Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-20
BEN HOLLADAY'S NOSE.
neR'n kSlde across the Plaius-HDs Nose
Atches ana Kind Stranger Scrauche,

Bsa's Ride Acro.. IN. Plai,s-H,. Voc.
ltches ana a Kind stranger Scr..chs.
While travelling in Washington train
recently with number of acquaintances,
old Ben Holiday recently became un-
usually communicative. He climbed the
Rocky mountains, waded through the
Great Said Lake, jumped across the Black
Canon Of the Colorado, danced IN the
Death valley. cooked grizzlies in the Vel
lowstone geysers: scudded down the Sho-
shone Falls, and told score of stories so
thrilling that the hair of his hearers arose
IN protest. One of his yarns was both
tartling and amusing.
One night" said he long before
the Pacific Railroad was built. | was
bouncing over the plains in one of nv
overland coaches MY wife was with me.
She was sick, and lay asleep on the bot
tom OF the stage on a bed OF buffalo skins
The night was fearfully dark, and drizz-
ling rain was falling. Mrs. Holiday aud
myself were the only passengers. Sever
al stages had been robbed within two
months, and the diver was ripping along
as though gang of prairie wolves were
after HIM. Suddenly the horses were
thrown on their launches, and the stage
stopped. | was heaved forward, but
quickly recovered, and found myself gaz-
ing at the muZZles of double barrelled
shotgun. BY the dim light of the stage
lamps the barrels looked as big as nail
kegs. Throw up your hands, and don't
STIR shouted the owner in gruf' voice.
Up went my hands, and began to COM
mune with myself. The fellow damned
my soul, and then coolly asked for my
money. l saw that he did not know who
was, and l was afraid that my sick wife
might awake and call me by name. NV
coat was buttoned over my bosom, but
hardly high enough to hide magnificent
emerald that cost me over $4,000 few
weeks before in San Francisco. hardly
breathcd through fear that the light
might strike the stone, and its sparkling
briliiancy attract the attention of the
robDeI. had about $4,000 IN money
belt close to the skin, and several hundred
dollars in my pocket"
''snddenly my friend shouted, Come,
shell out, id quick, Or III send the
divel a free lunch.
II passed out the few hundred loose in
my pockets, and handed him my gold
watch and chain. They were hetty, think
the chain alone would weigh five pounds
at least
$" There, said |, there's every cent
I've got. Take it and let me 90 on. Nv
wife is very sick, and don't know what
would happen to her if she knew what
was going on.
Keep your hands up, was the reply,
while second robber received the watch
and money Then II search was made
for the express company's box, but the
double barrclled shot gun did not move
Its muzzles were within foot of my nose.
For my life did not dare stir. NV nose
began to itch. The stiff hairs Of nv
moustachc got up, one after another and
ticklcd it until the sensation was n,oler-
able. / could stand it no longer.
Stranger ] cried, Il musa
scratch my nose. bitches SO that am
almost crazy
Move your hands, he shouted, and
III blow hole through your head big
enough for a jack rabbit to Jump trough,
| appealed once more. We'll, he answered,
keep your hands still, and I'll scratch it
for you. hate to see a partner suffer.''
did he scratch it2n asked one of Ben's
interested listeners.
!" Sure" said Mr.. Holiday.
GLOW" asked the breathless listener
With the muZzle Of the cooked gum"
said the great overlander. He rubbed the
muzzie around my moustashe and raked
it over the end OF my nose until | thank
ed him and said that it itched no longer.
The robbers soon afterward took their
leave, with many apologies and Ben con-
tinued his journey to the Missouri with
his big emerald and $4,000