Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-03-07
THE SUDDEN WIDOWS

10 was very quiet in Adamsville that aft
ernoon. It had been quiet for some time
past. Nobody had been shot or knitted
and no lynching bee had occurred for
good many weeks. Nobody had even been
drunk. Adamsville was becoming degen-
Grated, and you could see "ennui" written
on the countenance OF every male citizen,
In one form or another. There were no fe
male citizens-that is, Of the sort subject
TO ailments OF that nature. Those who
were there always had a lively time Of IT,
There was Spanish Dick across the street
NOW quarreling with one Of her male
friends" in front OF the Diamond saloon
Dick was one Of the leading citizens OF
Adamsville-Or rather one Of the most
prominent ones. She had another name
but il was too long for every day use, 80
they called her Dick for short.
Dick was a beauty-Also devil In skirts
That she was bad goes without saying
She was not only bad, but she was the most
vicious quick tempered, ready to stab OF
her kind and calling that ever infested "A
mining camp. Everybody WAS afraid OF
her; half the town knuckled to her. and
she did as she pleased ! think very few
people would have been sorry 70 see her
leave, because she had habit OF shooting
In a very impartial way when in one of her
tempers, and OF course nobody could shoot
back or defend himself
On this particular afternoon she was
quite calm, and we lOafers in front Of the
hotel only heard a word or two from the
pair across the street, but we could see and
guess, and our guess was that Dick was In
n white heat and that something unpleas
ant would result TO the gentleman with
whom she was debating. who was Mr.
Frank Beasley, the "gentlemRnly and
obliging barkeep" at the Diamond. We
guessed very closely 30 the truth. but il
was worse than we expected.
After the discussion had proceeded for
some time Frank turned on his heel 70 re
enter the saloon, but here an interruption
occurred. Phil Holmes, the gambler, came
out OF the barber shop next door and said
something which caused Beasley TO halt
suddenly and wheel around
II was all done in moment. We saw
Dick point her finger at Beasley tragically
and heard her voice screeching in Spanish.
We saw Holmes lips move in saying some.
thing TO Frank-the latter's hand few
back to his gun pocket-there was a report,
I sharp and quick. We rubbed our eyes and
rushed over. On the steps lay Beasley,
shot through the heart-the gambler had
had his gun in hand behind him, all ready,
and had been too quick for the other. Il
was coldblooded murder, but there was no
! proof that Holmes had been ready, as the
first reach seen was that made by Prank
and so there was nothing TO be done
/ However. Holmes evidently deemed that
his presence in Adamsville for awhile
could be easily dispensed with; 50 in less
than an hour he and the woman were ON
| their way TO Woodruff, a town about TWEEN.
| ty-ive miles distant
There was a good deal Of serious talk IN
Adamsville that night Beasley, the dead
man, had been very popular; there was not
a man In the camp whOdid not feel his los.
as that Of "A personal friend, and the purse
raised for his funeral was the largest thug
in the subscription line the oldest inhahi
tant could call 70 mind.
On the other hand, the murderer wa.
heartily disliked by nearly every one. IL,
was one Of those cold blooded, heartless
pale eyed, taciturn fellows, for whose oil
displayed nerve there were plenty Of al
mirers, but whose real friends might b
counted on ones fingers. He had been "a
the camp two years, but never to any one'
knowledge, done a kind act to man, won
an or beast. Although he had been uni
formly careful 70 keep out Of trouble o
p any kind, and there was no specific act ex
: cept the shooting Of Beasley for which q
2 condemn him, there were rumOrs, ani
plenty Of them, concerning past record o
sufficient malodorousness to make it yer
disagreeable for him II said rumols har
9 found veriication. The fact was, however
a that nobody heretofore had cared particu
larry about his record, especially as Adam.
] Of .afs
whose escutcheons needed renovating an
, a coat Of whitewash.
Tonight however, all these rumors am
= various other matters concerning Holme
were dragged In for discussion and redii
cussion, and II Mr.. Holmes bad happene
10 be about his usual iaunts be woul
have found the social atmosphere dow
Z near the black ice point. AS I said, ther
was good deal OF talk, but that was abou
, all Talk is not an expensive commodity
y and have observed that there are quite
number Of people In the world who tab
d advantage Of its cheapness, and we,
Adamsville, were using the American
most cherished prerogative 70 the fulle
G extent--and that was ALL
4 There was only one plan Of action su
gested; this was offered by Tootsy McFa
4 den, a young man recently arrived fro
4 the East" which term, as applied
Adamsville, comprehended Kansas. n
braska, Missouri and other oriental cor
D. munities more OF less distant toward q
rising sun.
loOtsy's idea was an original one.
9 had not, It is safe TO say, entered the mis-
n OF any other citizen. Il was too brilliai
70 and otherwise emarkable-altogethcr
N and was expressed about as follows,
D. "Why n0t"-and Tootsy lifted his 9th