The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-01-26
ZEN HOLLADAY's NOSE.
Now York Sun.

While travelling in a Washington train re-
Gently with Il number Of acquaintance. old
Ren Holladav became unusually com
municative. He climbed the Rocky Mountains,
wadcd through the Great Salt Lake, jumped
across the Black Canon of the Colorado, dane.
ed in the Death Valley, cooked grizzlies in the
Yellowstone gcysers, 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 startling
and amusing.
"One night" said he, long before the Pa
cific Railroad was built, ! was bouncing over
the plains in one of my overland coaches.
My wife was with me. She was sick, and lay
asleep on the bottom of the stage on a bed Of
buffalo skins. The night was fearfully dark,
and drizzling rain was falling. Mrs Holla-
day and myself were the only passengers
Several stages had been robbed within two
months and the driver was ripping along as
though Il gang of praire-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 gazing at the muzzles ola double-bar-
relied 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 ola gruff voice. Upwent my hands,
anu L DcSul Will oClt' i"""
that he did not know who | was, and | was
afraid that my sick wife might awake and
call me by name. My coat was buttoned over
my bosom, but hardly high enough to hide a
magnificent emerald that cost me over $S,OOO
a fue weeks before in San Francisco. hardly
breathed through fear that the light might
strike the stone, and its briliancy attract the
attention of the robbcr. | had about $4,000 in
a money belt close to the skin, and several
hundred dollars in my pocket.
suddenly my friend shouted. Come, shell
out, id quick, or I'll send the devil free
lunch
81 passed out few hundred loose in M
pockets and handed him my gold watch and
chain. They were hcity, | 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. My 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 rob IF received the watch and money
Then search was made for the Express Com.
panys box, but the doublc-barreled shotgun
! did not move Its muzzels were within foot
! of my nose For my life / did not dare to
! stir NY nose began to itch. The still hairs
of my mustache got up one after another and
ticklcd ituntil the sensation was intolerable
| could stand il no longer.
Stranger, cried, must scratch my nose
/ 1t tches so that anu almost crazy
"Move your hands he shouted, and I'll
blow hole through your head big enough tol
IA jack RABBIT TO jump through ! appealed
once more Well he answered, Keep. your
hands still, and III scratch it for you. | hate
! to see a partner suffer
4 Did he scratch it?" asked one of BcN's in
ereStCd listeners.
! Sure" said Mr.. Holiday.
i How" asked the breathleSs listener,
4 With the muzzle Of the cooked gun saic
the great orcrlander. He rubbed the muzzlt
around my moustachc and raked it over the
end of my nose until | thanked him and salc
i that it itchcd no longer
The robbers soon attcrward took their leave
with many apologies and Ben continued his
1 journey to the Missouri with his big emerald
and $4,000