The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-08-27
Terror Number One.

Terror Number One.
Every day the bull trains, mule teams,
and stages roll into the Black Hills with
their loads of "fresh fish," as the vet
Grams call the new arrivals from the East.
These fresh fish" rush for hotels, board
ing-houses and saloons, get meal or q
lunch, and are presently seen walking up
and down the streets of the frontier city
or collecting on the corners to hear the
latest news from the diggings and the
prospects of striking job.
The other day, when wagon load OF
bull-heads was dumped out In Custer
City, as wagon loads had been dumped
out every day before since grass started,
the first man to welcome them to the in
FAINT city was chap five feet high, and
weighing accordingly. There was q
blood stain on his left cheek, scar on
his right, and he had fierce eyes, voice
like roaring lion, and bad limp in one
of his legs. He was whiting out ten
pin with big bowie-knife as the wagon
drove up, and pushing the knife down
the back of his neck he lifted up Henry
rifle, ran his eye over the crowd, and
called out in an awful voice:
ISIS there anybody in that crowd look
ing for Terror No. l? Kase if there is,
here am; and I'm just aching to be shot
full of bullets weighing about pound
apiecei"
No one was looking for him. Some
looked at him, and some looked across
the street on purpose not to see him,
while there was q uniform movement
toward hip pockets.
ST didn't know but that some of you
might have come out here from New
York or Boston to plant me under the
sweet jessamine or the climbing morn
ing glory" chuckled the terror, as he
rested the butt of his rife on the ground
and fished up six-shooter from his boot
There were men from New York and
Boston in the party, but they didn't
want to bury anybody just then.
81 don't own this town." continued
the Terror, as he laid his infant armory
across the head of barrel. 81 don't
own foot of ground er a share in any
of the public buildings erected at the ex-
pense of taxpayers, but when stand ON
Washington square and utter one yell
this whole town quakes. I'm Terror
No. I. There's one or two other Terrors
around here, but I'm the boss-I'm the
regular deaths head and cross bones of
the Black Hills region!'
Before he had ceased speaking most of
the new comers had disappeared, some
looking pale and anxious, and others
feeling shivers race up and down their
backs.
An hour later, when a party of five
strangers from New England were max
ing the acquaintance of the Internal bev-
L. II
saloons, and at the same time pumping
the proprietor about prospects, in
walked the Terror He looked as fierce
as catamount cheated out of her des-
sert, and there was an awful growl in his
voice as he called out:
Give o'cloca by Omaha time, and I
haven't killed or been killed this whole
day long! Turn loose your pet grizzlies,
unhitch your whirlwinds, and let dozen
wild lions come for nae at once!S
'"rake something to drink, my good
FRIEND" mildly replied the saloonist
"You are always welcome here. but you
don't drop in half often enough. Don't
be afraid to pour out all you want
s'To tell the honest truth, Steve," said
the Terror, as he poured out nearly half
q pint of the meanest whisky ever made,
ST came in here to kill some one; but
you are white man clear down to your
toe nails, and won't raise no row.
That's good whisky, that is, and if you
want any one in Custer City put under
ground, just give me his name. Can you
think of any one? ?"
The saloon keeper reflected for mo-
ment, as he slowly wiped off his bar
with an old calico apron, and finally he
replied:
but something viii probably turn up in
q day or two. Any time you feel thirsty
come in and help yourself.
One of the five men had formerly been
a moulder in Troy stove foundry, and
he had been closely watching the Terror.
All of sudden he held out his hand for
q shake, cheerfully observing:
'sI'll bet one hundred to one that we
used to work, board and room together"
The Terror reached OUT his hand,
closely scanned the moulder's face, and
after moment he said to the whole FIVE:
"Gentlemen, come out doors and take
seats on the bench. I begin to know
this man, and don't want to answer
any questions in here. .
"Well, but I am surprised to find
you out here and rugged up in this
STYLE" remarked the moulder as the
men found seats.
$50 you may be, y slowly replied the
Terror. when I worked in Troy
there wasn't man or boy about the shop
who couldn't make me eat dirt. I was
one of the biggest towards east of Chi
cago, and now I'm one of the biggest
west of that town. I own right up, be-
cause know you won't go back on me.
/ might fight If was cornered, but if
Al L. 49, T