The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-06-10
BIoody Bin the Terror.

"Whoop.la, whoop-lal" thundered hairy,
herculeaD, heavily armed Terror of terrible
fellows, as he kicked open the rickety door OF
the "Frontier Saloon," and glanced threaten
inRly upon the quiet crowd Within. With n
DEFIANT swagger and many horrible oaths he
advanced to the bar and said:
SLOWS biz ter.day, ToddymauP
"Dull, Bill, dull. Can't yer he mo out?'
"Of co'se canaan WILL" answered the
Terror.
Turning, he called out 10 the loafers scat.
tered about tho room:
"Come up hyer, como up, yer d. coyotes
an treat yo'sefs, an me, too, at yo own ex-
pense. That's right" he continued; as tho
Ten or twelve persons addressed sprang nim-
bly, from their keg perches and smilingiy ex-
pressed their Willingness to accept any invi-
tation, however worded, the said Terror might
extend.
"Humph erlong, an In hurry" he
growled savagely as he noted one solitary ex-
ception TO the unanimity or the acceptances,
.'or, by the crook OF my elbow, III hurt yeri
hurt yer bad"
The single exception, however, quietly re-
tanned his seat, and neither by gesture nor
speech did ho show tho slightest conscious
ness OF the presence and the language of the
most famous and infamous, desperate and
dreaded devil that had ever frightened West
ern sheriff into temporary civility.
Great was our Terror's amazement, and
greater his wrath, when he became convinced
that II was actually. the intention OF the rash
stranger 10 ignore him and his mandatory In
vitation. With huge, self-acting revolver In
hand, no started toward him. AS he ap.
II,
his long legs and extended himself gradually
upward, and upward, and upward, until at
last he presented to our astonished vision
the towering form OF the tallest and thlnnest
mortal we had ever seen. -r
When within three or four feet OF him the
Terror paused and said 81 gives yer tu un.
derstan that I'm Bloody Bill-the terrur of
kherrufs an the pattern saint OF undertakers.
Dyer hear me?"
I 'oh, yesi I'm not deaf" was the reply, IN q
cool, steady voice.
"An' I'm the favorite Of hell, an the rival OF
de'th an dockters," continued tho desperate.
"Fust rate record, that" was the approving
"Pm jumping Jumbo--rm the very fother
that broke the campbelrs back-Pm Texas
steer; stampeded-fma ournel, straight from
soin' ter s6ootl" simultaneousiy @ sly with the M
elevation OF tho revolver the strangers foot
| now forward and upward and the ball meant
| for his heart went crashing harmle3sly
through the roof-and thon with a rapidity OF
| movement that gave TO his russell brogan the
| appearance OF a chunk OF lightning In O
| chin, behind tho ear, in the stomach, In the
| back, on the chin, with flrst one foot and then
the other, and so enectually, too, that tho
| Rstounded and thoroughly shocked man cater
found II impossible to use single one OF hii
halfdozen weapons attached to his bolt. Blu
the Terror was really brave, and he struggled
Rnckily TO uphold and preserve the sangnin
until his slim and supple ANTAGONIST hnally
terminated tho fight BY n double.footed kicl
that stretched Bloody Bill prone and breath
lees upon the floor.
when restored to consciousness he ap
proached the great unknown and said
'For the las'-but, fust, what shall cal
yeri r'l-Dook-prisidintf"
"Plain mister" said the other.
"Whntl Vera plain misterT" exclaimed TIN
Terror incredulously.
"Jesso."
"All right, all right, slnce yer said SOL b!
C. yer deserve promoshun. NOW, mister, fu
sum years I've thot was u whole menagr.
In myself-lyon, elennt, wolf an all that-bu
| Tllbe burned ef hit don't look ter.day like i,
been runnin' a two-bit sideshow all erlong. Il
agreeable, sir, I'd like tu larn who an wha
yer air"
VI" replied tho Stranger, in deep, grav
| voice, ,"am the Great American Mule"
"Then, God be thanked" gasped tn
trembling Terror, 'that yer didn't have o.
| yer Iron Shoes" r.