The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-09-04
COWBOYS TAKEN DOWN.
An UnObtrusive Tenderfoot Teaches
Them a Lesson.

~
Them a Lesson.
There is often considerable b~raggadocia
in the cowboy, and a good illustration of
this fact was told a Sentinel reporter by a
station agent in Milwaukee, whohad lived in
the West for many years, and had been in
the employ of vario US railroads in locali-
ties where the cowboys are numerous.
Il have seen a good many daring deeds
performed and coarse jokes perpetrated by
cowboys, said the agent, 'but ! will tell
you of a little incident where the wind was
taken out of three cowboys by a deter
mined, fearless 'tenderfoot.' 1t happened
only last spring. | was then station agent
and telegraph operator for the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company at a place near
the Montana line. 1t was not much of a
place, as it consisted only of a depot, a
house or two and a saloon.
Gone morning a travelling man arrived
at the depot by stage from up North some
where. He had a small sample-case and
sachel. He was below medium height and
rather slight, but was very neatly dressed
and wore a silk hat. He was travelling for
a New York jewelry house. He was
about an hour early for the train east, and
he opened his grip on the platform. took
out a brush and busted his clothing and
shoes. He then drew out an old news
paper, leaned up against the side Of the
depot, with one foot projected in front of
the other, and began reading.
meanwhile, however, three cowboys
bad sauntered up to the depot. They all
eyed him closely and watched his opera
tions. When he began reading they hud-
died together and talked awhile in an
undertone. Presently one of them-a big
six footer-left the group and began to
saunter careiessly about the platform with
his head in the air inspecting the posters on
the building and the cornice. When he
got around 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 mp, 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 joined in the low
toned conversation.
''Soon the cowboy started out again on a
similar round, gaping at the roof. When
he reached the travelling man le tried to
bring Town the coarse boot on the extend
ed foot. The travelling man jerked his foot
back suddenly, and the brogan came down
conference and chuekling followed.
Finally, the cowboy set out on the third
round Just as he was about to raise his
foot to plant it on thai of the travelling
man, the latter looked up quickly and
said:
See here, there is my foot, and it's
going to stay there. You step gu it, if you
want to; but | want to tell you that before
you can get off of it | will kill you.
"Sueh 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 consulta-
ton followed.
The travelling man calmly read his
paper a few minutes, and then took from
his satchel three apples. He looked at
them a moment, and suddenly threw them
a 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 car
tridges in the empty chambers of the re-
volyer and returned it to his pocket.
''The cowboys witnessed the act with
out saying a word, and soon. completely
cowcd, turned and left the depot. 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 a medal he
carried, which he won as being the most
rapid and one of the best shots in New
York