Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-06-29

day before since grass started, the first mai
to welcome them TO the infant city was
chap five feet high, and weighing according
ly. There was a bloodstain on his left cheek
a scar on his right, and he had fierce eyes,
voice like roaring lion, and bad limp il
one of his legs. He was whiting ont ten
pin with big bowie knife as the wagoi
, drove up, and, pushing the knife down th,
back of his neck, he lifted up a Henry
rifle, ran his eye over the crowd, and calle(
out, in an awful voice:
'Is there anybody in that crowd looking
for Terror No. l? Kase if there is, here
am; and I'm just aching to be shot full o
bullets weighing pound piece"
No one was looking for him. Some looked
at him and some looked across the street oil
purpose not to see him, while there was {
uniform movement toward the hip pockets.
II didn't know but that some OF you might
have come out here from New York or Bos
ton to plant me under the sweet iassamine ol
the climbing morning glory chuckled the
Terror, as he rested the butt of his rifle on
the ground and fished up a six shooter from
his boot leg.
There were men from New York and Bos.
ton in the party, but they didn't want to bury
anybody just then.
Il don't own this town, continued the
Terror, as he laid his infant armpry across
the head of barrel. al don't own foot OF
ground or a share III any of the public build
ings erected aG the expense of taxpayers,
but when ! stand on Washington square and
utter one yell this whole town quakes. I'm
Terror No. l. There's one or two other Ter
rors around here, but I'm the boss-Tm the
reglar deaths head and cross bones of the
Black Hhls region
Before he had ceased speaking most of the
new comers had disappeared, some looking
| pale and anxious, and Others feeling shiyers
race up and down their backs.
An hour later, when party of five
strangers from New England were making
| the acquaintance of the Internal beverages
on sale in one of the shanty saloons, and at
the same time pumping the proprietor about
| prospects. in walked the Terror. He looked
as fierce as a catamount cheated out OF her
dessert, and there WAS an awful growl in his
voice as he called out:
Five O'Clock by Omaha time, and haven't
| killed or been killed this whole day longi
Turn loose you pet grizzlies, unhitch your
whirlwinds, and let dozen wild lions come
| for me at oncei"
Take something to drink, my good friend,
mildly replied the saloonist. You are al
ways welcome here, but you don't drop in
half often enough. Don't be afraid to pour
out all you want
"To tell the honest truth, Steve said the
| Terror, as he poured out neatly half pint of
the worst whiskey ever made, 81 came in
here TO kill some one; but YOU are a white
man clear down to your toe nails, and | won't
raise no row. That's good whiskey. that is,
and if you want any one in Custer City put
under ground Just give me his name. Can
you think OF any one!'
The saloon keeper reflected for a moment,
as he slowly wiped off his bar with an old
calico apron, and finally he replied:
NO; don't think of any one Just now,
but something will probably turn up in day
or two. Any time you feel thirsty Just come
in and help yourself.
One of the five men had formerly been n
moulder in Troy stove foundry, and he had
been closely watching the Terror. All of a
sudden he held out his hand for a shake,
cheerfully observing:
'Ill bet one hundred to one that we used
TO work, board and room together"
The Terror reached out his hand, closely
scanned the moulders face, and after n mo-
ment he said to the whole five:
Gentlemen, come out doors and take
seats on the bench. l begin to know this
man, and ! don't want to answer any ques-
tions in here
well, but am surprised TO find you out
here AMI rigged up in this style" remarked
the mouider as the men found seats.
80 you may he" slowly replied the Ter
ror. When / worked in Troy there wasn't
a man or boy about the shop who couldn't
iLukc me eat dirt was one of the biggest
towards east of Chicago, and now I'm one of
the biggest west of that town. | own right
up. because l know you won't 60 back on
NE. l might fight if was eornered, but if
thele was chance TO run or crawl out ]
wouldn't strike a blow"
but you talk very brave, said one.
And it's all talk replied the Terror, as
lie picked his teeth with his bowie knife. "a
ilouted out here from Chicago, poor as a rat,
and the biggest coward in the whole train.
If luck hadn't favored me | should have been
under the sod long ago. I've got an awful
voice, and | can look ss ugly as u bear in Il
trap; and somehow or other the story got
atioat that / killed two men in Chicago, was
rescued from the gallows by mob, and that
had come ont here to escape justice. Men
grew afraid of me, and soon got the cue.
determined to become terror in order to
make an honest living, and I've got the
thing right down fine
"And you are lot a fighter and a shooter
and slashers"
"Gentlemen, it's kind O. mean for man
to run his own character down, but TO be
honest about it don't suppose there is
man in Custer City who couldn't wollop me
inside OF one minute by the watch. go
around simply to make u show. If that sa-
loon keeper had reached out for me you'd
have seen me dig out mighty lively. But
these weapons, the name I've got, and the
anxious look for gore frightened him half to
death"
"Yes, everybody seems afraid of you," OBJ
served the man from Troy.
a. 4 a.. II n.
into place everybody begins to quake and
shlver. though have never drawn blood i'll
this town. There comes the chap who acts
as city marshal, sheriff, chief of police, or
whatever you may call him. He's six feet
high and weighs 200 pounds, and yet see how
| can bluff him."
The official referred to was coming up the
street at leisurely gait, and when he came
along opposite the group the Terror leaped
out with a wild yell and shouted:
Looking for me, you, Want to see
me bad, do YOU
For Gods sake! don't raise row with
me- whispered the sheriff as he looked
around for cover. 81 don't want you. you
don't want me-"
"You see how it works." continued the
little man as the official moved on. That
man could make my heels break my neck,
and yet he is afraid of me. Here are some
grizzly bear claws which bought in Omaha
for 81. Everybody around here thinks |
pulled the beast out of 4 hole in the hill
held him by the ears with one hand. and cut
these claws off with the other. There are
30 notches in the stock Of this rifle. These
folks around here have got all idea that
have Killed 20 men III rows or fiur fights, but
l never even shot one"
There period of silence, aud then
the Terror continued:
''Theres money i'll it, and It's rather pleas
ant to be top of the heap, but this thing
can't last long. Some day before long shall
light down on the wrong man. and hell dress
me down and drive me to the hills / hope
you boys will have lots of luck I've been
square and honest with you, and now doa't
give me away
At that moment three men ON horseback
came down the street, and the Terror Jumped
cut with screech and shouted
Here's the hollyhock you are looking Tor.
Here's the modest violet who wants To- be
carved up and fed to the wolves
They wernt looking for him, and they got
away on gallop. The party from the East
went out among the diggngs and were absent
a whole week. when they returned to Gus
ter City they inquired ior the Terror, and II
hotel keeper replied
Yes; they did use 10 call him the Terror,
believe, but they didn't know him He was
whooping around here in his usual awful
style three or four days ago. swearing that he
must kill somebody, when tinsrniih from
Dayton, Ohio took his nile and bowie knife
away, spit tobacco juice on his hat, and then
kicked INN the whole length of this strict
The Terror was an awful coward, gentlemen
a regular rag baby under the bed. and hen
hp
Globe U,mocrdt.
A EIG ErRsr A u -nnunler charncl with