Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-08-24
He Went West for His Health


n conversation with man who was eli
it ting on the depot platform waiting 10
% the next train
- came out 10 this country fe,
# days ago. he said after talking som
e limo, TOR my health. but am coin,
g oacK 10 Connecticut on the next train. ;
= Doesn't the climate agree with youp
: asked Briar.
( res. l think the climate would
: agree with me all right but the peopl,
/, don t l went up here to Oelricbs
, Dakota. A friend of mine had spent .
summer near there on Big Nose
, georges ranch, and he recommended
the place to me. At my home in Con-
necticut follow the calling of a minis
ter OF the gospel, in humble way to
oe sure, but l trust my work has not
Deen without its beneficial results"
pid you preach any at Oelrlchsp" |
asked
mo. simply went there for nv
health. intending to board during the
fali and return home before cold
weather. As got off the train when
1t arrived noticed quite "A crowd of
men on the platform all wearing bio
hat hats and spurs and walking yery
Dow-legged. | started down the stems
toward the hotel when one of them
approached me confdentially and said:
Be you goin' to opon bank, partnerP'
"A whatP | asked a bank. he said
w NY. no, said !, what made Won
think l was going to engage in the
banking business" oh. thought Won
looked little that way he replied.
Me n the boys lowed you had vour
outiit all excep' the tables in your grin
the boxes an keerds. an chips. an
layout generally. You are m stalk
en- | replied, good deal bewildered.
ana went on over to the hotel. While |
was registering the clerk leaned over
and said; Coin to deal faro?' No.
sir, replied, light beg ming to dawn
on me little. Keno or hazard, thenP'
he went on. Nothing of the kindr
l said warmly. Jess straight draw
poker | s'pose2' he continued. NO
game at all, repl ed. Ain, goin' TO
Try to work the boys on no thimble-rig.
i hopeg he said anxously. They
dropped roll on that last week and
theytare little cross about it, NO
SIR. l have no gambling apparatus at
all. l said. 4 simply came out here
for my health. and | went and sat
down by the door.
Il saw him looking at mo prettv
hard, and after awhile the crowd | had
seen at the station as well AZ ofbers
began to drop in and whisper TO the
clerk and talk low among themselves
md look at me. Pretty soon one of
he men. who wore such big hat
hat it made him stoop-shouldered I
'ame over and said: Stranger nv /
lame is Pete Doyle-they call me Web. Q
DOT, but my ght name is Pete Doyle ; 4
am pleased to meet you, Mr.. DOYLE
said. shaking hands with him. He
tarted little and then said: Il reck- G
n you better call me Webfoot I'm a
more onto it. | am one Of the CITY 81
aldermen and cheerman Of the Coun- O
II committee on Strangers The COM
ttee wanted me TO ask you a ques- r.
on. Go ahead / replied we =
,anted to ask you'-and he lowered =
Is voice almost to a whisper-.what "a
on had 10 leave the States for? Il =,
Idn't have TO leave the East for any, a.
ling. | replied; 1 came ont here for 81 81
y health Webfoot looked at me v.
Dry hard and started to retreat when p %.
heard some one behind me say in a "
ud whisper: -him--how-fu e'
ahead o-the-sh eriff-he--vas - 81
'ebfoot looked at me minute and al
I'D: i take it there wa Mt no sher. VI
p No. / replied. -.
Most Of them now went ont bnt q
'od-sized crowd fingered around the "a
'or, and they all kept circulating be. u uf
'een the barroom Of the hotel and 90
loon directly across the street. Pretty =,
on another came and said: ..Was il eie
urder?' No said. Buro'rv mr. &C
ything9' No faint as bad 40
Sc stesln' | hope?' Il came West W.
npIy for my health. | re turned al
TIER sharply He explained that he
rs county treasurer. and being a pub. ~
man 1t was his duty to ask about -.
ese things. sh'
Then another wanted to know if il or
Is IRAN robbery. and when | told him :,
liner he said Oh, as much as to say -
course IL was something as bad. ,nt
en- another wanted TO know IL | got W
ay with all the bank had, and advis. ~"
me IN any case 10 90 TO Canada in ,n'
al OF STAYING in Dakota. because he W. va
ought l couldn' t be arrested In Cana r.
And all the while | heard two of rot
IN talking behind me as To- the prob W,
lily of there being much of a reward gai
me. see
lot of others were standing outside
looking gloomy and depressed, and say
ishing up their revolvers with their
'ket bandkerchiefs. And about WI. wn
q in five minutes they all took . E,.
nix. SHt
One man was talking very loud all
time about this idea of trying to 49,
ke the town corral for the escaped II
nminals from the States being about
yed out. | afterward learned that "
was the postmaster. And about
time the Mayor of the town began
Walk up and down the middle of Az
street with shot gun on his shout
all the time looking off across the sh