The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-02-20
NEVER WITHOUT HIS COMPANION.
A westerner who Got Cold chill When
He Discovered n Loss.

NEVER WITHOUT HIS COMPtNION.
/ A westerner who Got n Cold Chill When
He Discovered n Loss.
"That reminds me, " said the colonel
blandly. He is always being reminded.
They were talking of mans dependence
upon things which he is accustomed to
use. THAT reminds me of Jack Sniler
Jack was as brave as lion. He drove
one of the fast freight specials from
Cheyenne to Deadwood. 1t was in the
first days of the Black Hills excitement,
when they ran light express wagons out
to Cheyenne on gallop and never
stopped until they pulled up in Dead.
wood or until the road agents stopped
them.
Jack was born with one emotion
lacking. He was not afraid of the widest
Indian (and there were enough of them
in those days. just before the Custer
massacre) or the most daring and reck-
less road agent They did not call them
highwaymen then. He used to climb
into his seat, crack his long whip and,
with wonderful oath, jerk the heads Of
those mules in the direction of Dead
wood, and send them scurrying along
like frightened rabbits. He always
wore revolver, of course the handle
forward in his belt, where his hand
might touch it at moments notice. l
do not believe that the road agent
lived who could have stopped Jack
Smiler.
II rode up with him on one of his trips
to ranch about 35 miles from Chey-
enne. l got tired of the seat and climbed
back into the box to stand there to rest
my legs. conceived the idea of pick
ing Jacks pocket-that is, of getting his
revolver away from him. was pretty
careful to press one hand heavily on lis
shoulder while with the other l slipped
the weapon from his belt Finally l
got it out safely and waited for him to
discover the loss.
"We drove along for five or six miles,
when suddenly Jack pulled up his mules
with terrible oath
"'Whou ! he cried.
"What's the trouble Jack /? asked.
"He turned to me and looked into my
eyes. He was as white as sheet
"'We are going straight back to Chey-
enne,' he said. "'What's the troubleY
l repeated
"'Troubler he CALCULATED, and cloud
Of sulphur arose over us, his oratory was
so emphatic. "'Trouble? I've lost my
six shooter, and wouldn't drive another
foot for $4,000
"Oh, pshaw, Jack l said; "who
knows you haven't six shooter? Why
don't you go right on, as if you had
one?'
Jacks teeth cuattered at the very
thought never saw brave man 50
terribly frightened.
"'Not if my name is Jack Sniler, he
said
"'Gracioue! he added Gracious stands
for string Of words too long for nov
ice to mention in one evening", sup
pose hadn't discovered this Wouldn't
have been in pretty fix?" He made
a wry face
"'Here's your old six shooter, jack
said, handing it to him; II wouldn't
have it, 1t isn't worth keeping
500 lang, therey shouted Jack, curl
ing his whip lash beautifully and bring.
ing the end of it to sudden stop, with
loud crack. Go lang, therer and we
We're rolling over the road again.
~ can't go anywhere without that
he said. touching the butt of it lightly.
The last saw of him he was swapping
his long lash and whistling cheerfully.
With the revolver he went anywhere;
without it nowhere. ~ New York Trib-
une.