St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-08-21
NIGHT ENCOUNTER.
New An Innoosnt-Looking Tenderfoot Sui
dued Dakota r error.

New IN Innoosnt-Looking Tenderfoot SUBJ
dued . Dakota Terror.
The hotel proprietor in one of thu
small Dakota towns glanced at the
register to get the name of the guest
who stood the other side of the coun.
ter, and then addressed him as follows,
Il reckon, Mr.. Grip, tibet I'll hev
a hard time findin' place fer you ia
sleep tonight. You see, there's been
. smashup about three miles down the
road. an all the passengers has to stay
here tonight"
but must have place to Sleep"
returned the guest.
well. l s'pose I'll hev to put you in
with Bill jenkins. Ever slept with
Bill?"
Mr.. Grip acknowledged that he had
never had that pleasure.
"Well," continued the proprietor,
shes the only one l can put you in
with. I'll give you fair warnin' bout
his tricks, an then if you want to risk
it you kin. Bits the derned kicker
in these parts When he gifts to sleep
he kin out kick any mule in thirteen
counties. Why. stranger, one night
we was crowded an put an Eastern
Teller in with Bill Well, sir. long
about three o'clock Bill got dreamin'
an got excited, an he jest braced his
back up agin' the wall an let fly. That
was the last we see of that stranger
until long in the afternoon, when he
come limpin' into the Office here pretty
badly bunged up. He said he lit some.
where over in the next township"
kicks. does he?" remarked the
stranger placidly.
well. don't he jest? Howsomever,
ef you want to try him mebbe he'll be
quiet-like tonight.
The tale seemed to in no wise disturb
Mr.. Grip. He said very calmly that he
guessed he would risk it, and asked to
see his valise a moment. He rum
mayed in that an instant, pulled out an
enormous pair of spurs and saunteree
off to bed.
The following morning the famous
Bill jenkins was found sleeping under
the office desk. When awakened. he
limped painfully across the room, took
his stand by the stove and remarked
IL guess you needn't put any more
tenderfoots in to sleep with me-"
"What's the matter, Bill! asked the
proprietor, in surprise.
.Dern me. eff know" was the re,
spouse. That there Teller seemed tc
hev spikes CROWN out of his feet"
"Why? What happened?' asked
dozen in chorus.
"Well. fellers. I'll tell We, ON the
quiet. You see. went to sleep all
right, and got to dreamin' was a
mule or a jackass or suthin' O. that
sort, an l let fly with my feet. He lit
out in the middle of the floor some
where. but didn't say anything-only
crawled back into bed. l woke up
when l kicked, an it sort o riled me
to see him crawl back so calm like. l
tho't hadn't put enough muscle into
it, an was Jest gettin' ready for another
when he muttered kind o. savage like
and blazed away hisself. Say, fellers.
did any of you ever sit down on a cir
know nothin' about that kick. 1t pretty
near made me howl. 1t hurt my fcelin's,
toe, fer l tho't my reputation was at
stake, so the next time turned loose,
I made it shorter. He struck up agin
the wall and smashed a lookin' glass;
but he crawled back into bed agin jest
as though nothin' had happened, and
afore l knowed it he was dreamin'
again. Inever got another whack al
him. 1t jest kept me humpin' to keep
clear of his feet. / felt jest as though
4 buzz-saw was ooin' M and down nv
spinal column all the time. Once or
twice tho't was hit with pile driver
loaded with sharpened spikes. Hey?
What's that? No; guess you needn't
saddle my boss to-day. don't believe
rs l want to ride any more this week.
kin walk. You don't know what a
comfort feller's feet is sometimes"
A look Of panied surprise came into
Bills face at this moment, as he saw
the strange tenderfoot come into the
room and deposit a pair of bright spurs
N his valise. Rambler.