Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-12-10
INUNDATED COWBOYS.
The Lesson That Was Taught
Them by an Unobtrusive
Tenderfoot.

There have been great many stories
told Of the reckless daring and abandon
Of the cowboy. He IS tan American
production, and at the sound of the
word cowboy the mind reverts to some
western locality where law and order
are unknown. and are supplied by a
rude set of conventionalities, the non
observance of which means violence
without process of trial. The typical
cowboy must be fearless. ready to shoot
| at a moments warning, wild in his
makeup and language, and ready to
perpetrate joke on "tenderfoot" at
any time.
But there is often considerable brag-
gadocia in the cowboy, and good illus
tration of this fact was told Sentinel
reporter by station agent, who had
lived in the west for many years and
had been in the employ of various rail-
roads in localities where cowboys were
numerous.
81 have seen good many daring
deeds performed and coarse jokes per-
petrated by cowboys" said the agent,
"but will tell you of little incident
where the wind was taken out of three
cowboys by determined, fearless ten
derfoot.' 1t happened only last spring.
l was then station agent and telegraph
operator for the Northern Pacific Rail-
road company at place near the Mon
tana line. 1t was not much of a place,
as it consisted only of a..depot, house
or two, and a saloon.
Zone morning a travelling man ar
rived at the depot by stage from up
north somewhere. He had small
sample-case and satchel. He was be-
low medium height and rather slight,
but was very neatly dressed and wore
silk hat. He was travelling for a
New York iewelry house. He was a.
bout an hour early for the train east,
and he opened his grip on the platform,
took out brush, and busted his cloth
ing and shoes. He then drew out an
old newspaper, leaned up against the
side of the depot with one foot project
ed in front of the other, and began
reading.
Meanwhile, however, three cowboys
had sauntered up to the depot. They
all eyed him closely and watched his
operations, When he began reading
they huddled together and talked a.
while in an undertone. Presently one
of them-a big six-footer-left the
group and began to saunter carelessly
about the platform with his head in the
air inspecting the posters on the build
ing and the cOrnice. When he got a.
round where the travelling man stood,
he lifted his big brogan and planted it
firmly on the jewelry mans foot. No
apology was made. The travelling man
merely looked up, drew his foot back a
moment, then placed it back where it
was. The cowboy passed back to the
other two. They all chuckled and join
ed in a low-toned conversation.
"Soon the cowboy started out again
on similar round, gaping at the roof.
When he reached the travelling man he
tried to bring down his course boot on
the extended foot. The travelling man
jerked his foot back suddenly, and the
brogan came down with thump on
the platform. Another conference and
chuckling followed. Finally the cow
boy set out on the third round. Just
as he was ABOUT to raise his foot to
plant it on that of the travelling man,
the latter looked up quickly and said
"'See here, there is my fout, and it's
going to stay there. You step on it if
you want to, but want to tell you that
before you can get off 1 will kill you.'
''Such a volley staggered the cowboy.
He looked at the foot, and then at the
small possessor, and finally moved off
without stepping on it. Another con-
sultation followed.
1.-THE travelling man calmly read his
paper a few minutes, and then took
from his satchel three apples. Helook-
ed at them a moment, and suddenly
threw them few feet into the air and
then quickly drew a revolver, fired
three shots, splitting each apple into a
dozen pieces before they reached the
ground. He replaced the cartridges in
the empty chambers of the revolver,
and returned it to his pocket.
"The cowboys witnessed the act
without saying word, and soon, CON-
pletely cowed, turned and left the de-
pot. The travelling man told me after
they left that he would have killed the
three of them had the fellow stepped on
his foot again, and | think he would, as
he was quick as lightning. He then
showed me medal he carried, which
he won as being the most rapid.and one
of the best shots in New York. The
story simply illustrates that there is
sometimes great deal of fictitious va
lor and daring about the cowboy. -
MilUaukee Sentinel.