Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-06
A BAD, BAD MAN.

money. but the only purchases made out
side of whisky were pound OF wet,
brown sugar and some plugs OF tobacco
One man had a mule with three shoes of
and the fourth one gathering As he dis
mounted at the blacksmith shop he said
TO the smith:
"Dill, want yer to look at that ere
mewl."
I'm a-lookin'. Tom" was the com
placent reply.
do you reckon she'll pull through the
winterf'
Bill picked up each foot, squinted att
like Judge sizing up q witness. and pull
ing off the loose shoe with twist he spat
three times in the direction Of his anvil.
cooked his hat anew. and gravely re
marked:
Tom. she can't possibly do it-no how
can't"
"shoo, BILL"
Can't do it, for shore. Nevis is nevis.
II she was a elephant she might. but she's
a mewl. an afore spring them feet will
wear off clar up TO the jints. Got to hev
shoes on. Tom"
''Shooi That's what reckoned. Is
shoes cheaper"
"Skeercely"
Duooi WhS- iAii 70 hAnhS
1t 70 bits, Bill?'
With that for iron. Tom. Six bits
ar the lowest
Wall. dod rot her ole yaller hide. I'll
see about it afore night II ye hev
niger, he wants clothes. an II ye hev
mewl he wants shoes, an he'll take 'ticu
lar pains to kick agin every rock he comes
TO. It's all wrong. boys. an sometimes
feel like lettin' myself loose and lickin'
sumbody
There were ten of us in the store, and
was listening to the story Of Union man
who guided party of refugees over the
mountains into Kentucky. when great
chatter was heard out doors, and some
body said that old Dick Trusker had
''arriv" Next moment he came In. He
was man So years old six feet high,
weighed 200 pounds. and was the speci
men bad man of the four counties. He
didn't look il. lie had smile on his face,
large blue eyes, and q child would have
gone to him in preference to any other
man in the store But. if he didn't look
1t, he acted it. His first movement was
to drink a common tumbler even full of
moonshine whisky. As he sat the glass
down he wiped his mouth on the back Of
his hand. surveyed each one of us in turn,
and finally growlcd
"a cursed mean day."
One or two replied, but all others were
silent Old Dick was in ugly mood,
armed with knife and revolver, and was
evidently looking for victim. Not an
other man was armed, and there was the
display of nerve which those mountain
men nre celebrated for Not man at
tempted to tlatter or conciliate. Not O
man attempted to sneak out doors. They
were helpless, to a certain extent, but
were as cool as icicles
Old Dick called for and put down two
more drinks, and each one of them large
enough to bcfuddle a weak man in five
minutes, While no had his back to the
crowd Jcffers whispered to me:
Look out for him. Ar ye heeledS'
"Ycs. have my revolver"
Then git the drop on him! Plug him
right through the head or heartr'
But, heavens, man, | can't shoot q per
son down that way, He hasn't even spoken
to me yet
wall. keep your eye on him. and If he
makes move let him have it.
began to figure began to add up
tho wealth of tho Astors Vanderbilts.
Goulds and knickcrbockers and feel that
miles away. had Just added the wealth
Of California, and reduced the ten miles
to Eve, when old Dick pulled his gun and
fired six shots around the store at various
objects, at tho same time uttering six
blood curdling war whoops Not a man
moved. He slowly reloaded the revolver,
and singled me out and came forward
with extended paw.
''llowdyr' he growled.
I'm crIbbins. thank YOU"
I'm Old Dick-bad man"
Yes"
Dad. very bad"
Yes"
Kin ye fout2"
NO"
That's bad Bad kentry fur Quaker.
I'll learn ye."
Say. Dick, remarked one of the men,
'he'un hain't one Of us. He'un's a stran-
ger from tho moth"
Jim, you shetl" replied the bad man.
I'm going to learn he'un how to fout.
Ec haint no good if he can't"
Three or four men winked at me to hu.
NOR the old man. and when he asked if
was armed showed him my revolver
"Nuthin but a squibl' he grunted in
contempt. That there couldn't send a
ball through my hide Come out doors"
All of us went out. The bad man was
unsteady of hand. leg and voice, but his
brain was still fairly clear.
Now then. he said to me, ''you go
over by your shop, an I'll stop we're BY
the plat &rm. When | opens fire you
must send it back as fast as We kin, but
keep one shot in case charge ye."
looked at the crowd, and all nodded
TO me TO go. and two Of them whispered
TO me to kill Old Dick If could. | went.
had the shelter of a corner of the shop,
and the bad man had barrel Of salt on
the platform as a shield. He uttered
whoop and opened fire, and everybody
scattered for shelter.
Now, ana going to frankly admit that.
as crossed the street wanted to take
leg bail up or down the street. I'd have
given an arm TO be but of it. l didn't run
because women aud children were watch.
ing me. and because to have 'funked"
would have been to cover myself with
contempt forever after. But / want to
make another statement even more
strange. had no sooner reached shelter
than was seized with q ferocious desire
to kill Old Dick. 1t was as II he had
murdered my family and had trailed
him down. | didn't take cover at ali.
owing 10 this feeling. but stood at the cor
ner and blazed away and took his bullets
in return. But for the whisky in him he
would have dropped me. As it was he
planted four bullets within foot Of my
head. while | put four into the salt bar
rel and the fifth into his right shoulder.
He went down and began IL shout, and .
strange exultation came TO ME Is thought
had killed him. The wound. aided by
the whisky in his stomach. made the bad
old man a baby and he actually cried. We
sent OF for doctor and got him fixed up,
and when he got his mind back he shook
hands with me in the heartiest manner
and langhingly said.
"Yank. wouldn't hev believed IT. It's
the first time In twenty years I've bin
downed. an feel shuckless about it,"
But you drove me to It,"
Reckon did Lor', but what nerve
We hev got Never saw a Teller so steady
under fire. Shake again. and | want We
to cum up and stay a week with me"
did put in three days with him. and
during that time l was the one who
dressed his wound Quite q number Of
people called to hear about it, and In each
case Mrs Trasker introduced me with