The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-15
shooting a, stuffed Han.

A correspondent who seems &c
have nothing to do but 10 travel
tells US that be was on bis way up {
short time since from the Blael
Hills country, and as the train start
ed from station tall MissouriaI
took a seat beside him, and began e
talk:
"The hills are full of geld" be
said, by way Of introduction 81
reckon you think different
"Not at all, sir" | replied
"Have you been there
"Yes."
"Then you know all about it ?"
He buried his face in his hand;
and sighed heavily.
"What troubles you?n finally
Troubles me-" be repeated, start
iug up and looking at me with bis
large gray eyes; "It's no trouble al
all, sir, but disgrace ;-pard, DOM
you forget it, disgrace J"
He sighed again, and pulled bis
long yellow whiskers With a nervous
hand.
"Well, SIR" | said, with more Gu.
riosity than is usual with me, dis
grace is bad enough, but when coup
led with defaati
Cheese it, pard," interrupted the
stranger; "yon strike heavy, and
somehow, tumble to you at once.
Disgrace coupled with fear p That's
good; like it. I've been there my.
self. It's rich. That's why | left
the bill 2"
"Oh.n
at is fer fact. lefs all of a
suddint l skipped out"
"And yet the bills are full OF
gold? 2"
"Sartin. But | couldn't stand the
racket so left. You live herea-
bouts, l s'p-ose?p
"No; I'm traveller. I've lived in
the Black Hills, though, very short
time"
'In Deadwood !"
"Deadwood"
Then Won know Stumpy jacobs.
| reckon?
&c, yes; | know Stumpy; fancy
beer jeFker is he"
True. Wall, you see Stumpy
and | war chums, mighty big friends;
but It's all,over now"
Impossible" cried.
yes" said the stranger, Eve
couldn't agree on the gal question "
Hum, any girl that | know ?"
Maybe. She did the dance biz
at the Variety Theatre. They call
ed her Sprightly Nell She went for
me and | tumbled, and then-"
"Stumpy
Went for her"
And she-"
"Tumbled. In course that settled
it between Stumpy and /. So told
him we'd separate for while, and
p'rhaps take little rifle practice to
see which could get in his work.
Thar wasn't much preparation nee
essary; We just took down our shoot
ing g.arms mounted our horses, and
struck for the bush. Then be hunted
for me, ard / hunted for him. But
we were both tolerably shy; iist kept
round shootin' at one anoth-
er without doin' anv harm. But the
third day | fetched him.
What Stumpy ?"
T shouldremarF. Listen
at was about noon; I had been
sneakin' around for an hour or so.
and no Stumpy. Then suddenly |
came on him, he was sittin' on his
boss. not more than iftv yards away,
sittin' straight aud kind o. thinking
like. for be didn't see me-"
"Stumpy , Stumpyl | yelled, not
wishing to shoot him without his
knowing of it."
"He turned his head. / thought,
and then | blazed away. Did / hit
him? Don't you forgetit. I did. He
kind o. threw up his hands, and went
off his horse all of q heap
The longest pole knocks the per-
simmons, l said, and rode slowly
down to whar the boys were at work;
then, after a while | went back to
town"
"You kept clear of the Dew-drep
for a while" | said.
"Not much, stranger. | rode
straight up to the door. got off my
hoss, went in and called for whiskev
straight; and will you believe me ?
Thar. just as natural as ever, in bis
red shirt, before the bar. was Stun
py Jacobs And, what is more,
Sprightly Nell was with him, and
they both larfed when they seed
me-"
'I thought / killed you," said,
lookin' at the little chap with bulg-
ing eyes.
"But it wasn't me-" said Stumpy,
grinning, ''it was a stuffed man on
horseback | got tired of foolin'
wild We, and so manufactured a man
to take my place. | tied a string
around his neck, and Nell and | hid
in the bushes to watch proceedin's.
So when you shot him, pulled the
string, and off he tumbled, kind o.
life like, and you rode away like
It's all up with you in
this hamlet. Better go and shoot
yourself to onct."
"They both laughed again, and
Sprightly said;
"It's all writ in rhyme now, and
| am larnin' to sing it on the stage
.o-night. It's a rough joke over you,
,le man, and | think you'd best seek
,ther pastures"
81 was disgraced and beaten; so
est shook hands with Stumpy, kiss
ID Sprightly Nell in the ear, mount
I'd my boss. and rode away"
The engine whistled, and the dis
stranger rose to his feet
81 get of here" he said, "but I'll
De in Omaha In day or two and I'd
ike to meet you there. And. say.
+ you come across an able e-bodied
nan, who wears No, IL boots en-
rage aim for me, for he'll have more
un and bigger wages in kickin' me