The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-27
FUNNY PHASES OF LIFE.
Joys of the Playful West, and Pecul
iarities of the New Yorker


depot platform wai,-1g for the train.
II came out to this country a few days
ago." he said, after talking some time, 'for
my health, but am going back to Connec-
ticut on the next train"
Doesn't the climate agree with your
asked Briar.
Yes, | think the climate would agree
with me all right, but the people don't.s 1
went up here to Oelrichs, Oak A friend
of mine had spent summer near there, on
Big Nose Georges ranch, and he recon-
lnended the place to me- At nv home in
Connecticut follow the calling of minis
ter of the gospel, in a humble way, to be
sure, but trust my work has not been
without its beneficial results
did you preach any aG Oelrichsl"
asked. ~
mo, simply went there for my health,
intending to board during the fall and re-
turn home before cold weather. As [ got
off the train when it arrived noticed quite
crowd of men on the platform, all wear
ing big fiat hats and spurs and walking
very bow-legged. | started down the steps
toward the hotel when one of them APP
preached me confdentially, and said: BE
you goin' to open bank, partner 2 "A
what 2 asked. "A bank he said. why,
no. said l, what made you think | was GO
ing to engage in the banking business 2
oh, thought you looked little that way,
he replied. Mem the boys lowed you had
your outfit all except the tables in your
grip-the boxes, an keerds, an chips, an
layout generally You are mistaken
replied, good deal bewildered, and went
on over to the hotel. While was register
ing the clerk leaned over and said: Coin
to deal farop No, sir, replied, light be-
ginning to dawn on me little. Keno, or
hazard, then 2 he went on. Nothing of
the kindr / said warmly Jess straight
draw poker l s'pose ? he continued. No
game at all, replied. Amt goin' to try to
work the boys on no thimble-rig, 1 hope 3
lie said anxiously, They dropped a roll on
that last week and they are a little cross
about it No, sir. l have no gambling
apparatus at ALL / said. 4 simply came
ont here for my health'-and went and sat
down by the door.
81 saw MN looking at me pretty hard,
and after while the crowd [ had seen at
the station as well as Others began to drop
in and whisper to the clerk and talk low
among themselves and look at me. Pretty
soon one of them, who wore such big hat
that it made him stoop-shouldered. came
over and said: Stranger, my name Is Pete
Doyle-they call me Webfoot, but my right
name is Pete Doyle & am pleased to meet
you, Mr.. Doyle | said, shaking hands with
him. He started little and then said: 4
reckon you better call me Vebfoot-rm
more onto it, am one of the city alder
men and cheerman of the council commit
tee on strangers. The committee directed
me to ask you question: Go ahead |
replied. We wanted to ask you'-and he
lowered his voice almost to a whisper
what you had to leave the states forP 4
didn't have to leave the east for ANYTHING
replied; 81 came out here for my health. )
Webfoot looked at me very hard and started
to retreat, when l heard some one behind
me say in a loud whisper: 'Ask-him-ho
ur-ahead-'o-the- sheriff he wasr
Webfoot looked at me minute and said ::
4 take it there WANT no sheriff. NO. l
replied.
Most of them now went out, but good
sized crowd fingered around the door, and
they all kept circulating between the bar
room Of the hotel and a saloon directly
across the street. Pretty soon another came
and said: Was it murderp No. l said
Burglary or anything? No. "Taint as
bad as boss stealin' | hopeP Il came west
simply for my health, l returned, rather
sharply. He explained that he was county
treasurer, and being public man it was his
duty to ask about these things.
''Then another wanted to know if it was
train robbery or stage robbery, and when
told him neither, he said, Oh as much as
to say of course it was something as bad
Then another wanted to know if / got away
with all the bank had, and advised me in
any case to go to Canada instead of staying
in Dakota, because he thought | couldn't be
arrested in Canada.
"And all the while l heard two of them
talking behind me as to the probability of
there being much of a reward for me.
"a lot of others were standing outside
and looking gloomy and depressed, and
polishing up their revolvers with their
pocket handkerchiefs. And obout once in
five minutes they all took drink.
"One man was talking very loud all the
time about this idea of trying to make the
town a corral for the escaped criminals
from the States being about played out.
/ afterward learned that he was the post
master. And about this time the Mayor of
the town began to walk up and down the
middle of the street with shotgun on his
shoulder, all the time looking off across the
prairie. | heard him explaining to the
probate judge that there might be more of
'em coming and that he lowed to give it
to EN- fore they got into town and got
foothold like this rooster had done.
"Then another man made me roll up my
trousers to show that / didn't have a striped
pair on underneath. He went out and told
the mayor that | probably had time to
change them. The mayor said he noticed
my hair had grown out some too.
~ was now thinking of Connecticut most
of the time And all the while those fell
lows were discussing the probable amount
of the reward for my capture. And an
other began to speculate as to whether l
had the money / had stolen about my per-
son or in my satchel
"And all the time the county sheriff was
riding up and down the sidewalks, with his
horse ON the run, shouting: All members
of Southwestern Dakota vigilance commit
tee meet at Maverick house in thirty min
utes Business of importance with small
man from Connecticutr
II gave the subject great deal of care
full study, and concluded that Connecticut
was a pretty good place after all. I couldn't
see why l should have ever thought my
health was poor there.
THE coroner dropped in and looked me
over, and heard him promise dozen diff
ferent men to see that each was ON the in
quest
about this time my old friend Webfoot
came down the street, dragging long rope
behind him, with hangmans moose on the
of it. He looked in and said was the man
who refused to shake hands with him or
call him by his last name. He said any
man who was too proud TO shake hands
with old Webfoot, councilman from the
Second ward, had got to hang. Then he
threw the rope over the limb of a tree in
front of the door so | could look off across
the prairie through the moose and enjoy the
Rcanarv