St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-12-21
ST. cJuhnsburp Galeduniarl
A Cowboy Dance.
Idaho Letter in the New York Sun.


As cowboy dances go, the carnage was
not great, only one man being killed
and four wounded. The dead man has
already been buried, and the wounded
are all doing as well as could be ex-
pectcd, and before many days have
passed will he around as full of life
and innocent sport as ever. The pre-
partitions for COW boy dance are, as a
rule, quite as interesting and fully as
dangerous to life and limb rs the
dance itself. and for that reason it may
Ice well to describe some of the incl
dents of the day preceding the opening
soircc of the season. The boys gather
eel early in the day. and made several
raids on the dispensers of bugle paint
Things went smoothly enough until
about the middle of the afternoon, when
a travelling man arrived III town.
Some of the old heads expected trouble
the minute he appeared, for the boys
were ~ Il humorous mood, and ready
for any sort of fun. The travelling
man went to the tavern and did not
show himself again until about five
o'clock. when he was spied walking
down the street wearing silk hat.
Cold chills ran up the backs OF the
ancient citizcus, and the tavern keeper,
with view to saving the mans life,
started after him to give him the word,
but before he could ovcrtake the
stranger eight or ten of the boys had
seen him and were following him dog
gcdIy down the street in single file.
The man with the silk hat may have
noticed the procession, but 1t is prob
able that he had no idea of its signiti
canoe. He stopped in a little store for
a few minutes. and while he tarricd
the crowd on the outside Increased.
When hc emerged once more the boys
fell into line behind him again i'll single
file and resumed their march, gather
ing recruits mt almost every step, until
finally there were twenty or thirty OF
the gang in the procession. BY tins
time the stranger began to understand
that something was the matter either
with him or with the town. and he
dartrd into little iewelry store, pre-
tending that he wanted to set his
watch. The boys came to Il halt ON
the sidewalk and faced the store. The
irwclcr. whose stock consisted prin-
ripalIv of rcvolvcrs aud other shooting
irons. looked iuQuisitively at his caller
and then at the throng in front.
Thinking it Il good opportunity to say
something, the travelling man OBJ
served .
"Nou have Il nice town here, but
eau You tell me why these men are
following me around =
IL can" said the store keeper laconi-
cally; ''thcy are after that hat"
"What hat ~
THAT plug. They don't allow 'cm
here, sir Never been here before ?
"Ncvcr," gaspcd the man.
"Well, now, look here" said the
icwclcr. "Thc boys are little full OF
fun to-day, and they'll make things I'M
comfortable for You. I'll just escort
YOU to the hotel and introduce yOu to
some of them lis my friend. Then you
Just pat that hat away and don't wear
it any more"
Thanking the ieweler, the stranger
walked out arm in arm with him, the
bows falling in behind and following
them to the hotel On entering the
har-room the icwclcr called one of the
bows to one side and said, "This is
Mr.. b -. "A friend of mine from the
States The "boy' seized him by the
hand with Il grip that brought tears
4. . - ,;I
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score al trN"lNers were "i'"i"s away
at H. ne 'ti'I''e" >1i'oi StoPP'I
I" one Si"' WIN ms he" -Iot''I,' II .'""
and was met Win the comforting ro'
marx ,.. g.. ...,,
IT ".'Si'N S'"' mus 'o' !"'
''''' N"" N'' %" J." me '"i ~ '1n i I'''',
n'tS l''o't '',''I', ''"l'H ""'',, nav TLa'
urn Il. Ii'' nat u" You, "''"' NV
W"ululi nave taken Tue Il"""'' !"
knock II on lheA N""'" nave s""
IT. OH, ana N"h ""nlu nave p'en i,'ch ny !
II N"n had escaped with "h"l1 Skull
Ton some OF the boys are NIUE WIG
IN their shooting.
NmIe the boys were sun h"id'hg
hl%h carnival over thelf drinks anu Ihe
hat a hard looking customer Wh"ll
lew III the crowd arPeate" 10 KNOW
came m ana 'In""lhS ms way up u
tiie oar, Sti1e" 'he oH'''| anu !ooN
long pun from us h"Z%lt' uiSoalhihS u
use glass. NIne OF Jnt boys nlduc