Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-01-09
REFORMING AN OUTCAST

II was a-readin the other day" said
the old cattleman, tipping back bis
chair, show some old Roman sharp
who most likely was interested in the
town says, All roads leads to Rome.
Not KNOWN nuthin of Rome myself,
nor yet Of the causeways thar an thar
abouts, Of course amt sayin nuthin,
an simply let's her fly as a quotation for
what it's worth. 1t suggests, however
-Ieavin Rome for the reformation Of
men-that all trails leads likewise to re-
form. No one can tell how soon or by
What curious means some onery lloss
thief sort OF fellow, of no more value
to a decent camp than an Apache or a
horned toad, will come squar' round
on his hind hoofs an be good people.
'"Ths yere was mighty eminent the
case with hold up ! knows once by
the name Of johnson. He comes into
WolfNlle one day In August, along OF
paint pony. He comes trailin, In
after the stage at the time, for com
pany likes, suppose, which the same
is not onusual. Old Monte, the driver,
sorter allows casual like with his nose
In his whisky, as how he sees johnson
first back some thirty miles into the
hills, an as old Monte seemed TO reckon
whole lot, that johnson owns some
cattle someers, an as the fac's amt
worryin US none nohow, we all lets
her go at that.
johnson himself Is a long, lean,
good loolSin kind of coyote, with a
quick eye, which Is gettin it's share of
the scenery right along, an II he's re-
markable at all it's because he's per
vadin around mighty continuous, an
seems like he's as restless as a prairie
dog. As far as my opinion goes at
that time, l sorter likes him. takes
note Of his alters drinkin whisky
straight, an that, nacheral enuf, kinder
drors him to my heart. Then, ag'in,
one night | observes him In little
game with Cherokee Hall, an Johnson
lays down three queens when Cherokee
makes n flush on two draw, an then
| respects kim. A man who is that
sensitive an ackerate as to know when
TO lay down three queens is plenty
rare, an when found he has my re-
spect
'Welll this yere johnson Is trackin
round Wolfvllle, may DO It's two
weeks, a-playin OF little poker, a.
buckin Of n little faro an absorbin OF
bar viands alternate, an all in way
which puts public suspicion to sleep In
a minute II Il ever lifts Its head, which
il don't.
lone mornin we was all outen our
blankets an assembled in the Early
Brd'-it was about first drink time an
we was gathered thar for our custom
airy forty drops-when in comes Dan
Boggs all spradled out.
Gents says Dan In tone as shows
he's all keyed up, Gents, Pm hinged
II somebody amt done run off |
every hoss we had in the corral-least-
wise he's run off ten head, bein six OF |
tho stage eompany's in tho bunch
too.
"'Well, says Sam Enright, calmly
lippln up his glass until he gets every
drop as IL comm TO him, 'takin ten
losses is different from takin all. Moore,
you 80 over an see about saddlin four
loSses--get fast ones, Jack, an barkeep,
ill up four canteens with cough medi-
,ine-give us some OF the Willow run
itutf | reckon, he goes on, tumln To
he rest of us, we oyerhauls this yere
loss dealer too easy Enright was
'hlef OF the Strangers, an a prompt
thoughtful man, You can gamble he
lnowed his business
"'While we all are waitln for the
losses, says Doc Poets, an wants 20
Mention that most likely this yere Peets
vas the smartest man | ever see,
s'pose we convenes the camp am tind
Who's missin. IL may hop lind the
hief.
80 Peets steps out an turns his six
hooter loose three or four times, am OF
curse all the inhabitants comes can
erin mp eager for 10 see whoever gets
owned 50 early In the day, an when
10 counts noses we finds we're jest
hort this yere sharp, johnson.
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