Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-04-11
ABE AND AUSTIN.


ABE AND AUSTIN.
Austin and were sitting up with tho
corpse. Abe had been q stiff since
o'clock. and II was then six hours later,
We were cattlemen-cowboys they
would call rs east-living In ranch on
the Pecos In Texas Abe was lying on Q
buffalo robe over against the wall, where
he died. He had been grunting around
for several days complaining Of his old
wound. lie was taking drink when
went out In the afternoon to salt some
deer; when came back, he was dead.
Austin and Strengthened him out and
threw saddle blanket over him. We
closed his eyes, but left his head out. II
seemed more natural like.
Austin was sitting facing the corpse.
had my back that way, We were play
ing freezeout poker for yearling heifers.
All Of sudden there was noiso over
by the corpse that made us both start. II
sounded like two knocks on the floor.
We dropped our cards and went over.
Everything was oil right. ! said 1t must
have been prairie dog or gopher-we
had no cats nor rats around there. Aus
tin was horribly scared. He swallowed
u larger drink of whisky than usual. We
went back to our game, and presently
we heard the rap again-this time loud.
or. We up again and went over. AL
was quiet as quit mining camp Aus.
tin was shaking all over. and he says.
"D-if I take any stock In spirits out.
side of the jug!" Then he took another
drink and banged out Of the ranch.
When he came in, he says, "We'll have
a norther tomorrow.
We didn't play any more. We sat
there talking about whether we better
start Jose tour cook out on the range to
round up the boys for the planting. Pres.
emily Austin says, "Did Abe ever say
anything to you about being marriedy
"No. he didn't" says l. "lf he's mar
riei. some one ought to get word to his
woman" Then we kept still spell.
Then Austin says: "Was Abe marriedy'
II know nothing about him." says l.
After u little says to Austin, "Was Abe
marriedy' "Iknow nothing about him,
he says. and then he went of Of his box
onto the floor as II broncho had kicked
him. Jumped up to help him, and as ]
did so I saw Abe (the corpse) sitting mp
on that buffalo skin looking powerful
mad. His lip was curled up like he was
trying to hiss something, and his arm
was stretched out, and one long bony fin
ger was pointing at Austin. who Lay
knocked out on the floor.
don't want any encores to that act.
was 30 scared | couldn't smoke. l bent
over and shook Austin, but he seemed
like dead. AS went over for the jug to
get something to help him. ] saw Abe
was lying just as we had fixed him, and
the blanket looked as IL 1t had not been
disturbed. took about five fingers my.
self. then poured some into Austin. The
first thing he did when he came to was
to look at his shooter. Then he walked
over to the corpse and 'peared to be ex-
ainining the blanket. Then he says;
THAT'S the second Of those d strokes
I've had. guess the next will fetch
me-" Ididn't tell him what I'd seen, and
didn't ask him what he'd seen. II didn't
always pay to ask questions. Austin
drank right along "a drink between
drinks-and an hour later he fell over on
the floor. threw robe over him.
didn't feel any too good sitting there
alone after what Id seen, and took
more than should have myself. don't
remember much about going to bed.
The first thing knew was Austin shak-
ing me and saying, "Bill, where the
DEVILS Abe got tor ! got up and looked
around. There was the buffalo skin, but
no Abe, and his Winchester was missing.
We called In Jose. He'd seen nothing
out of the way. We both felt far from
comfortable and decided to ride up to
the next ranch and tell the boys there.
When we caught up our ponies. there
was Abe's sorrel as big as life. We
didn't come back to the ranch for q
week. Then we were 50 played out and
sick nothing could have scared us, but
both Of us kept wondering where Abe
had gone.
Two years afterward Austin and ]
rude into Cheyenne from tho Crazy
woman's fork. where we were then
living. We went into Talbot's saloon.
The barroom was separated from the
theater part by plain board partition.
We sat down at table In the barroom
and called for liquor. There was long
haired. heavily whiskered man who
looked like bullwhacker stretched out
ON n bench. He looked as IL he were
sleeping. We'd taken several drinks,
and got to thinking Of old times and
somehow Of Abe. "Do you ever think
of Abe nowy' says. "Indeed do,
often." says Austin. "I'll never rest till
know what became Of him."
Just as he said this the bullwhacker
tose up and says: "Mr. Williams, or
Austin, IL you prefer 1t. you may rest
from this date. am Abel" Austin
reached for his gun, but Abe caught his
arm and said. quietlike: "Hold on a
minute. II you want any shooting later,
I'll give you a show" Then he turned
10 Inc and said: "Years ago. back In the
states. Williams hero and I loved the
saine girl. Her parents did not approve
Of either Of us. She made me think she
loved me, and she led Austin to believe
he was the favorite. She finally con-
sented to secret marriage with me. and
we slipped away, saying nothing.
Somehow the report got back to her
home that I had taken her of under
premise Of marriage and had then de-
icrted her. Austin never recognized me
~ to the day of my supposed death. but
I knew him the first time he showed ~
at our ranch on the Pesos. After yot
went out that afternoon ! felt very sicl
and really thought I was dying. 20
turned TO Austin and said, 'Willtams
I'm John Walker Quick as . cat b.
was ON me. I couldn't get my gun. and
he had me by the throat. 90 ! oouidn.
speak. He choked me, as he supposed
TO death. The next thing remembe
was hearing you two talking about m
as II were dead. Ireally felt not fs
from 1t.
"when Austin. In answer to your que.
ton, said he knew nothing about me, J
made me mad. and I rose mp to tell hin
he lied. The sight Of me knocked hin
senseless. knew then ! was suppose
10 be n corpse, When you both b.