The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-22
A FIRa-BATING COLON Il
Whose Advice Was 40 Not Monkey
With Missouri" 80
From the Sun Francisco Aroonaat.


From the SuH Francisco Ar0onant
In Albitumen, N. NJ, there lived several
years ago, an old gentlema1 named Clay
Benton Girardeaux, who hailed from Mis-
souri,. AS Is we'll known, it was considered
ungentlemanly in the early days in Arr
IONA, New Mexico and Texas, to ask a MAJ
| his real name. We accepted the names that
were given.
Albitumen was a town before the railroad
got there, before the United States acquired
the territory. What l am about to relate
happened in the new town, the one built
around the railroad station.
! was on nv way from san Francisco to
Washington ia the early 'S0s, and, ow-
Ing to snow blockade in the mountains o
the east or Albitumen, | was detained in
that town for several days. On the mora
ing of my arrival ! met man whom |
knew, aud was introduced by him to nearly
every human being in the place who was at
all lntrodu able. Among olhers | was iu-
troduced TO Col. Clay Benton Girardeaux.
lawyer of the place. "Old Clay" he was
called behind his back, "Kernel,n or ''Ksr-
mel Clay" or "Kernel GeardoO" TO his face,
be was both politician aud lawyer, and got
his living hv either or both, but was more
given TO talking in barrooms than to talk
ing for his clients ia courts.
days, Col. Girardeaux carried 40 pistol
said that he did not believe IN carrying one,
that he had too little money TO fight high
wayman for, and as to fighting others, there
was alw avs the code duello for that,
If you have ever bean TO Albitumen you
doubtless remember the "Stsr OF the Westn
saloon near the station, where one can get
drink. food or game at any hour of the day
or night
Everything is open, !" said the colonel to
US. In describing the place; everything is
done Ia view Of all, and no one thinks the
less or man for taking a cocktail before
breakfast, any more than he does for
taking breakfast, nor does one lose caste by
playing a5 faro, or any game of chance
Money is earned to be spent in jolly, gen
erous fashion, and the way gentleman
wants TO spend his money is the way a gen
tlenan ought to spend it. l vas born, gen
tlemen, In st. Louis, So years ago. 1t
was q town, then. Now it's like Philade-
phia, unfit. gentlemen, for a man of
spirit to live in. When st. Louis began
TO put on silk hat on Sunday l left the
place, the home OF my birth, and went to
krnsas. Then Kansas began 20 improve,
as the preachers say, and quit. I've been
coming west since then, and now I've been
In Albltumen two years, aud It's what this
saloon 10. gentlemen. It's the Star OF the
West 1t has only one blot. They don't
believe in the code duelo They believe in
the shoot-on-sight principle. It's wrong
Rentlemen-wrong. The duel permits Of
gentleman making his will, or declining au
invitation to dinner, or paying his bar bill.
Gentlemen, will you join me in a drinki
81 see some Of you noticed that / callei
for gin. don't know much about the eff
cacy OF prayer, but Pm well up in the alco-
holics.
Gin IN the morning before breakfast
continued the colonel. ~ know 70 be the
but by personal experience Then, bst~osn
breakfast and lunch, whisky, that IL tho cor
rect thing; then never drink till half
hour after luncb--after half 81 hour one 10
safe. Then whisky all half-nour before
dinner, Shan Kin again. When / have 8
case 10 court suffer ny client, aud alter