The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-28
TON CHAMBERS OF SQUATTERS'
GULCH.

Inc Stranger was drunk. Thore was no
installing it. He WAS also ugly. There was
10 room for a dorbt of that either. Physically,
mentally AZ" morally, ho was both drunk
and uSiy. 3hG hiiarous patrons of the Tarap-
luia saloon had Tor som. hours boon watching
MS Increasing oputencc of alcoholism and
I'M sbyeness wisa that interest which always
marked them when ;prespsets ola fight becs me
PfemIlent In Suuatters' Caleb a light was as
fuli of at'raaiircncss as a strawberry festival
ho'orinnsty IS i'll Il New England village. The
sturdy pioneer WHO conducted the local rheater
haa been known toI:ke advaltag 20 ef9gthfs fact
with great 1iuane.fl profit To hiinseIk Being
aware That two Of the most energetic warriors
OF tho surroundings Country Ind sworn to
carve and othcretsc Sleiaier eaetf1oiherstae
reverse of ornamental, or even useful, the first
ume hey should meet, this genial person sent
eaca o. them n complimentary ticket to thjs
mai. He 'heu caused to BIO Circulated tho re-
port ma they were 10 be present NJ the Aiham-
pra ialace-sucil was tho respleuGent TILE by
which his resort was known to local fame-
upon heReyening sfoiiowing.sss Hlss&lcsaes had
Deen severe. Tho inhabitants of Squatters'
Gulch bad no foniuesI forsNdramatiosvart as
here interpreted. Macbeth, yHamiet and Sar-
dananaius. performed by FxAperAons,s haa no,
attractions for their sorlid senses. Therefore
ne had lost money. But his reverses were
amply set right by tho stroke OF managerial
genlua which | have hero. recorded. The
house was packed. So we're q the roofs of ad-.
lacent buildings, whore eligible standing room
brought as high q figure AS $40 per square
foot. The caEvaA top of the Alilambra p. nee
had been removed for the occasion, aud the
view was good. The warriors met Oao OF
'hem requested the other, with that poetic
sense of chivalry which characterized Itinerary
NJ untaln settler, to spit in his ca in III.
Ion which was promptly accepted %1hc iielt
that followed was always remembered in the
Suich. How the Tail Slasiierr of the Rappa-.
hammock dext 'ronsly removed both ears from
tae head of Sacramento John, and was himself
most elahorate!y Iacerated liz return. arc mat
tors OF history The owu vent half mad with,
sdmiraiioa, and What was left of the two ac-
complished young gentlemen involved in this
little entertainment was for ysars regarded
~imost with reverence.
1t may be supposed, therefore, that the
NOV emen's,of the Stranger, upon the night Of
winch l writa, were viewed with something
more than common interest One by one tho
leading cltizens had dropped Into the ,Iarautula
saloon during the evening, until the ables
were all we~llSsnrr0unded, and the bar was
lined with watchfui observers.
who's the stranger?" inquired Tom Cath
cart, in a careless way, as he dealt three cards
to Judge Ga-hwiider. '
'Dunno," briefly Responded rEthat judicial
luminnry, throwing his hand down in n dis
gusted way; mes only inst arriv', and it's my
legal opinion as how. If he keeps on, ho'il
reach the end of his lariat extremely quick"
"fve ia'f-a mini" musea Mr.. ca heart,
pleasantly. ito rise up and give hun g ~oeuefit
myself ! don't like no Missouri mud eater TO
stand the boys up NkesAa,s doing,I w.
Never mind" aifably rejnined Judge Gaah-
wilder, with that ar OF authority which gavo
his opinions upon the bench great weight;
"holI on q bit tur-liued George will be along
soon, and the stranger will have to take water
then; Let him 20 on, Gimme two cards.
