Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-04-18
NEVER WITHOUT HIS COMPANION.
A westerner Who Got a Cold Chill When
He Discovered a Loss.

Westerner VINO Got Cold chill When
He Discovered 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 Smiler.
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. I
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 IS miles from Chey-
enne got tired of the seat and climbed
back into the box to stand there to rest
my legs l 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 his
shoulder while with the other l slipped
the weapon from his belt Finally
got it out safely and waited for him to
discover the loss
I'VE drove along for five or six miles,
when suddenly Jack pulled up his mules
with terrible oath.
"'Whou 7 he cried.
"'What's the trouble, Jackp I asked.
"He turned to me and looked into my
eyes. He was as white as a sheet.
"'We are going straight back to Chey-
enne,' he said. "'What's the trouble2'
I 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 I said; "who
knows you haven't six shooter? Why
don't you 60 right on, as If you had
one?
Jacks teeth chartered at the very
thought never saw brave man SO
terribly frightened.
"Not if my name is Jack Smiler,' he
said.
"Graciousr 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 fx?" He made
wry face.
"'Here's your old six shooter, jack
I said, handing it to him; II wouldn't
have it. 1t isn't worth keeping
$50 lang, therep 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
were 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-