Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-10
SLEEPY PETE.
The Result of His COmmUniOn with
Blg Horn Smith.

Virginia City Enterprise
A few evenings since a wild-eyed
individual, Of the Buffalo Bill style
of hair, entered North @ street
saloon, and introduced himself in
a general way as Big Horn Smith, |
of the Goose Greek mountains, and |
a real Kentucky gentleman. He
said he was becoming moldy for
want of congenisl exercise. The
COmstock range pleased him sufi-
emily well, except that the people !
were too good to afford him any
amusement. They agreed too read
lily to any and every proposition.
What was the utility Of his an
nouncing himself as being danger
GUS and ugly to handle, when
nobody disputed the assertion? On
the frontiers men were true men.
There the souls of men were not
cowed by civilization. There each
man declared himself and passed
for what he was worth. There, on
the frontiers, man would not
agree with you if you told him
white was black and black was
white. On the frontiers could at
all times be found spirited and in
structiye argument supplemented
with invigorating exercise.
"Now," said the apostle from
the Goose Greek mountains, "when
| tell you that | think you are the
biggest set of white-livered ours
that / have ever encountered in my
travels, | don't expect any of you to
dispute the assertion; ; when l tell
you | believe there is not one
among you but would shed tears
were | to spit in his face, l do not
expect a man among you to show
that he is aware Of my presence ;
when l tell you that the man who
is saying these things is right here
and easy to be found, l have not
the least fear that one among you
will come to hunt himl"
Having completed this speech
the long-haired being sneeringly
surveyed those in the room. No
7 one said a word, as no one felt ii
to be his duty to engage in rough
and.tumble fight with a man for
whose opinion, good or bad, he did
not care a straw. A man is not
obliged to turn scavenger and un-
dertake to abate every nuisance
} that comes in his way, though ht
may encounter some that are very
0 offensive.
f "I see that have estimated you
S at your true value" said the Goose
Greek mountaineer. snow, if il
S would be any credit to me I'd JUS
e haul you up here by your noses ant
0 knock your heads together"
@ "Somebody ought TO teach thli
; windy fool a les3on," said one o
; those in the saloon to his neighbor
a / do not feel personally aggrieved
t but it's work that should be don
i for the good of society at large
e He is evidently all wind, bubbl
r that would be easily pricked, bu
d even in prickinga bubble you mus
d? come in contact with foul air"
Said the neighbor: "Sleepy Pet
II went into the card-room, back,
: while ago, lie would think it n
v hardship to come out and abate th
.e nuisance-he would do it for do
lar"
d The two men left their seats an
n went toward the card-room.
81 have always observed coyote
g. leave the plain when the grizzl
n. bear comes down from the noun
a, tains," sneered the Goose Cree
is man, following the pair with h
eyes.
The two citizens made no repl,
They found Pete with his head on
rd-table, sound asleep. The
re awoke him and told him that
r man outside was spelling fora soun
le thrashing, and a dollar was read
or for him as soon as he had fnishC
a, the job.
he Yawning till the top of his hes
er seemed coming off, Pete sale
Is, "Yo.o-aw hoo-oo-yaw, yum!
Il. dollars small to be walked up for
n y.aw.Oo.yum-but reckon /
it take it. Ya-oo-yuml Pye G
Sc nothing else to do just now"
ry AS Pete walked into the bar.roo
,ss his eyes fell upon the long-hairc
We stranger.
tel "This himp" was all he said.
Id. An affirmative nod from one
lel the men was his answer.
es, Pete slouched forward, lazi
he stretching his brawny limbs al
g yawning in the strangers face, sal
he "Well, let's (hoo-yaw-um) begin
oil Pete's arms shot out two or thr
in, times, like the piStous of a doub
"a. cylinder engine; the apostle fro
pie the Goose Creek mountains went
nd the floor and was kicked under
un table and against the wall, like
Is, wet dishrag.