Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-15
TIE CONTRACTOR DIED GAME.
One of the Compact Little Romsnces of
the Great and Growing West.


the Great and Growing West.
1t was out in Arizona. An outfit had
come on TO do some work on the new bar.
racks at the fort, and they were an or
merry set, you bet. They were getting
$3.50 day, and when orders came out
from headquarters TO rush things at the
post they up and struck for a, after
every man of them had signed an agree
ment TO work for s. 50. The contractor
mounted his mustang and rode over to
7 where the gang was hanging out.
/ happened TO be over there when he came
3 up.
whats the row hereg' says he.
1--WE can't work for no S.. So" says the
| leader
What do you mea9 bv that"
ave want 81
"Struck, have you' Struck Get to
wIrk, every blanked one of you. The
fl st man that says strike to me I'll let
daylight into himr'
81 say strike" says the red haired, red
shirted, ugly mugged leader, IAN if
there's any shootin' going on, I'm herer'
That wasn't my day for being in the
target biz, and Topped fiat as pancake.
The contractor had leveled dead at the
man-but he had only one shot in his
gun.
ZiR-zip!-zip-zip!-
The red shirt was down at the first
shot, with his 'seven-up" out just as he
struck the gravel.
Up he hoisted on his left elbow; then
he banged away, while the contractor did
some lively dodging; that was the last
three zips.
The red shirt rolled over, and the con-
tractor asked me if there was any doctor
around. said, "Yes, over at the quar-
ters.h
HE got that last one into me sure;
let's see that doc"
We went over and found the surgeon.
got the contractor on my bed, skinned
off his clothes, washed away the blood,
and the surgeon probed him. 1t was
bad hole in the left lung.
81 reckon it's an ugly one, doci Dead
sure thing, eh' Yes2 / thought So
How long have got'"
1t was O'Clock then.
you'll last till evening"
That's all right. But did fetch himf"
"Dead as door nail"
''I'm blanked glad that blankety
blanked blank is fixed"
He wanted me to take charge of the
$50, 900 in gold notes in his belt and write
to his brother
After that he called for square drink
and got it. Next he must have the to-
niest cigar in the camp. The surgeon said:
"Yes, it didn't make no difference" ]
got n real Havana. He smoked away at
il slow and comfortable like and when
the cigar was played he expressed his
satisfaction that everything was lovely,
passed few more compliments about
that red headed blankety blank who was
fixed, then he quit; but he was game,
though, You bet
The really curious thing was that
when We sent on that red haired striker
there was just that one hole in him, and
that was plumb through his heart. How
he hoisted onto that off arm of his'n and
set that contractor dodging them three
shots beat the whole outfit-coroner's
inquest, post surgeon, and me. But he
did-Ill swear to that-and I'll swear
that contractor miscalculated the last
dodge, somehow, and made connection
that way with kingdom come / wrote
to that brother of his'n as per request,
and he wrote back rs how the contractor
had killed three men before the last
matinee, and that he "had always told
him he'd run plumb ag'in' a pill some
day If he want blanked careful like"
Yes, it was touching letter. Did the
strikers go to work for $3.50? You can
just gamble on it stranger.-Noah Count
in Drake's Magazine.