becaus
as | didn't give 'em signal the nigh
% before so they'd known what tb
~, gov'nment agent had done. He sai
cd the boys was goin' to be on hand O
on my trip through the next night, an
~ were goin' TO do for me. Now,
~ knowed he were a truthful man abor
y, things Of that kind; so l went to ii
~ company's Office and drawed nv pa,
no and said as how l reckoned didn
60 want to drive no more, for fear n
cd health might suddenly give way.
they engaged young dutchmar fro
pn Fermont-nice feller be was, too, ar
500 good driver-to take the stage.
went to him like brother, an say
Now don't you take that stage o,
tonight, anyway. or you'll be sorI
lge for it : but of course it wasn't no US
vas I've felt sorry for bin ever since, b
10 he would go, even when / told hi
ire. that the boys would take him for n
liar He might have knowed.
the "Did they burt him, as they thres
ngs ened to do you ?" asked, innocent
nch "Well, l don't know if they hr
up him; but you could have read th
-ow newspaper through him when tn
ds! found bis body in Dead Mans Canyt
ntie | never did see body SO full of ho
T.w IN MO t;fa G