The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-02-07
Ben HOlladay's Nose.


recently with number OF acduairtances
old Ben Ho1ladav became unusually
communicative. He climbed the Rocky
mountains, waded through the Great
Salt lake, jumped across the Black
canon of the Colorado, danced in the
Death valley, cooked grizzlies in the
Yellowstone geysers, scudded down the
Sheshone falls, and told a score of stories
SO thrilling that the hair of his hearers
arose in protest. One of his yarns was
both startling and amusing.
Zone night" said he, "long before
the Pacific railroad was built, [ was
bouncing over tie 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 DRILLING rain was falling Mrs.
Holiday and myself were the only pas
sengers. Several stages had been robbed
within two months, and the driver was
ripping along rs though gang of prairie
wolves were after him. Suddenly the
horses were thrown on their launches
and the stage stopped. 1 was heaved
forward, but quickly recovered, and
found myself gazing at the muzzles of a
double-barreled shotgun. BY the dim
light OF the stnge lamps the barrels
looked as big as nail-kegs. Throw up
your hands and don't STIR shouted the
owner of a gruff voice. Up went nv
hands, and I began to commune with
| myself. l saw that he did not know who
l was, and / was afraid that my sick wife
! might awake and call me by name. Ny
coat was buttoned over my bosom, but
hardly high enough to hide q magnificent
emerald that cost me over $4,000 few
weeks before n San Francisco. [ hardly
breathed through fear that the light
might strike the stone and its sparkling
| brilliancy attract the attention of the
robber. I had about $40, 900 in money
belt close to the skin, and several hun
dred dollars in my pocket
Suddenly my friend shouted, Come,
shell out. id quick, or I'll send the
devil free lunch.
a" passed out the few hundreds loose
in my pockets, and handed him nv gold
watch and chain. They were hefty. l
think the chain alone would weigh five
pounds, at least.
:" There, said /, there's every cent
I've got. Take it and let me go on.
My wife is very sick, and I don't know
what would happen to her if she knew
/ Hual WAS SoIHS Oh.
Keep your hands up was the re-
| ply, while a second robber received the
watch and money. Then a search was
made for the express company's box.
but the double barreled shotgun did
not move. Its muzzles were within a
foot of my nose. For my life did not
dare to stir. My nose began to itch.
The stiff hairs of my mustache got up
one alter another and tickled it until the
| sensation was intolerable I could stand
| it no longer.
O. Stranger, I cried, & must scratch
my nose. 1t itches so that am almost
| crazy
as Move your hands, he shouted.
and II blow hole through your head
big enough for jack-rabbit to jump
| through 1 appealed once more.
Well, he answered, keep your hands
/ still, and I'll scratch it for you. [ hate
to see partner suffer-"
81 Did he scratch it?" asked one of
Ben's interested listeners.
"Sure," said Mr. Holladay.
| Howl" asked the breathless listener.
with the muzzle of the cooked
gun" said the great overlander. He
rubbed the muzzle around my mustache
and raked ii over the end OF my nose I'M
| til 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 $40, 00O.-
| Nom YorE C,fn