Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1892-11-03
Banjo like the devil e.beatin, tap bark

Banjo like the devil a-beatin' tar bark
fer the forty mile into Chevannes |
started finn the station at Jest hine
o'clock, mn rode into Cheyenne at
twelve. In half an hour we was on
orr way back weth squad OF cavalry,
an little alter four we rode up to the
station, All the 1rinns had gone
'ceptin' the one he'd located perinan-
ent an three others which Vic he'd
made good. an which the other 1njuns
hadn't lerried off. But I want vuh to
notice tibet Ole Banjo went tibet eighty
mile in seven hours, an never missed
his regular trip over the route neither.
"Banjo's got heap more sense than
some folks has got hay. Lots o. times
he has saved coachful o. passengers
fun goin' into washout when the
night was SO dark the driver couldn't
see the leaders. One night up in Mon
fanny it was jest nachully stormin'
pizen, an Ole Banjo was on the Deer
Lodge trail. OF course he was in the
lead. but the driver was new one an
hadn't been told tibet Ole Banjo sawed
his business better than any driver
tibet ever pulled rein over
him. The road want but eight foot
wide in places, weth mounting
straight up on one side an precipice
miles down on the other. The driver
hadn't been over the road but once, an
then in the dark, and he felt mighty
prayerful when flash % lightnin'
would come an let him look down in
the yearth about seven mile. He sure
didn't feel none gay at the vistas. But
all at once Ole Banjo stopped, an the
rest o the team knew enough not to
make no bluff when Banjo asked fer q
show down. The driver done his best
tub git the team tub move, but they all
waited to see Banjo's hand. Finally
the driver walked up a passenger who
was sleepin' in the front boot on the
mail sack an give him the ribbons to
hold while he went ahead to spy out
the trouble. He found plenty, fer
he was almo st touchin' big grizzly
bar when a flash O. lightnin' showed
him his mistake. Well, yuh see,
the driver hadn't lost no bar, an the
man a-holt O the lines swore he never
touched but one high place tell he
jumped on the box The driver tole
me he all to once weighed three
ounces llghter'n a straw hat, an jest
few over the team. They want nc
chance tub turn the team er the coach,
an the hull outfit he'd tub stay thur an
shiver till it was light enough to see
Then they shot the bar an found il
had busted an inside surcingle err some
thin a-tumblin' down the mounting.
But all the same, | want yuh to notice
tibet airy other boss in the lead would
a-jack-knlfed the team an carried
the hull outfit to kingdom come down
the precipice. He's sure good boss,
an IT,. man tibet ever throws silk inter
him er treats him bad hez got tuh make
some medicine weth me, Joe Bush. He
Amt never been outclassed in any team
he WAS airy into. He's worked in .eams
where yuh had to go up one side wett
broadaX an down the other yOeth q
shovel a-knockin' 'em intuh the collar
but you bet yuh, Ole Banjo wa ~
never hit clip. His Tugs was allus a,
drawin''
One bitter cold day in January wore
came up the line that Old Banjo was
dead. I jumped on the down coach,
and as ! dlsmounted at Cave Hill's sta
ton it was with a feeling Of surprise
rather than anger that Banjo's Bot
was not at hand to grasp the bits Of
the led team. But this feeling changed
wholly to one of grief as saw on the
sunny side of the station rude mound
surmou nted by headstone OF rough
boards. With harness dressing fo,
paint, and his fingers for brush,
Banjo's Bob had subscribed the follow.
ing epitaph:
HERE LIES OLE BANJO
The best stage boss That ever
Looked thrue
Collar.
Murdered Jan. 1885 By Cheyann Bill
THROWN the silk into him.