Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-30
HOD MILES AND THE GIBSONS.
A Picture of Life and Manners in Ozark
County, Missouri.

Horace Miles was Massachusetts man,
living Just above Lowell when in mis-
teens. At 81 he drifted out into Ozark
county, Mo-, looking for country where
there was plenty of game, good climate
and where the necessities of life could be
had with little labor. He found what he
wanted right here. He was somewhat
surprised that one of the necessities of
life vas big revolver, but he took kindly
to the conditions of society, and being
good fellow and a fair shot for tender
foot, and withal possessed of enough
money to buy farm, he was welcomed.
Having Yankee thrift, his farm bios
somed, and all the pretty girls of Ozark,
of whom there are plenty, had their
cal s set for him, for he was unmarried.
He resisted their arch looks and winning
ways much longer than one would have
supposed possible, after seeing the
Ozark girls, and it was not until the sec
one winter of his soiourn here that be
fell victim. There Is no telling wneth-
er he would have fallen even then but
for the fact that another young mau
wanted her and undertook to run young
Miles out of the country. Miles was not
of the sort to run. He smiled when told
of the threats, and said, having learned
the ways of the country, to the friend
who warned him:
you'll swear to hearing those threats,
won't you, at the inquest?"
The inquest followed in due course.
Mi!es's rival was Dan Gibson. He be-
longed to one of the best families in the
country, had money, as wealth goes in
this country, was good looking and com
paniouable. But for the girl, the young
men would have continued good friends,
as they had been all along.
On Christmas eve there was to be a
dance at the hotel. Gibson asked the young
lady to go with him, and she declined.
She knew Miles would ask her, and he did.
Gibson sent word to her to order Grape
for her bonnet, and she sent the message
to Miles. Both young men were at the
dance, Gibson arriving first. When Miles
came in he sent friend to tell Gibson
that he would rather go to the bar-room
and have it settled by the word of a ref
cree than to spoil the evenings fun by
watching for each other all the time. Glib
son declined to fight.
So the dancing began, with Miles at
one end of the room and Gibson at the
other. 1t was quadrille, and there was
room for six sets In the room. The dance
was uninterrupted. Then there was
call for the Virginia reel. Miles started
across the room to seek partner at the
same moment that Gibson walked across
his end of the room for the same
purpose. Half way across each looked
at the other, and beth stopped. They
were about twenty five feet apart, and
there was no one near either. GibsOn's
hand few to the holster on his hip,
y, A. -
spectators became dead silent in an in
slant. Gibson drew a heavy revolver,
Miles a slnglebarreled target pistol.
At this his sweetheart screamed, fright
ened at what seemed his disadvantage.
Her scream was drowned In the crack
of the target pistol. Gibson was knock
ed off his feet as if by the blow of a
stalwart fist, and fell dead from the
bullet that struck him square between
the eyes. Miles put another cartridge
in his weapon and then replaced it.
Then he walked back to the girl, who still
trembled with fear, and patting her on
the shoulder said as quietly rs if nothing
had happened
"You must not be frightened. Ones
enough"
So it was. The target pistol being
Zig liter than Gibbons navy revolvert, had
been handled fraction of a second more
quickly.
Miles married the girl within three
months. Gibson had three brothers.
They had declared that Miles shoald new
er live to marry her, but somehow Meth
er of them ever "met up" with Miles dur
ing the time, and they were not of the
sort tn shoot from the bush. Inside of a
fortune TO meet him, and both had been
trifie too slow. Roth had made the
mistake that had cost their brother his
life, for one had been armed with shot-
gun and the other with big revolver,
while Miles had depended upon the
single barrelled target pistol with signal
success. The last of the brothers, Jerome
Gibson, lived over in Howell county, near
West Plains. It was good deal of both
er for him to come over to Ozark, hunt
ing for Miles, and the consequence was
that he didn't come very often. 1t was
three years before they met. Mrs. Miles,
in spite of the care of big boy baby,
had grown handsOmer, as well kept wives
do, and the proudest man In Ozark cOun-
ty was Hold Miles. He had sent all the
way hack to Boston for carriage for his
wife TO ride IL :, and 1t got to be a regu-
lar practice with him to hitch up on Sat-
urday and drive to town, whether he had
any trading to do or not. Gibson heard
of the practice, and straightway had bus
mess in Gainesville OH Saturday. When
he reached town he found Miles carriage
hitched in front and a short distance to
the right of John Davidson's store. Miles
and his wife were inside buying some.
thing. Gibson walked ovet to the store
and stopped at the doorway for NOM
ent looking at his man. Miles looked up
and saw Gibson, and stepped to one side
so as to be out of range of his wife. Then
Gibson came in. There were other peo
pie in range, and he knew Davidson
would shoot him if any one save M les
wers hurt. Besides Gibson "didn't have
no call to be shootin' the rest"
Walking down past Miles, Gibson made
a sneering remark about Mrs. Miles.
"Lord, stranger! ye orter seed it" said
Davidson. SMILES, he gathered that 'ere
twine-holder, and fetched him rap on
the tenn pie that stretched him on the floor
quicker'n you could fash yer eye. lowed
he was dead"
or two men carried Gibson out, and he re-
vived in few minutes. Miles made but
one comment.
"That was a rather careless thing to
do" ne said. 81 haven't even got tooth
pick"
By toothpick in this country 1s meant
pocket knife with a 312 inch bowie
shaped blade. For the first time since
the night when Dan Gibson was shot,
Miles had left home without weapon.