The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-22
A POP EYED wEsTeRNER.
He Was Cool and Wore Broadcioth, but
Always Came to Time.

He Was Cool and Wore Broadcioth, but
Always Cane to Time.
The Same old coterie of ib ex-
changers werc assembled around the
corner table at ''Del's" Saturday night
when the doctor dropped in. Asking
for light, ono of the boys pulled out
a silver match box in the shape of a
miniature revolver. This reminded
the doc of story of his mining days,
and forthwith he was besieged to tell
it for the benefit of the younger mem
bers who had not learned the Mum
chausen abilities of the narrator be-
fore.
''It was back in the sixties when 1
first saw my desperate" said the doc
tor. "When he came into camp /
didn't know whether he was a bad
man or q prctender in that line. He
was tall, angular, wiry and singu-
black broadclotl and tall
hat, and was scrupulously neat
i'll the matters of linen and
personal appearance. The right
leg of his trousers was tucked into
his boot, and the left leg was out
side in proper style. In his right boot
he carried an enormous bowie knife,
and you could see by the set of his
frock coat over his hip that he packed
q gun.
"Hc spoke slowly and deliberately
and was punctiliously polite. His
long drawl heightened the effect of
his ccremonious courtesy and at the
same time proclaimed him a south
erncr. He seldom swore and never
drank, and his only small vice was
smoking He occasionally referred to
himself as II pop eyed galoot from
Arkansaw, and he was.
although my gentleman in broad
cloth was politeness perscnified, he
was very aggressive and quick to take
offense. If he heard anybody making
a bluff about fighting he couldn't keep
his tongue still, but came right to the
front with an offer to fight any how,
anywhere and at any time. Toward
quiet and peaceablc men he was
gravely courteous and never In the
least aggressive, but if fighting man
showed up, Gibbons was uneasy until
he had driven the fellow out of camp.
'Of course, he had to prove his
claims as a fighter before he had been
in camp very long. One evening q
big fellow, bristling with deadly wea-
pons, staggered into the saloon and
ordered all hands up to the bar.
Everybody responded except Gibbons,
who remained seated and paid no
attention to tho fellow. When the
stranger turned about and said: Come
up here, pop eye, and take your medi-
cine, Gibbons answered, with grave
politeness, L am much obliged to you,
sir, but | never drink
CATER all had taken their drinks
and walked away, Gibbons stepped up
and said to the barkeeper: Give me
a cigar The stranger turned upon
him and said: On you, didn't ask
you to have n cigar
On you, sir, rejoined Gibbons,
L didn't ask you to pay for my cigar.
And, d--n you, sir, don't you talk to
mo in that way or / will cut your
head off, SIR
Start right in, said the stranger.
I've got tough neck to cut. But be-
fore no could draw n weapon my bad
man in broadcloth seized him by the
hair, bent his head back, whipped out
the big bowie and made two lightning
slashes at the fellows throat The
point of the knife just cut the skin
enough to draw blood at each stroke.
Letting go his hold, Gibbons
drawled, I've pretty good knife for
cutting, stranger, and walked away,
supremely contemptuous OF the fell
low, who sneaked out of camp.
1.-THE last time I saw Gibbons he
was just getting over little fracas
with Mexican. The greaser was a
noted knife fighter and his presence
in camp made Gibbons uneasy, but no
chance for picking a quarrel occurred.
One day Gibbons, who could endure
it no longer, met the Mexican and
politely asked him if he was heeled.
The man replied that he was not.
Very well, said Gibbons, go and get
your knife, because 1 intend to kill
you, sir, the next time have the
pleasure of meeting you
"They met within an hour. Glib
bons received thirteen wounds, all on
the left side, and one thrust was in his
throat, the Mexican's blade going
clear through his neck. The lIcxican
was killed"
Doc" drawled Longbow, guess
we'd better have little beef, iron and
wine after that. New York Star.
pocrIiar narocrs