The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-01-11
Life in Arizona.

To dweller in the city, says a gen.
tleman who has spent much of his time
in Arizona, the pictures of life in this
out of-bhe-way region seem almost like
wild romance. There are tragic and
comic scenes, brave men, wild men,
honest men, and some not honest. In
the mining camps life is commonly
safe, and property far more safe than in
New York. Locks and bolts are little
known. A stranger may cast into
corner his bag of gold, not evAu cover
ing it or attempting any cont .alment,
and be sure to find it at any time after
ward untouched, or il removed, only TO
secure it for him. Justice is swift and
pretty sure to follow crime; but there
are some strange methods of admins
tration, as the following instance will
show: One man killed another friend,
too for invading his claim against the
owners protest. 1t was coolly done,
with full determination, and in almost
any country would be pronounced MUIR
der. There was fair trial, and the Of
fender did not deny the act. When the
judge gave his charge he remarked: 81
don't know but if I had been in the de-
fendant's place would have done ust
as he did-in fact, I guess should"
The jury retired and signed verdict,
which the foreman unrolled and read
one, two, three, and so on OF names or
marks preceded by the words "not
guilty" Coming to the twelfth name
he read "guilty." In an instant pistols
were drawn upon the offending juror,
who protested that he voted "not
guilty." and at the moment the foreman
discovered that the word "not" had
had been covered by crease in the
paper. The juror was loudly cheered,
and the foreman was in for dinner for
the entire dozen.
OF course, many rough characters
are found, the worst among them being
chiefly known as cowboys. These fell
lows are always armed-indeed, every
man down there is usually armed with
one or more pistols-and delight in
shooting merely to frighten strangers,
| Their aim is unerring, and of course
deadly when meant to be so. III they
ask stranger to drink and he declines,
they will level weapons and order him
| to dance, and dance he must or be shot;
| that is, unless, like one who was not
quite stranger, who, when asked if he
| drank, whipped out revolver and re-
piled: No, but I shoot little; and
now you dance;" indicating the bully
who asked the first question. This
readiness and bravery delighted the
boys, though their own leader was the
victim. The bully was compelled to
dance and to go down on his knees and
put his lips to the floor Tor eat sand"
as they say, and was then relieved.
Instead of being disgusted he shook
hands with the shooter and adopted
him as "one of the boys"
A more uncomfortable experience
fell to the lot of two Englishmen
on their way to California. They
stopped ct station in New Mexico,
and against the advice of the hotel
keeper and others went out little
way to visit small village. First one
and then the other was made to dance,
and toward morning they appeared at
the station with no clothing except
stockings, drawers, trousers and shirts
Through some friends their watch and
clothes we're restored, and they were
provided with emigrant tickets to San
Francisco rather disguised with their
border experience. One OF the institu-
tions of the country is the Arizona
cocktail" which stranger will soon
be introduced to. Go up to the bar
alone and ask for drink and some one
will suggest the aforesaid cocktail,
which is thus made Fill half-pint
tin cup half-full of mescot IA strong
liuuor made from cactus), throw in
handful of beans (friioles), and grease
the rim of the cup with a bacon rind'
OF course the stranger declines the
mess and stands treat for all hands.