'Heilu!" ejacnfatea Mr. 1athcart, u moment
later; the ball las begun"
Everybody in the room had arisen to his feet
The tall M'sspnr!an, q man of angular frame
atd sinister vlsace. had at last succeeded in
drawing somebody into o gcontroSersv. The
citizens OF squatiots' Guich were about to be
entertained. tE4t
'Humphl' muttered Mr.. Cathcar., cts a
id shame for him 10 .picka a row with
Chambers. The poor chap can@scarcely hold
his own head mp, let alone ligaiing. IKE a.
mighty good notion q sail inmysclf. r. /, i (
Hold or" cautioned Judge G~ashwildcr.
with his index tingcr laid knowingly along his
nose; Thomas Chambers is all right; lie is
SLOW but sure. Look tliere!' m
The quarrel at theEbar 4has bean growing
louder, The Stfanger.E intaineds with tie fiery
liquor he had been drinking, had selected one
of the least offensive men in tho settlement as
the special object of his displeasure. This per-
son, u Mr.. Thomas GlaudoIs, was a quiet, re-
specially dressed man, wlt4.agstotdtaee aud
u detected manner. who was looked upon in n
iiIcuhiN, utStLh tass lRS.f 1tSiib ny MS eONfpAN-
ions. There has: been something sad III his
lifc-that was known to the cnti3 @ population
of the Gutctl. What ii was, no, ono precisely
knew. aud no one cared But NEARLY every
body took an interest IN him, aud not a soul
lived in the town. who would not lhave fought
for his sake at any tine.
The Stranger was heaping abuse on CLAN
ders' liead-aause, whichahe oeul.l netcompre-
bend, and which seauted 70 haltabew,hlar him
But the otie;rsiye Al issouriah went on, goaded
=. 80. Il NJ 49, L.. II 49, -. Il = f.A -
Chambers stood helplessly gazing about him,
making no reply, but occasionally passing
the back of his rough brown gfmnl across
his forehead. Finally, in a transport of rage,
the Stranger drew Il revolver. Then Chambers
seemed 70 awaken. ale spoke for the first
time. ,4-; s, .s,.lf
"Put itup.' y he said, Quietly, "orI will ELL
vou."
The Stranger laughed, and the crowd, angry
and menacing, began TO close in upon him.
Chambers motioned them back.
"fut it up" he repeated firmly, 'or I will
shoot you III your tracks"
The Stranger fired. and a part OF Chambers
hat foil to the floor. Few of the citizens CT the
Gulch had known OF would have believed he
could act with such decision. He had hitherto
been thought by them to be a slow and easy
going person, too inoffensive to DO efroddea
upon, and too gentle to respond with Violence.
But upon this occasion he behed tiiiss raputa-
ton. Quick as lightning-so Quickly TINT only
ono or two IN the room saw the movement
derringer sprang from ~hisIbcket, 4 deep ro-
port bounded throughs fhe room,a and the
Stranger fell to the floor. *fs a$t"'@FtaHs .
There wasssilencss for asmomeat a Then the
wounded Missourian, after whiting q moment
where he Law, beckoned1 Chambers toward him
He was no lonGervioient. The Times of drink
had quite cvaporated from ills. BRAN, sud he
realized what had happened. Glandcrs, whose
anger lad disappeared as quickly . it cstne;
when he saw he was the victor1ndShia1ife was
no longer threatened, stepped forward, and
raj .ed the Strangers head to lis knee. 8 81
"Whieky," he said. shortly, to the barkeeper.
The liquor was brought, and he poured II
between the Strangers lips. 1t was a dramatic
scene. So deep, 20 solemn was the coloring Of
the picture that not 4 man in the crowd-usu-
ally "a turbulent ona-had "a vet utiered,s word.
The wounded man, Somewhat revived by the
stimulant, motioned Chambers to lean closer,
and he obeyed. There. was nothing but pain
III his red face. now. aud great beads OF par
Stranger whisperediA few words ,broksnIy, and
then suddenly fell back, dead. Chambers low
cred the mans head to the floor, and then
slowly arose "a his feet IB6 hts6 .Mhichhad
some time ago fallen upon the eEowa was not
..Boys.' said Chambers, in o voice which
trembled slightly, ~ hated to-do il, but it
co lldn't be"hriped. Tn cory it was so, and
Tn willin' to abide by what yon say: III it was
about it" s2G & ~
A murmur that arose almost to q shout ran
through the room. Every man there endorsed
his course. Gleade gs began TO- move slowly
toward the door He. paused once, drew hrs
hat 10y over his eyes, buttoned his coat tight
" abont his throat, and thrust his hands into
dis packets with All air that indicated q pur-