The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-02
THE BAD MAN OF BODIE.
The Encounter of Buffer" with "a Mining
Expert

ENpef'.
Washoe Pete was generally considered {
"blullcr" by the citizens of the Bodle, ana NJ
wild cXaggrrations were the subject Of mcrri
mont onI,. - th"A "l.i5h .l"' .-'"'-,' 10 49,
allowed to swagger and boast to his heart 5
content: and even when he drew his "nobby
whistler" and shot the lights out OF all the
lamps in Ryan's saloon, the action only evoked
"A erin and the doubtful compliment that II
wa, purity fair shootin, an nigh as stlddy
narvc as Irish Tom showed when he popped
away AT that bad man from Dcadwood.'
One day last summer Pete walked into StrO
bridges saloon with the remark that he had
"hcerd the Last Chance was goin' to be sold,
and they've sent up an expert to look INTO II.
The expert, pale small man, dressed in
dusty grey, was standing at the bar, and look
ed around rs the tall, wOuldbe ruian uttered
these words,
Tibet, 50, Pete" said one Of the men pres
ent, IAN thets the expert
"Eh? shouted Pete, cycling the man mcnac-
ingly: you're one o them icllcrs rs allows he
know payin' mines are yc?" Then, after Il
pause, during which he surveyed the stranger
from head TO foot "Wcll, yc'rc the wust | ev-
er saw Experts is bad enough, but you're the
slinkiest, mcancsl, WuSt COOt to set ycrsci up
to report ON mine that | ever yet laid eyes
ON
a don't want to quarrel with you, sir" an.
sWcrcd the expert.
'Yc better not, young Teller, ycd better not
I'm whirlwind of the desert in fight, and
don't ye forget it,"
'I'm a man Of peace; carry no weapons
and, Of course, could not hope to stand before
even zephyr Of the desert, let alone wild
untamed whirwnd,'
These dcpreCatOry words only inccnscd the
"bad man" still more and feeling that he had
soft thing" proposed in his own NINA To
"play it for all itis worth, and gain record
by whipping his man.
Look heyar stranger, | don't want no In
situations Do look like zephyr: SAY
Here Washoc Pete shook his fist in the eN
pert's face What dye mean by talkin' about
zephvrs2 I'm "A tornado. tear when turn
loose Zephyr! Lsnecringl Why, I've agood
mind to-
Please, mighty whirlwind, rcsistlcss lorna
do, don't hit me. You wouldn't strike con
sumptivc man, would you"
Wouldn't ~ yelled the fighter in II terri
bic voice, wouldn't |! I'd strike the side OF d
mountain"
But sick MANI" pleaded the expert, 50
man dying of consumption, an orphan stran
ger, and "a man of peacc"
"What'rc We giving me? Do you know who
ann" licrcely demanded the whirlwlnd
You're a gentleman, known in Bodie II,
Washoe Pete-at least Eve heard you designat
ed by that familiar appellation during my
sojourn in this place answered the expert
moving of.
"What else am Ig' shrieked the rough strid
Ing towards the covering expert.
a gentleman, lsuppose. Honestly, dom
know your other name"
well. I'll tell you who am;" and the tai
man stood over the shrinking stranger, rs II
about to topple upon him and annihllatC
him. I'm bad I'm chief in this camp anc
/ can lick the mans says ! amt; I'm ragin
lion Of the plains, and every time hit ! Kill
I've got AN arm like "a quartz stamp, and
crush when | 90 for map. ! weigh ton
an earthquakes aint nowhere when | happen
10 drop"
BUT I've only just been discharged from
hospital" replied tine expert
"l'll send We back again. and the stalwar
bui5.r caught the li,ilc man by the collar anc
hu "a him upon the iioDr.
q : unkind To usc a poor, weak, suffering
in, ID In Ina, way" eXpO-inlated the expert
as slowly arose from the floor. pleas,
do joke 80 roughly. Lets take drink am
On square. ] am very sorry thai have
of iei you.
think rm jokin. tn ye-se take IA
fu Josh, eh. m f,s3a cc Wha' um ai0r
I. through with &C. .lat play me ia