Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-10-25


though at first Tom Mulligan was q
little mad to lose such a frst-class ban
tender, good articles of that sort being
somewhat rare in the mountains Just
then.
But hardly one of the boys stuck
ND for Jim in his next scrape. He
knew they wouldn't, and lit out with
ont waiting for public opinion to get at
him.
Tom Mulligan started restaurant
next door to his saloon, and brought a
girl over from Denver as cashier. She
wasn't very handsome she was freckled,
had washed out red hair and bad teeth /:
but she was girl and the boys went
wild over her. The restaurant trade
just doomed. Jim was completely gone
on her. He couldn't get enough to eat
in those days, and couldn't pay often
enough for what he did get. Spruce
young Johnny Whittle, though he'd
been used to finer society, paid q good
deal of attention to the girl, too; Just
for fun, [ suppose. He knew more
about the sex than Jim did, but Jim
meant business and Johnny didn't.
Jim used to loaf around the restau-
rant nights till it closed up, and then
drop into the saloon for game or q
drink before going home. One night
he started out earlier than usual leav-
ing most of the boys still in at Toms.
Jim knew that the girl lived over the
restaurant. He'd often looked up for
light IN her room-one reason why he
went off early. But this PARTICULAR
night, as happen to know, there wasn't
any light. In a few minutes Jim re-
turned. His face was as White ard
stern. He stood in the door moment,
looking sort of wild like.
"sStand out there. johnny Whittier
he said. And the first man that stirs
is good as dead I've got little speech
to make. AS I went by the restaurant
l heard the girl up there falling in her
sleep. And you know who she was
talking about! Not me! No, it was
you, Johnny Whittle. You've been
trihin' with that girl, and you know it.,
and you've got to pay for it right now.
Stand back thereH
Zone shot from Jim's revolver and
Johnny fell. Jim disappeared in the
darkness. l didn't think at the time
that Jim ought to have done it, neither
did most Of the boys, as said, but I
didn't get chance to express my
opinion personally, for the vigilance
committee didn't catch him. l don't
believe myself they wanted to, for most
of them were friends Of Jim's, and he'd
always acted square up to that time /
heard nothing of Jim for long time.
Id left the mountains some years and
was in business in Chicago. I was
walking down State street one day when
a broken down, trampish-looking man
stopped me.
Hello, old fellow! won't YOU speak
to an old acquaintance
Il looked at him moment; then
came flash of recognition.
Jim Budgelow, by all that is glo
rious, l exclaimed.
THE same says he; but things
have gone hard with me since the Old
time And in reply to my inquiries he
told me a little about himself. I had
soft berth here With the fire depart
ment for long time; night watchman,
stationed on top of the building, and
called them out when 1 heard cry OF
fire. But got hard of hearing some
way; couldn't hear cry more than hall
mile, and then they put in the alarm
boxes more nulnerously, and I was
showed out. Now my right ear amt
much better than the other. Hard
when fellows getting on in years.
Il didn't forget what I owed to jim
Budgelow, so l gave him $40 and my
address. But he never came to see me-
Don't know why; perhaps that spree
took him off, or perhaps he was afraid
he might be called to account some
time for shooting Johnny White.
"But, as 1 said at first, Jim might
have made big thing at sea. He could
have heard the Captain snore in vessel
five miles off on the foggiest night you
ever saw. He and Calliope Bill would
have made team. You see, Calliope
Bill"--
just then the steward appeared or
deck and sounded the dinner gong. We
never failed to answer it's call, though
just then we were little curious about
Calliope Bill.
sat opposite the sharp-faced little
gentleman, and in the course of our talk
at dinner [ got up courage enough to
bring the conversation around to him.
self. | had never dared to do this be.
fore.
Are you still in business in Chicago %
[ ventured.
No." said he, with queer look, GIVE