Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-12-14
wouln srANn mo- EooLlNa.
A Pioneer Landlord who Settled An Du-

A Pioneer Landlord who Settled All Dif
nculties with His Revolver.
About noon the stage drove MP TO
long. low building, composed Of sod
and poles, and the driver called to M
that this was the place where we wer,
60 eat dinner and change horses. The
house was a tavern and the owner of Il
came forward TO receive the Ave pas
sengers and said:
"Glnd to see you, gents-very glad
Haven't got much in the way of din.
ner, hut, Of course, You don't expect
much"
There were no convenicnces for wash.
ing, aud when one of the men went 10
the landlord about Il he replied:
"Ol Never mind gettin' the dirt off.
I've lived here over two years and
haven't washed once. We don't put on
any style out here"
We were about to sit down TO dinner
when shot was fred out doors and
the landlord came into the room to
say:
'Sorry TO bother you, gents, but as !
wait on the table myself you'll have 70
hold on for a few minutes. There's a
cuss out here who wants to be shot,
and as I'm all ready It won't take over
five minutes.
lie seized his gun and went out and
after a couple of shots the "cuss" was
hit in the shoulder and rode off. The
dinner consisted of baked beans, corn
bread, little bacon, and corn coffee,
and as the landlord served IL out he
said:
"Sorry I can't offer YOU more grub.
but my Mexican cook got impudent
last night and had TO plant him. I
was just heapin' up the grave on the
other side of the road as you came In
sight. Eat hearty, gents"
Some tried to and some lost their ap-
petites Observing the latter, the gem
ial host observed:
Better fiji right up. gents, rs this
stage will probably be stopped at Red
creek by road agents, and they may
keep you standing around till to-mor-
row.
Something was said by the kicker Of
the party about the absence of napl,ins
and table-cloth, and the landlord
promptly replied:
"Yes, know, did start Il with ta-
ble-cloths, but the neighbors came and
begged EN- fur shrouds fur people
killed by the Indians, and I've clean
run OUT. Sorry about IL, but we have
TO help each other out here. you know. "
Meat seems TO be pretty scarce with
you.' observed a passenger who had
failed to get taste.
yes, rather. but only at the present
time Last week had oceans OF meat.
but | got into a row with the Teller
who was freighting Il down for me.
and he's planted just beyond the Mexi-
lean"
When we went to settle ont for the
meal the landlord said it would be four
dollars apiece. There was a general
kick about the price, and he threw up
his hands and exclaimed:
Great lands! but what is this coun-
try coming 70. anyway? A month ago
had to shoot a traveller for insisting
on having white sugar in his coffee
Two weeks ago had TO kill another
for kicking about loolling-glass. Last
week / plunked a man from Chicago
who wanted hair brush. and now I've
got to kill the five Of you to get what
that dinner actually cost mel Do you
fellers imagine that all / have to do
out here is to dig graves and shovel
back the dirt?'
lie seemed 50 hurt in his feelings that
we paid him the four dollars apiece and
went our way, but in the course Of half
an hour something happened to solace
Us We met three men ON horseback.
who halted US that one OF them might
inquire:
"Do you know IL ole Dan Smith are
at home?"
''You mean Smith OF the Forty-Mile
house, suppose?' answered the driver.
"We do"
eyes, he's home"
"Nuch obleeged We ar goin' up
thar TO fiji his old carcass with lead
and plant him alongside his coolz."-
y. Y. Herald.