The Opelousas courier., 1886-01-16
LIFE IN A FRONTIER TOWN.

ness is in one of Tie dozen rude LOG
huts burroWed into the. hillside and
shaded by the pines. Thence "Poker
Bill" emerged the other morning,
wearing a grim and truculent aspect,
and started rapidly down the ~so-called
street. The 1oungers who sit all day
beneath the deer's head nailed to the
front OF the chief store reused them
selves from their patient waiting for
somebody to "set up the pizen," and
originated the proposition that "some.
thin's up"
For once they unwittingly told the
truth. "Poker Bill took his way
down the track to the dep ia term
applied to a freight car fitted up as an
office. Presently he returned to his
cabin, and when he reappeared his six
shooter vas belted to his side. The
loungers became yis.bly animated.
When "Poker Bill' was. seen to be
bound for the depot again, an air of
cheerful expectancy pervaded the
group. TIA
Meantime "Poker Bill" had been
stopped AMI questioned by a friend,
whos careiessly drawled in parting
"That thar station AGENTS a bad man."
But Poker Bill" would not be de-
tered. His beady eyes glittered wick
edly and his hand softly caressed the
handle of his revolver. When he d S.
appeared into the depot he looked the
dime-novel picture of a bloodthirsty
and invincible desperate. Among the
loungers it was whispered that a dis
pute had arisen between "Bill" and
the station agent regarding the pay
ment of charges on an express bundle.
A few bets were quietly made on the
question whether the station agent
would be killed or manned.
Suddenly the patient walters leaped
to their feet, although there had been
no sound Of shots. Such a sight as
they behell hal never been seen since
Antelope Spring was known to the
white man. Out from the door of the
station agents car, plunging headlong
to the ground, came "Poker Bill" pro-
PEELED by a terrific kick. He was
without his "six-shooter," his waist
coat had been torn off, and his remain
ing clothing had collected most of the
dust from the car floor. He gathered
himself up, lodged under the a and
ran up toward the town. shielding his
head with his arms and evidently ex-
peeting to be followed by q bullet.
There was no need of explanations.
"What did yer do with yer gun, BillP'
asked one of the nolonger respectful
crowd as he passed. Il left it,"
snarled "BiIl," and the point was not
pressed, as "Billn was known to pos
sess ether weapons. He equipped the
justice and two others with shotguns
and rifles. Thus heavily loaded the
force moved upon the chr and de-
manded the return of .Bill's" gun;
and Waistcoat. Having obtained these
articles, accompanied by much satirical
language from the agent, "Bil' re-
tired to his cabin. Poker Bills
sun had set, and his enemies had seen
his fall. The cool wind swept down.
from the mountains through the pines,
but .Poker Bill cursed himself with
exceeding titterness be ause he had
failed to add d fifteenth grave to the
little boot Hill cemetery near the
corral, where eleven outof the fourteen
dead came to their deaths by violence.
For the route of the new road which
has opened Northern Arizona has, like
the course Of every Western railroad,
been stained again and again with
blood. Back atgoolidge, i've despera-
does held the town in terror some two
years s.nee, until a REF but stirring
conflict left three .ruffians dead, one
dying, and two citizens pierced with
balls.
Here at Flagstaa. iii tile heart Of
the great pine forests, the camps of.
wood choppers and tie-euttera offered
a ready asylum to thugs and outlaws.
Every new railroad Id he far West
has been fill of cost to human life.
First come the engineers, daring the
perils of Indians and the wilderness.
Then follow tie gang Of nayvies, who
build the dumpsandzlay the ties and
rails; q rough, wild set herefuse of
the cities. Withthem come sWarms of
b,oodsuckers, gamblers, thieves and
keepers Of dance halls, careless whether
they win mans money by a rugged
faro bank, or.ssho1d him up,o or shoot
him in the back ona dark1Hight. No
ane knoNs-iheir-nri They disap-
rear on the completion ofsthe railroad
and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES they 60.
They leave a feWgraVesbehind them,
and these deep woods are Swallowed by
many an unknown tragedy.
Life at the head eta railroad isIke
life nowhere else. The 1abors1s are a
source Of profit to every one except
thems Ives. They eat and sleep in
long trains Of freight cars; and aheir
eating and sleeping fll the pockets OF
some contractor. They build the road
and receive their wages, and the wages
are PROMPTLY transferred to the keeper
Of some gamE ling tent, GROCERY or
dance hail. FINALLY they are dis
charged. T~heysreburn eooped up like
cattle III freight cars, they make for
the mining camps, or, provided with a
! tie pass" they pack their blankets on
their backs anil set ont on the TRAMP
along the track. The bestof them +
kept for the section games; The others
vanish utterly away. With their de-
parture and that DC Their attendant evil
spirits a calm succeeds the storm. The
stranded gambler talks 1nsurnfully OF
.the lively times when the road was
here:, but the East.rn visitor pos
sesses bis soul ID d aes, and no longer
fears to be aheld up 2 inshe street.