The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-21
SOME ODD STORES.

noon, when man suddenly sprang from
behind a big cottonwood and shouted for
me to throw up my hands. had revolver,
slim cash and one of the meanest mules
ever heard of in the west. His temper was
sissing hot from Sunday morning to Satur
day night, and it was cold day when he
didn't buck, try to run away or exhibit
some other proof of his desire to cripple me
for life or cut short my days.
Up went my hands as the mule came to
sop. had been held up three or four times
before and knew about how the programme
gan. The chap in front of me was tough
looking fellow about 40 years old, and
though he had the drop on me it was plain
to be seen that he was nervous and excited.
There was decided tremor in his voice as
he commanded:
Now git down. If ye drop hand. I'll
drop you"
Don't get excited over this thing" re-
piled as / kicked my feet out of the stir
rups
WHO'S excited?"
You arel You are evidently green
hand at this business, and you must be
careful of that pistol. Now, then. you want
me to hand you my gum"
YES"
Here it is, butt end first, according to
custom, and here is my wallet containing
81. used to have watch, but traded
it for this blamed old mule. Anything
more2"
is this all the cash you've got?" he
asked.
Every shilling"
And you hain't got another gum"
mo, Pm poor shot, and carried that
more for show than use. However, you've
done pretty well for your first holdup."
"How do you know it's my frst?"
"Plain as the nose on your face. You are
trembling yet. Your pistol was wabbling
about so wildly before I got down that
you'd have shot the sun if you had pulled
trigger. l could have bored you when I
handed over my gun, but I saw you were
tenderfoot and didn't want to take advan-
tage of it"
j Say. you are a mighty Gurus critterl"
lie drawled as he looked at me in puzzled
Iway.
mot at all. Let me give you a bit of adj
lyice You'll never make a success of this
business, and you'd better haul off,"
: Whats the matter that won't?"
you haven't got sand enough, and you
are as slow as molasses If you'd have
happened to stop most any other man, you'd
have been wolf meat inside of a minute.
Your best hold is teamwork. Quit the
business and take up piece of land"
do you know that I've good mind to
send bullet through yer head" he shout
ed, evidently much annoyed at my raillery
and fourishing his pistol about.
THAT would be just like tenderfoot,"
i replied as lighted cigar. You call
yourself a road agent. Very well. If you
can ride that mule 40 rods, Pll take back
what I've said"
! "Ride that mulei Why, durn his ears, l
kin ride him a Thousand miles instead of 40
&odsl"
/ II doubt it. don't know whether you
intended to rob me of him or not, but if you
can ride him 40 rods I'll make you a present
of him."
Hold up your handsr' he commanded
as. he covered me.
/ "bailed up" again, and he stepped
around behind me and searched to see if /
had weapon. Finding that had moth
ing and had no game to play on him, he
said
YES, was goin to take the mule. He's
q likely lookin beast, and I'm tired of
goin afoot. I'll show We whether kin
ride him or not. He-up, you limb of satanl'
Themule stood quiet, with his head down.
AS the robber got into the saddle the beast
turned his head and gave him stare. In
response to a kick he started off, but he
hadn't moved 20 feet when he bucked and
threw the fellow 10 feet high. He came
down on the sod with an awful thump,
and for the next two minutes he was too
Hazed to comprehend what was going on
about him. Meanwhile had secured both
pistols and big knife he had in his belt,
land had also repossessed myself of my wal
let.
"W-what's the matter?" gasped the man
as he finally opened his eyes and sat up.
Nothing much. told you in the be-
ginning that you were poor hand at this
business, and want to advise you again to
take up piece of land and try farming"
1.-THE burned mule throwed me, eh2"
Eyes"
"And you've got the bulge on mel"
"As you see."
Stranger, you're dead rightr' he said as
be got up and shook himself II thought
had a few brains in my head, but was
mistook. don't know huff to stop jack
rabbit by whistlini I orter be kicked fur
thinkin could even hold up dead boss
fur his front shoesl I'mtgoiE. Pm goin to
start off at gait of four miles an hour an
keep walkin till reach an idiot asylum.
Goodbye
I'd have returned his weapons to him and
divided my cash capital, but he wouldn't
wait. He started off over the prairie, and
though watched him for half an hour he
never even looked back. About month
later, while in town 80 miles away, SAW
the man brought in and delivered up to
the sheriff by three cattlemen. He had q
bullet in his left shoulder, and was one of
the half dozen who stood by when doctor
extracted it, The robber recognized me at
once I didn't want to hurt the feelings Of
man who was down, but I couldn't help
saying to him: Didn't tell you that