Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-28
AN ARIZONA EPISODE.

Nogales is q little town down in
Southern Arizona that is part Ameri-
can and part Mexican in more senses
than one, for it calmly sits upon the
international boundry line, and owes
half its allegiance to Mexico and half
to the United States. Thus the resi-
dent of Nogales is much better off
than Lieutenant Nolan, for instead of
being man without q country, he is
a man with two countries. The
boundary line between the two re-
publics runs exactly along the centre
of the principal street, so o man
needn't leave the town nor walk very
far to plant one foot in Mexican soil
and yet retain a purchase upon the
land of the free, etc.
This peculiar situation is often taken
advantage of by deserting soldiers
from the Southern Arizona forts, who
are inclined to be facetious, writes
Frank R. Linn in The Free Press.
They 20 over to the Mexican side of
the main street, and when the sergeant
and his squad who are in pursuit ar
rive in town, they find the deserters
sitting out in front of a saloon enjoy
ing life and making faces at their pur-
suers with perfect impunity. For de-
sertion is not all eXtraditable otfense.
All the sergeant can do is to sit down
and patiently wait, in the hope that
the deserter will imbibe enough mescal
or pulque to render him reckless and
bring him across that invisible but un-
crossable line. Nor is Nogales very
yirtuous town. In fact, it is some
what "tough." Almost every man
carries "gun," and is ready to use 1t
when his rights are trampled upon or
his honor wounded.
During the Geronimo campaign l
went down to Nogales to visit friend
of mine, and one night he took me
out to see the sights. Among other
sports on the elephant was the biggest
saloon and gambling house in the
town. 1 forget now who ran it, but
that doesn't matter. After passing
around and looking on q while at the
various games, we sat down at table
near party of poker players, ordered
drinks, and watched the animated
scene. was particularly interested
in one of the players at the table next
to us, who apparently had phenome-
nal luck, judging from the pile of gold,
silver and chips in front of him. He
was big, black-bearded, swarthy
man, with mean, restless eyes, and as
another big, full-bearded man, toying
with a huge pistol, approached the
table with a quick stride, | fancled
that he suddenly grew shade paler.
He made an almost imperceptible
movement to reach toward his hips,
but apparently changed his mind and
gazed intently at the cards. by this
time the other big man was opposite
him.
$50, you dirty, mean skunk,' he
said, "I've run you down at last,
have I?'
The play mt once ceased, and the
participants in the game waited pas
sivcly to hear the outcome. This was
Il quarrel between two mcn-a per-
sonal and private matter-and it
would have been impertinence and Il
breach of etiquette on their part to
have intcrfercd by word or act.
"Ycs, you've run me down, rs you
put it," replied the other. "What do
you want to say to me? Hurry up,
and don't delay the game"
"What do | want to say to you 2"
the other burst out, furiously, and
with volley of oaths, II don't want
to say anything to you, you thief. |
want to put bullet into your dirty
carcass, and I'm going to do it. Draw
your gun. I'll give you one chance
for your life"
BY this time the noise had attracted
attention. The players had crowded
to the side walls, and there was a clear
passage for the bullets that were mo-
mentarily expected to commence fly
ing. The proprietor of the gambling
den was fastening toward the dispu-
tants, shouting, is he came il warning
to them to dcsist.
"Shoot, if you want TO-, Bill" said
the black bearded man, his face rs
pale as death, "but if you do you MUIR
der me, for | haven't gun Oh my
person."
"You haven't ch 2" replied the
other, insolcntly. "Well, I'll shoot no
man like Il rat. But, you miserable
hound, after -four o'clock this morning
III kill you OIL sight, gun or no gun.