Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-26
The Wamderer,s Return.
HOW THE MARCH OF CIVILIZATION THwAR1ED THn
PLANS OF WICKED JIM

PLANs OF WICKED jim.
From the Burlington Hawkeye.
The mining town Of Bunko had shanties 100
tents, GOO population, and 80 men who drank
whisky, played old sledge, and carried knives
and revolvers and stabbed and peppered each
other on the slightest provocation. The ono
man who didn't drink was slim, hungry-look-
ing man, whom the boys had elected for Justice
of the peace police Justice chief of police, chief
fugleman at funerals, superintendent OF hospl-
tails, and principal OF public schools.
He had all he could do to carry around bis
load Of dignity. Had he added one drink OF
whisky to his burden he would have been
crushed to earth.
One afternoon it became the painful duty Of
the man OF many honors to proceed to the
shanty occupied 10y Wicked Jim Of Arkansas,
and to remark to that individuals:
flames. II If the sentiment of this ere enter
prising town that you git up and git"
kin you back them remarks?" calmly In
IL reckon" whispered the judge, as no
brought two Colts" to bear on the lemon
shaped head not ten feet away.
Wicked Jim surveyed the situation without q
wink, and after the lapse Of seventy seconds no
placidly remarked:
'Ill git"
sWhen?"
''SOon as I can pack"
"That'll dew, James," observed the Judge
and he eased down the hammers of his revol.
vers and went away to select site for col
lege.
Wicked Jim betrayes no particular emotion a.
he went about his work packing up, and at the
end OF an hour, when he rode his mule out upon
the Campus Martius with all his traps made
fast to the saddle. no one could have suspected
the yesuvius raging i'm his heart. crowd had
gathered to see him Off
Gentlemen" said the Wicked as he bowed
to the right and left. IL spit upon your town of
Bunko. l can build better one Of sand and
grease 1t amt fit town fur an aristocrat like
me. and I've allus knowed it,"
At this point three or four individuals on the
outskirts of the crowd began shooting but the
Wicked took no notice of the fact as he contin-
ued:
''The lion can't partner with the iackar The
eagle can't mate with the buZZard. Sinks, slug
gers. ours and reptiles, go!'
Here the shooting increased one-half and ono
OF the bullets passed through the Wicked's hat
as he raised it and continued:
But i will return, and when do look out
for oceans of gOrei In less than q year I'll dump
your town into the river and hold the site fur
a private graveyard! Whoop! Yip-U.-
whOop!"
The Wicked held two shooters on the crowd
as he gailoped of, and the result was two men
killed and three wounded. A hundred bullets
whizzed around the fugitive but he turned the
bend without having received a scratch.
Twelve months had passed away. 1t was eve
ming when five hOrsemen rode slowly into Bunko.
Wicked James rode at the head of the process
siOn He had come to fulfil his promise, and
there was blood In his eye.
slows this ere?" Queried the Wicked as the
band reached the brow of the hill and looked
down upon the town.
Gas lamps were now burning In every direc-
ton!
The procession moved down to the spot
where the Red Eye saloon had stood year be-
fore. and again the Wicked uttered growl Of
surprise.
The soloon had disappeared, and in its place
stood solid brick building bearing the sign:
Manufacturers Band"
The procession moved down to the next corner
over freshly laid pavement. In place Of 'The
Can Can Dive" was q fine opera house, and
across the street was a great hotel.
Like men who walk on the steep roof Of Q
house the procession moved down to the public
square. This was the spot from which the
Wicked had taken his departure q year ago.
No. 1t can't be! Here are blocks of stores O
railroad ticket Office, police station, and Q
public museum!
The Wicked rubbed his eyes like man who
has slept too long. and he looked this way and
that in dumb amazement. BY and by he said:
boys, let's gin one oldfashioned yell, and
break this mirage"
They yelled IN chorus.
The echo had not yet died away when men
wearing uniforms and silver stars suddenly APP
peared as Ii rising from the earth. The Wicked
and his companions were pulled from their sad.
dies and hustled across the square into prison
cells, and while they seemed to be struggling in
the embrace Of some terrible dream they were
brought into court and heard the observation
from dignfed Judge:
1--WE cannot tolerate such conduct in peace
full. law abiding city like Bunko. The sentence
of the court is ninety days In the workhouse for
each one Of you'll"