The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-08-09

ment and disgust In burst OF OathS /
and revilings. mo man shall keep a /
hotel with nothing to drink in it in |
these partsr' he said. If you don't |
have liquor, and good liquor, too, the /
next time / call, won't leave whole /
dish or whole bone herer'
And, as a foretaste of what he would |
do next time, he kicked over the table |
and smashed three or four chairs, by
way of leave-taking.
With such customer on their hands,
it is little wonder that our two young
friends felt very i'll at case. Still, they
were bold men, and were determined
not to be bullied into keeping rum; so
they went about their business as
usual.
Nothing further was seen of Walker
for fortnight, when he again appeared
early one morning while Charles was
getting breakfast, Gilbert having gone
out to look after the cattle. The first
hint that Charles had of his visitor was
another vOlley of shots into their sign
board.
This time Clate had shot the second
letter to pieces. 1t was apparently his
way of knocking. Immediately he
| kicked the door open as before.
Under the circumstances it is not very
! strange that Charles stepped out of a
back door at about this time, and went
| behind the corral, from whence he heard
Walker firing repeatedly, and making
| great smashing noise.
/ When at length the desperate had
taken his departure it was found that
/ he had made a complete wreck of the
crockery and furniture; and in the gro
| cery-room he helped himself to tobacco,
and emptied his revolver at the kerosene
! haT.r which faT41n6 in half a dozen
| places, was deluging the floor.
/ shall not undertake to say what the
duty of my young friends was-whether
they should have resisted outrage and
defended their property at the risk of
! their lives. or moved away from so dam
gerous a neighbor. What they did was
to get out of sight whenever they saw
| Walker coming, and let him do his
worst.
1t CHANGED that after time a second
cousin of my young friends came West
to see them. His name was FoTney,
and he was then a student at the militia
ry academy at West Point. l am not
sure, however, but he had just gradual
ed, though that does not matter.
He dropped in upon the Small broth
ers quite unexpectedly one afternoon,
and it is needless to say that they were
glad to see him, and that they passed a
very pleasant evening Nothing was
said about Walker, for Gilbert and
Charles, having an honest pride in their
ranch, were 10th to let Lieutenant Ger
aid know how badly they were off in re-
spect to neighbors.
The desperate happened to come
along, however, the very next morning.
Charles and Gerald were sitting in the
dining-room, when Gilbert, who had
seen the gambler coming up the road,
suddenly rushed in.
"Old' Clate Walkers comingr' he
exclaimed. - Put out. at the back
doorr'
Charles leaped to his feet, but our
young West Pointer arose more leisure
lv. ''Who the dickens is Old CIate
Walker?' he asked.
"A regular border terrorl A dc spera-
do! A @killerr'' exclaimed Gilbert.
He's likely to shoot any of us at sight!
Come on after us!''
"What! run out of your own hOuse!'
said Forncy, surprised. ''Why, what
hold has this fellow on youP"
''NO hold whatever, but he's a dead
shot and double-dyed murderer cried
Charles. you don know him as we
do. Come along with us and get out of
his wayr'
mot Ir' exclaimed Forney-who
felt that his military reputation was at
stake. Take your two shot-guns and
stand ready in the kitchen. I'll stop
here and see Mr.. Walker!'' and he hur-
riedly took his revolver from his over
coat pocket, then stepped to the window
behind the desk on the counter.
With his customary oath the gambler
and dead-shot kicked open the door
and strobe in. The young Lieutenant
| | H., LII a.
apparently reading newspaper. He
did not look up.
: s'Hello, you sneal1r' shouted Walker.
''Where are the tender kids that keep
this blasted Temperance hOtel?"
II think they gone out to hide, -
said Forney, carelessly turning his
: paper ''They said there was a man.
2 eater, regular anthropophagus, com
ing, and that they were going to hide
sOmewheres.
l Walker stared. ''Wen, well - he
= ripped out. IF you amt the freshest
kid I've struck in ten years Right
fresh from the East, aren't We, young
feller?"
eyes," said Forney, moving the
2 paper, I'm from the East, and I'm
1 pretty fresh, l suppose. I'm a young
3 fellow, bat I'm pretty nice one"
y
Numbered Walker. ''Do you know
: who / amp
! GLOW should I?'' said Forney, ats
4 none of my business. I'm only here on
e a visit / don't care who you are
!. The bully flushed, stung by the care
1 less contempt in Forney's tone. Sup
= pose" he muttered, taking q step to-
4, ward the counter, while a murderous
/ CLEAN crept into his eye, suppose ]
4 were 10 tickle your Adams apple with
a my dirk, what then?"
5 Then I'd shoot you dead for the
< seoundrelly hound you are!" exclaimed
: the young cadet, suddenly presenting
e his cooked revolver full in Walkers
: face. ''Alove-stira hand, and III shoot
e you like a dogs
2 . The first man that ever got the
drop on men' gasped Walker; 'and
+ you a little whipper-snapper from the
: Eastr'
q No matter what 1 am said For