The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-22
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eFOO MEAN TO LIVE"
So the Constable Was Told to Take Hin
Out Advshoot Him for Being Drunk

So the Constable Was Told to Take HIM
Out advShoot Him for Being Drunk.
Fort WorthslTex Especial.
$50 youoSay, Jim, you were out at Fort Con-
cho when THAI was hard place to be in. and not
very healthyd eitherl"
swell Ioshould think was Did You ever
hear OF my Experience therel When think Of
it now it makes me shiver had heard good
deal of that country, and there was not much
excitement down the country, / bought q
ticket so tofspeak. on freight train-that is, |
was loafng1abo the corrals at San Antonio
me throughEiFish them if l would do the cooking
for the crowd I had never had any experience
with such Reople, and had never cooked any in
my life, butt as they say. everything goes ID
Texas, so l accepted the proposition, and was on
the road before had time to think of what was
doing. NJ
There was not much cooking done the first
few days, as we had taken bread along, and It
was not much of a job to fry a little bacon. SO
there was no strouble then, But it came when
the bread gavs out, and was expected to cook
more, for TO tell you the truth l did not know
the first thing about making it. One of the boys
tried to show me. but do what would could
not catch on and if ever you cav a poor fellow
have trouble, had it then. You see We bad
passed Fredericksburg, and there was place
to buy any bread if we had wanted to, and was
afraid TO leave them and try to make my way
back. as the Indians were liable to be raiding the
country at any time, and had no fancy for be-
ing scalped. Well. they made me do everything
about the camp, and when we were on the move
had to walk, but soon got used to that. The
country was high and rolling, and the streams
were clear and beautiful, and under ordinary cir
cumstances would have enjoyed it very much.
But there eye for the beautiful in me
that time, as expected at any moment some of
the crowd would put me out of the way.
But all things come to an end, and I at last
reached Concho. If you have never seen a
frontier fort you cannot have much idea of
how thines WERE The officers and soldiers and
people connected with the fort were well sit
uated. but God pity the rest. OF course as
soon we got there was invited to make my
self scarce and did not need second invita-
ton to do So knocked around TO what
could do, and drifted into what is now San An
gelo, on the north side of the South Concho.
You see, the for. is between the TWO forks of
the Concho. The only place to go to was
saloon, and soldiers and roughs were drinking
and bling, and there was a lot of the hardest
looking women you ever saw, some white, some
black ana some Mexican, and altogether made
of the hardest scenes imaginable. An old
fiddle being sawed upon by unredeem-
able-looking bum, accompanied by equally
hard-looking citizen on the banjo Women and
men were drinking and dancing at one end of the
room. One c1ss insisted that was tenderfoot
aud must drink with him. another soon followed
suit. and it WAS not long until was oblivious to
my surroundings, and the next knew Next
must appear before the 'alcade Justice of the
peace). charged with being drunk. 1 suppose l
had been. for l never felt worse in my life.
~ went before the alcade. After asking the
Mexican constable a few questions in Spanish.
which, of course, l could not understand, tho
alcade announced that my fine and costs were
$40. I did not have cent of money, so the con-
stable started out with me and marched me
from place to place to find some one who would
advance the $40, but all to no purpose. The
freighters had given me q bad name, and no one
would come to my rescue. After some time
spent in fruitless attempts to secure the money
required. the constable returned with me- to the
alcade and made his report, in Spanish. He
received instructions from the justice, in Span
lsh again. nnd started with me out of town.
Just as we were disappearing over the Hill
we m ct the sheriff of the county. who was rid
into town. If town 1t might be called, and
the she riff asked the Mexican what he WIS GO
ing to do with me, and you can better imagine
than can tell you my feelings when the Next
can replied that had been fined and that he
had gone the rounds with me to get the mon ey
to pay il. and that no one would advance the
$40. 80 the alcalde had said that any one who
SO low and worthless not to have credit
enough to raise $40 was not worth living, and
that he (the constable) must take me over
the HILL whore would not stink o.. and shoot
me, and the Mexican said he was on his way
then to carry out his instructions.
1.-THE sheriff laughed. which did not much
appreciate. but told the Mexican that he would
get into trouble if he carried out such instruc.
tlons, when the Mexican said he did not dare
carry me back under the circumstances, xsand
took the view that the alcaides idea good
one, as had little credit in the community.
1.-THE sheriff then told the Mexican that he
would take me in charge and dispose of me.
tell you I then drew my first good breath.
But the Sheriff had an eye to business, and sent
me out to his ranch, twenty miles up the south
Concho, and put me to work and kept me there
for six months, and might have been there yet
If 1 had not ran away, and still the fine remain
ed unpaid. You see. at that time almost any
kind of could get from $50 to $75 month
ont there, but there were II settlements in the
country and the Indians so bad did not
dare leave the ranch afoot, as had no arms,
and it worth my life to try. But at last
party came by the ranch that induced to let
go with him, and Ishook the dust of that
country off my feet. But did otsbreatheeasy
until was many miles away, l assure YOU