The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-17
,..s Hair WAS TURNED GRAY.
sra Midnight Adventure That Made
Dick Allen an Old Man.
From the San Francisco Alta.

lick alien Ill o4SA n16h'
From the San Francisco Alta.
occppving a seat in the reading room of
= down town hotel one day last week, there
.,i,bt have been observed a seemingly aged
.-an+l4man, whose hair was gray and whose
hacks were shriveled. A pallor as Of death
rras on his face and frequently the muscles
- hie features would twltch convulsively.
~ n name was Richard ]. Allen, and he
IIao4oistered himself as hailing from Toronto,
Five wears ago Richard Allen, or Dick AL
Ian as he was familiarly known owned or
~ least claimed ana occupied, stock
range OF considerable area In southern Ari-
IONA W.. .L,.i e.uo -
,,o-ve secured for him recognition and af-
avance amid the cactus hecked plains or
.ri1ona and New Mexico-a nerve which
tnaw no flinching even in the face of death.
The ereasers and Indians soon learned to
dread the tall stockman. so greatly was
ba feared and respected by his wild COM
nanions and neighbors that nothing, bearing
bis brand was ever molested, and the most
daring or the cowboys and outlaws seldom
tempted death by too prolonged argu-
rnent with him.
As an illustration of his iron nerve it
NAV be- related that at one time he was
given warning to keep away from certain
email settlement some few miles from his
ranch. he having incurred the displeasure
~ a Gang of notorious cutthroats there.
Allan strapped on his revolver and set forth
for the hostile hamlet. He tied his horse in
tho rear of a saloon and started to enter
when pistol shot was heard and bullet
Dbistled over his head. Allen turned. Not
more than twenty feet away stood
"Dan" half-breed Indian, with revolver
in his hand. AS Allen turned three more
halls passed in close proximity to his head.
He knew the Indian had one shot left.
With scornful smile he said: Fire again,
Won -, and fire lower" The Indian did
50 and the next instant his spirit had left
the arid plains of Arizona forever. Then
Allen strobe into the saloon, where at least
a dozen of his enemies were gathered, and
demanded to know who sent him the warn
ing, No one answered, and after roundly
cursing the gang for their coWardlce ne !eIt
and went home.
II was some three months after this occur
ence that Allen reached his hut after a days
branding, about midnight, and was about
to creep into bed when his quick ear detect
ed slight noise in the direction of his
stable, and he knew at once that providers
were about. Selling his revolver he started
for the stable on his hands and knees, for
he intended to kill and not alarm. He had
on no garment other than his undershirt.
The noise at the stable continued and Allen
moved rapidly toward the sound. So in
tent was he on investigating the noise that
he failed to notice where his path led him,
and suddenly without warning be felt some
thing beneath him give way and he was
precipitated to the bottom of played
outn we'll a distance of some twenty-five
feet The well had been dry for years and
the mouth had been closed with few rot
ten boads, which, giving way, precipitated
him to the bottom.
For moment Allen was stunned The
skin on his body had been abraided in
dozen places. and every bone ached with
the force of the fall. The stockman was
almost overwhelmed with rage, for in this
accident he saw himself rendered helpless,
and knew the thieves, if any there were,
would not leave as much behind as lariat,
and might, should they discover his posi-
ton, kill him. With a muttered curse Of
dspair he turned to look for his revolver,
determined to fight to the last should an
attack be made upon him. AS he turned
he saw cleaning and flashing in the murky
darkness a pair of small beady eyes, and
poor Aliens heart almost stood STILL for q
warning hiss and rattle told him he had in
the we'll as a companion rattlesnake. The
reptile ratified angrily, and moved his head
from side to side in an uncertain way, and
then behind Allen, there came an answering
sound and he knew he had two reptiles to
cope with instead of one
The snake behind him sooned crossed the
well and joined its mate, the two meanwhile
keeping up an incessant rattle. Their slum-
Der had been rudely disturbed and they
seemed determined to resent it if possible
Allen stood as if petrifed. He knew a
movement on his part meant an attack, and
this attack to him must result in death.
And such DEATH He imagined himself
49, ~ IL, l.; , 4
frenzed being with veins filed with burn
ing poison wildly graphing with the soaly,
venomous reptiles
In moment, still Kissing angrily, one of
the snakes began to move, and Allen saw
its gllstening eyes at its feet The clammy
thing crawled over his bare feet and circled
around his naked legs. Then it slowly be-
gan to ascend his limbs to his body, and soon
the terrible eyes were looking into those of
Allen, and they seemed to burn through to
his brain. Up over his face the creature
moved his head and then encountered AL
lens crisp and curly hair. With an angry
rattle the snake drew back his head, and
Allen, knowing it would strike, raised his
hand as quick as lightning and gripped the
creature by the throat. With the other
hand be grasped the rattles, aud then he
slowly but surely strangled the creature to
death, though the fearful effluvium which
1t emitted almost caused him to faint. For
half an hour he held the snake firmly; be
saw the malignant light in its eyes grow
Jim and finally disappear, and then he
knew one enemy at least was dead. But he
dared not drop the dead snake, for the
otner had become uneasy at the disappear
ance OF its mate, and seemed on the point
OF starting out in search. The fierce. glar-
ing eyes moved from side to side, the rattle
was seldom still, and Allen never for a
moment took his eyes from those hostile
orbs.
For hours he ssood thus, consumed with
Ieverlsh thirst. his nerves at a terrible
tension and his eyes strained and almost
bursting. Then the sky above him began
10 Ag9t up and little ray OF sunlight
danced on the western wall Of his under
ground prison. In few moments the we'll
was quite light, and then Allen and his re-
naming enemy saw each other at the same
instant. The snake coiled and sprang, but
Ailen was too active. He stepped to one
sue and let the snake go by him, and then
WIN small dub, crushed out the veno-
nous lie forever. Then it was that Aliens
sreaJ nerve gave away He yelled and
SnrleKed and cursed and tore in a mad de.
nnhun ana When neighbors, attracted by
us cries, rescued him an hour later he was
IloSning at tie mouth, bleeding at the nose
Sn1 the snakes were torn into shreds
For weeks he lay in his cabin on the outer
euge OF death but his sturdy constitution
$1,000 by himnnd he recovered, though he