New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-23

Of slack SOS to give the wind pipes
chance till the word go Joe remark
ed, with a manner that would do
credit to the most fancy Frenchman
that ever run a guillotine:
Gentlemen, there amt no need
to announce the subject of this meet
ing. 1t explains itself, as they say of
letters they print in the papers. There
is only one place where boss thief is
any good. We mean business-up
and up, so to speak. II either OF the
corpses has any remarks to make the
meeting is open for FIVE minute speeches
five minutes by the watch. go IN
for fair play especially for gentlemen
who have taken a contract to hold
down one end OF a rope. Montana
Ben, you have the floor, to cuss or
confess, whichever feels the most COM
tortable.'
"Ben was game. He didn't weaken
for a cent, though his pard was
mighty shakey about the legs and look
ed as though he didn't care to prolono
the services. And Mantana Ben was
AOC w OC OllGNO1lC Ny ActI e1lAlC OOc LII
politness-Ben wasn't. So Ben says:
"'Gentlemen, you'vegot the drop on
me and my pard here, but we don't
cry baby, all the same. I've done my
share of cussin' ard have got away
with my share ofcussedness-'
"and hosses,' said one of the COW
punchers.
"tYes, and hosses,' continued Ben,
and that was what was coming to.
Joe, it amt squealing to allow that
got away with that bunch of colts
"Now, amt that curious" said
Joe, with a drawl that drew sick
smile to the chief 'corpse's' face. I'd
somehow suspicioned you did!'
"And they amt the only ones I've
took in my life. You'll find yours at
Greeley's ranch. He don't know
there's anything crooked about them
so don't pay him out as you have
me and my pard here. Then there was
six horses up in Idaho lastyear-'
"'Never mind last years horses
said Joe. 4 reckon a guide book to
your appropriatin' OF other mems
horses would carry you beyond the
five minute hmit-which is now got
down to one and three quarters
"'Well, said Ben, with a sigh, as
though regretting that he could not
be allowed to recount his misdeeds in
detail, if you don't want no more
boss business, l cracked bank back
in Missouri. Somehow it happened
only two days before lit out for the
plains. Then helped get away with
the express messenger, on the N. P,
near Ogallala--'
"Joe made motion to shut his
watch, as much as to say times up
Give me a minute morep said
Ben, with an eagerness and excitement
he hadn't shown before.
".Cut it short, then,' said Joe, as he
motioned the men to make ready to-
hoist away.
"'And, Joe,' said Ben, with his
nerves beginning to grow shakey as he
1elt the rope tighten, I hain't told you
the worst yet-as / am standing on
nothing-almost-1 own up that am
the man that run away with your
wife, back to Missouri
"'You the fellar that run away with
my Nance, back to old Pike county,
says Joe, now all of tremble himself,
while we expected to see him carve up
Ben into shoestrings.
"'Yes, Joe, as Pm dying man,
run away with your Nance, back to
old Pike!"
"'Put it there, pard' shouted Joe,
sticking out his hand at Ben, who
thought Joe had gone crazy. Put it
there! You run off with Nance? You?
Boys, take off that rope-you run off
with Nance? Why, boys, this gentle
man is the best friend I've got! He
may have stole my bosses, busted
banks, stood up express trains, or any
blamed thing the ten commandments
and the laws of the United
States is down on. But he run
OF. with Nance-and that wipes
out the whole score and leaves aclean
slate with a heap left to his credit.
My Lord! Ben! What a power OF
trouble you saved me from when you
run off with Nance-an3 how have
you lived through it? Ben, put it
there! But what close call you had!
Why didn't you say so first off? Yes,
OF course you'll take the rope off that
other gentleman's neck. He's afriend
OF my best friend, and that settles it.
Joking? No hanging? Anyone that
says hang to a friend of mine has got
to be spryer with his gun than am!
Joke? Well, gentlemen, if any OF you
had ever lived with Nance, it wouldn't
take pile driver to get it into your
head why the man who run off with
her is a gentleman and a scholar-and
an Internally bad judge of women!
Well now adjourn to the ranch and
hunt for the bottom of the jug in
honor of my best friend.