The daily gazette., 1883-03-22
WICKED JIM.
The progress OF Civilization stops HiS
Mad Career In the Town of Bunko.
faurIInpfan Hawkava


The progress Of Civilization stops ais
Mad Career In the Town Of Bunko.
burlington Hawkeye.l
The mining town of Bpnko had shanties,
100 tents, 600 population. and 80 men who
drank whisky, played old aiedge, aud car
ried knives and revolvers and stabbed and
pepered each other on the slightest provo
cation. The one man who didn't drink was
a slim, hungry-looking man, whom the boys
had elected for justice of the peace, police
justice, cheif of police, cheif fugleman at
funerals, superintendent of hospitals, and
principal Of public schools.
He had all he could do to carry around
his load or dignity. Had he added one drink
OF whisky TO his burden he would have
been crushed to earth.
One afternoon 1t became the painful duty
of the man of many honors to proceed TO the
shanty occupied by Wicked Jim of Arkan-
sas, and to remark to that individual:
"James, II is the sentiment of this 'ere en-
terprising town that you git up and git"
"Kin you back them remarks 7" calmly in
quired the Wicked, as he turned over In
bed.
81 reckon" whispered the Judge, as he
brought two "Colts" to bear on the lemon
shaped head not ten feet away.
Wicked Jim surveyed the situation with
he placidly remarked.
"l'll git"
"When %
"Soon as can pack"
"That'll dew, James ;" observed the Judge,
as he eased down the hammers of his revol-
vers and went away to select a site for col
lege.
Wicked Jim betrayed no particular emo
tion as he went about his packing up, and
at the end of an hour, when he rode his mule
out upon the Campus Martius with all his
straps made fast to the saddle, no one could
have suspected the Vesuvius raging In his
heart. A crowd had gathered to see him
off.
"GeDtlemen," said the Wicked, as he
bowed to the right and left, 81 spit upon the
town of Bunko. / can build better one of
sand and grease 1t amt fit town fur an
aristocrat like me, and Pve allus knowed
itW
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 continued
"The lion can't partner with the jackal !
Tue eagle can't partner with the buzzard !
Sinks, sluggards, ours and reptiles, go |"
Here the shooting Increased one-half, and
one of the bullets passed through the Wick
"But will return, and when do look out
for oceans of gore In less than year IN
| dump your town into the river and hold
the site for privat graveyard Whoop
Zip vi whoop" !"
The Wicked held to 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 q
| scratch.
Twelve months had passed away. 1t was
evening, when five horsemen rode slowly
| into Bunko. Wicked James rode at the
head of the procession. He had come to
fulfill his promise, and there was blood In
his eye.
"How is this ERE {" queried the wicked,
| as the band reached the brow of the hill and
looked down upon the town.
Gas lamps were burning in every dlrec-
| ton.
The procession moved down to the spot
where the Red-Eye saloon had stood year
before, ana again the Wicked uttered a
growl of surprise.
The saloon had disappeared, and in its
place stood a solid brick building bearin e
the sign, Manufactures Bank"
The procession moved down TO the next
corner over freshly-laid pavement. In the
place of the "Can-Can Dive" was fine
opera house, and across the street was q
| great hotel.
Like men who walk on the steep of a
house the procession moved down to the
public square. This was the spot from
which the Wicked had taken his departure a
year ago. No, 1t can't be Here are blocks
of stores, street car line, market house,
another hotel, railroad ticket office, po-
lice station and public museum.
The Wicked rubbed his eyes like a man
who had slept to long, and he looked this
way and that in dumb amazement. BY and
by he said
Boys, let's gin one old-fashioned yell
and break this mirage"
They yelled in chorus.
The echo had not yet died away whnn
men wearing uniforms and silver stars sud
denly appeared, as if rising from the earth.
The Wicked and his companions were pulled
from their saddles and hustled acrosi 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 dig
niied Judge:
I'VE cannot tolerate such conduct In q
peaceful, law abiding city like Bunko, The
sentence of the court is ninty days In the
workhouse for each one of you"