The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-07-21
ABE AND AUSTIN.

Austin and | were sitting up with the
corpse Abe had been stiff since 81
o'clock, and it was then six hours later.
We We're cattlemen-cowboys they
would call us east-living in ranch on
the Pecos in Texas. Abe was lying on a
buffalo robe over against the wall, where
he died. He had been grunting around
for several days complaining of his old
wound. He was taking a drink when
went out in the afternoon to salt some
deer; when | came back, he was dead
Austin and l Strengthened him out and
threw saddle blanket over him. We
closed his eyes, but left his head out. 1t
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 a sudden there was a noise over
by the corpse that made us both start. 1t
sounded like two knocks on the floor.
We dropped our cards and went over.
Everything was all right l said it must
have been a prairie dog or gopher-we
had no cats nor rats around there, Aus
tin was horribly scared. He swallowed
larger drink of whisky than usual We
went back to our game, and presently
we heard the rap again-this time loud
er. We up again and went over. All
was quiet as a quit mining camp. Aus
tin was shaking all over, and he says
D if | take any stock in spirits out
side of the jugw Then he took another
drink and banged out of the ranch
When he came in, he says, "Well 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 married.
mo, he didn't" says !. IF he's mar
ried, some one ought to get word to his
woman" Then we kept still a spell.
Then Austin says: WAS Abe married?
II know nothing about him." says l,
After little says to Austin, WAS Abe
married. Il know nothing about him, "
he says, and then he went off of his box
onto the floor as if a broncho had kicked
him. jumped up to help him, and as ]
did 50 saw Abe (the corpse) sitting uT
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 nelong bony fin.
ger was pointing at Austin, who lay
Knocked out on the floor.
| don't want any encores to that act.
was so scared | couldn't smoke. | bent
over and shook Austin, but he seemed
like dead. As went over for the Jug tC
get something to help him, saw Abe
was lying just as we had fixed him, and
the blanket looked ~ it it had not beer
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
aiming the blanket. Then he says
That's the second Of those d stroke,
I've had | guess the next will fetcl
me-" Ididn't tell him what I'd seen, an(
didn't ask him what he'd seen. It didn'
always pay to ask questions. Austil
drank right along II drink between
drinks-and an hour later he fell over OF
the floor. threw a robe over him.
! didn't feel any too good sitting Their
alone after what I'd seen, and | tool
more than should have myself. don
remember much about going to bed
The first thing knew was Austin shak
ing me and saying, Bill, where tn
devils Abe got to-" got up and locke,
around. There was the buffalo skin, bu
no Abe, and his Winchester was missing
We called in Jose. He'd seen nothing
out of the way. We both felt far iron
comfortable and decided to ride up t
the next ranch and tell the boys there
When we caught up our ponies, ther
was Abe's sorrel as big as life. w
didn't come back to the ranch for
week. Then we were so played out an
sick nothing could have scared US, bu
both of us kept wondering where Alb
had gone.
Two years afterward Austin and
rode into Cheyenne from the Graz
Woman's fork, where we were the
living We went into Talbot's saloon
The barroom was separated from tn
theater part by plain board partition
We sat down at table in the barrool
and called for liquor. There was a lon
haired, heavily whiskered man VIII
looked like a bullwhacker stretched OF
on bench. He looked as if he wer
sleeping. We'd taken several drinks
and got to thinking of old times an
somehow of Abe. DO you ever thin
of Abe now;' | says. Indeed d.
often" says Austin. III never rest ii
[ know what became of him."
Just as he said this the bullwhackt
rose up and says: Mr.. Williams,
Austin, if you prefer it, you may re.
, from this date. l am Aber Aust
reached for his gun, but Abe caught h
arm and said, quietlike: Hold on
minute. If you want any shooting late
I'll give you a show" Then he turne
to me and said: Years ago, back in II
J states, Williams here and l loved Il
same girl. Her parents did not approx
of either of us. She made me think 81
loved me, and she led Austin TO belle,