Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-16
our little party. They cleared way TO

wi iissic parry Amy SAS"iOH wy w
the door.
"Now, git" suddenly yelled one OF
my supporters. ! started-but crack
pistol-shot rang out and n bullet whizzed
through my hat.
"He's drunk or he'd never hev missed
vel" said my nearest neighbor AS be
spoke my leading lady sprang forward.
Would you shoot at woman she
said in tone OF fine scorn. Then, soto
Uoce TO me, "Run for the hotol "
She was between mo and my would-be
murderer. he would not shoot at
woman, and before he could aim again
at ms without endangering her life L
sprang through the doorway. Ny new
won friends among the crowd closed IN
behind me. Ny enemies dashed for
window that commanded a partial view
of the street mp which / was running
towards the hotel
Discretion seemed to mo very much
the better part OF valor when / reflected
afterwards upon the events of that night,
but as [ ran, my blood still heated with
excitement. 1 felt as If were doing
cowardly act. and more than once check
Ell my speed, half determined to return
to the Opera House and fight the drunken
miners with their own Weapons. i was
aroused to a sense of the inequality OF
forces and urged to redoubled speed by
the opening OF a fuslllade from the
Opera House window. Fortunately Tor
me the night was very dark and the
miners could not catch a glimpse OF my
fleeing form. Some OF their random
shots whistled suggestiyely close to my
ears, however.
/ reached the hotel in safety and found
the landlord and some OF the regular
boarders awaiting me. The latter had
attended our performance, but had LETT
the hall when they found trouble brew
ing and were discussing the advisatqllty
OF organizing a pOsse TO stop the
shooting ARRAY that they supposed
to be in progress when L arrived.
Doors and windows were Immediately
barred, and other preparations were
made TO resist possible attempt to cap
ture me. As the landlord said, the men
who had caused the disturbance were
drunk and liable TO be desperate, but
the people OF Amavllle were not inclined
10 see a stranger murdered for nothing
while they could prevent 1t.
The excitement was over, as II hap
pened. however. The discharge OF their
reviewers relieved the drunken rage of
tie least dangerous among my assail-
ants, and prompt action on the part OF
the peaceably inclined led TO the dis
arming OF the fellow who had fired upon
me in the hall and OF one or two others
disposed TO continue the fracas that had
so facilitated my exit No one came to
the hotel save the members OF my com
pany, escorted thither by some OF the
best disposed Of the crowd, and, the
"string band " having resumed Their
music. the storm passed Of, dancing be-
gan again, and continued until morning.
| was warned to avoid any contact
with two or three OF the men who had
shot at me but before we left the hotel
one Of the persons designated met my
leading man on the street and asked MN
TO convey apologies to me and to the
ladies of our company for the out
break Of the previous night. Five half
dollars were handed in to the hotel
Office as conscience money" towards
defraying the expenses OF the hop,
and when our company started III q
couple of mountain wagons Tor our next
stand we wero cheered aud hidden
" good-by" by some OF the very men
who twelve hours previously had thirsted
for my gore.