The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-02-09
Ben Holladay's Nose.


recently with number of acquaint.
ances, old Ben Holiday, the California
stage-coach proprietor, became unusually
communicative. He climbed the Rocky
Mountains, waded through the Great
Salt Lake, jumped across the Black
Canon of the Colorado, danced in Death
Valley, cooked grizzlies in the Yellow
stone 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 startling and amusing.
One night" he said, long before
the Pacific Railroad was built, l was
bouncing over the plains in one of my
overland coaches. My wife was with
me. She was sick, and lay on the bot
tom of the stage ON bed of buffalo
skins. The night was fearfully dark,
and drizzling rain was falling. Mrs.
Holiday and myself were the only pas
sengers. Several coaches had been
robbed within two months, and the
driver was ripping along as though a
gang of prairie wolves were after him.
Suddenly the horses were thrown on
their launches, and the stage stopped.
| was heaved forward, but quickly re-
covered, and found myself gazing at the
muzzles of a double barreled 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 gruff voice. Up
went my hands and began to commune
with myself. The fellow then coolly
asked for my money. saw 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 magnificent emerald that cost
me over $4,000 few weeks before in
San Francisco. / hardly breathed
through fear that the light might strike
the stone, and its sparkling brilliancy
attract the attention of the robber. /
had about $40, 000 in money belt close
to the skin, and several hundred dollars
in my pocket"
"Suddenly my friend shouted, Come
shell out, quick
/ passed out the few hundred loose
in my pockets, and handed him my gold
watch and chain. They were hefty. /
think the chain would weigh five pounds
at least.
O. There, said /, there's every cent
I've got. Take it, and let me go 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 a second robber received the
watch and money. Then search was
made for the express company's box,
but the doubled barreled shot gun did
not move. Its muzzles were within
foot of my nose. For my life dare not
stir My nose began to itch. The stiff
hairs of my mustache got up, one after
was intolerable. / could stand it no
longer.
"'Stranger,' / cried i must scratch
my nose. 1t itches 80 that | am almost
crazy.
"' Move your hands, he shouted, and
I'll blow hole through your head big
enough for a jack rabbit to jump
through / appealed once more. Well
he answered, keep your hands still,
and I'll scratch it for you. Ihate to see
a partner suffer-"
Did he scratch it?" asked one of
Ben's interested listeners.
"Sure," said Mr.. Holiday.
"HowT asked the breathless lis
tener.
"With the muzzle of the cooked gum"
said the great overlander. He rubbed
the muzzle around my mustache and
raked it over the end of my nose until
thanked him and said that it itched
no longer"
The robbers soon afterward took their
leave, with many apologies, and Ben
continued his journey to the Missouri
with his big emerald and $4,000.