The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-12-20
LIFE AMONG THE COWBOYS.
How They Made Preparations for u Dance
I'm an idaho Town.

| III uh t0anc 1OWn.
| An American Falls, Idaho, letter I,
the New York SIN gives the following
picturesque account of the experience!
of an afternoon preceding COWBOYS
dance:
Things went smoothly enough unit
about the middle of the afternoon wher
a travelling man arrived in town. Some
of the old heads expected trouble the
minute he appeared, for the boys were in
a humorous mood and ready for any sor,
Of fun. Tho travelling man went to the
tavern and did not show himself again
until about 5 o'clock, when he was spied
walking down the street wearing silk
hat. Cold chills ran up the backs OF
the ancient citizens, and tho tavern
keeper, with view to
SAVING THE MANS LIFE,
started after him to give him the wore.
but before he could overtake the stranger
eight or ten OF the boys had seen him
and were following him doggedly down
the street in single file. The man with
the silk hat may have noticed the pro.
cesslon, but it is probably that he had
no idea of its insgnificancc. He stop.
ped in little store for few minutes,
and while he tarried there the crowd on
the outside increased. When he emerg.
ed once more the boys fell into line be.
hind him again in single file and resum.
cd their march, gathering recruits at
almost every step, until finally there
were twenty or thirty of the gang in the
procession. by this time the stranger
began to understand that something was
the matter either with him or with the
town, and he dartcd into jewelry store,
pretending that he wanted to set his
watch. The boys came to halt
on tie sidewalk and faced the
store. The jeweler, whose stock
consisted principally of revolvers and
other shooting irons, looked inquisitiyely
at his caller and then at tho throng in
front. ThinkiDgit good opportunity
to say something, the travelling man OBJ.
served
"You have a nice town here, but can
you tell me why those men are following
me around ?"
II can," said the storekeeper, laconi.
cally;
THEY'RE AFTER THAT HAT"
"What hat3"
THAT plug. They don't allow 'em
here, sir. Never been here before?"
"Never!" gasped the man.
well, now, look here" said the Jew.
cler, "the boys are little full of fun to.
day, and they might make things uncom.
Portable for you. III Just escort YOU ND
10 the fotel and introduce you to some
Of them as my friend. Then you put
that hat away and don't wear it my
more"
Thanking the jeweler, the stranger
walked out arm, ,in.arm with him, the
boys falling in behind aud following
them 10 the hotel. On entering the bar.
room TIE jeweler called one of the boys
TO- ono nide and said "This is Mr..
b, friend Of mine from the
States"
The "boy" seized him by tho hand
with grip that brought tears TO his
eyes, and said:
''I'll take turpentine."
Others crowded up and we're intro.
duced, each one smiling a sickly sort of
smile, but looking unforgivingly at the
hat. All agreed that they would have
something, and quietly urged tho stran.
ger toward the bar, on which the inn.
keeper had placed the bottle the minute
! the first speaker had Nominated his
medicine" When once they were ar
ranged in front of the bar, with glasses
in hand, the hot suddenly slipped from
the head of the wearer, assisted by n
cowboy In the rear, and in less time than
it takes to tell it ring was formed
around the offending article and
A SCORE OF REvoLvERs
were blazing away ut it. The terrified
traveller stepped TO one side with his new.
found friend, and WAS met with the com.
forting remark:
Its a mighty good thing for you that
you got onto me, for in ten minutes more
those chaps would have been firing a..
that hat on your head. They wouldn't
have taken tho trouble to knock it off,
They would have shot it off, and you
would have been in luck if you had ca.
capped with whole skull, for some of
the boys are little wild in their shoot.
ing"
While the boys were still holding
high carnival over their drinks and the
hat, hard-looking customer, whom few
in the crow appeared to know, came in.
and, elt0wng his way up to the bar.
seized the bottle and took long puli
from its nozzle, disdaining to use a glass.
One of the boys made profane remark
TO the effect that the newcomer was a
hog from Hogsville, and teetotally unfit
to associate with gentlemen. Quicker
than tiash the man, known as Babe
Williams. had his selfcocking revolver
raised and ready for business.
"TAKE THAT BACK"
he roared to the cowboy who had insult.
ed him.
Never" said the latter with an
cath.
Interest in tho proceedings was reviv.
ing: The rest of the boys stood around,
their faces revealing tbs enthusiasm
which they felt.
Williams was very much in earnest.
With finger on trigger, he yelled: "I'll
give you one minute to take that back"
The cowboy stood with folded arms, un.
moved, his gray eyes fixed on his enemy.
There was huge revolver in his belt,
but movement of the hand toward the
weapon, meant death.
Il am not afraid of you" he said.
"You can't kill me without killing
yourself at the same time"
"How's that?" asked Williams.
Because there's a man behind YOU
who has got the drop on you, and
when"
Before the cowboy finished the sen.
tence Williams had turned quickly on
his imaginary foe in the rear, and, with
q movement like lightning, the cowboy
had his revolver in hand and
WAS FIRING LEAD
l