Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-18

We were sitting on the varnuda of
the hotel in new Mexican town, talk
ing about tue business conditions Of the
town-the houses that were tennzeless,
the old sign-bOards, swinging about by
one hinge or a nail, and telling Of trade
long SINCE departed, OF the bleak remains
Of a block that had been burned aud not
rebuilt. and the hope of return of good
times founded on huge quantities Of low
grade silver ore in the Magdalena Range,
by and by l said philosophically that
lessons In economy, made necessary 10y
hard times, were useful but pretty hard
why. yes, thcy'er useful" said one Of
the party, unless one dies In the learn
ing. as | saw fellow do right ger
there by Pick KnOx's saloon. Want TO
hear about it, That's what | thought.
IL was several years ago, when COWBOYS
were somewhat thicker here than they
are now. Jake DurlHcker and Bill RAND
came in from the range and met over at
Picks saloon, and, being friends that
hadn't met IN some time. they took n
drink together and invited the bartender
10 stand ~ with them. Then they took
another drink, and,ot course. next there
was another on the house. That made
three drinks. didn't it--iust enough to
make 'en feel good? Sure for it, So
they took some more, and then got to
skylnrlang, and then 10 cnssing and fus.
sing, and 80 Jake, who was crowding the
mUurners rather more than BIN got put
out.
by and by he came back and found
Bill playing, z fiddle.
Z" by God be said. you shall dance
as wei As fiddle aud he pulled down
his gun on Bill, and there was nothing
for Bin 20 do only dance, because Jake
60: the drop on him. Ever secany body
| got the drop on him, Ever see anybody
body laugh only the man with the gun,
| aud he commonly cusses more than he
| laughs, It's The most serious dancing
there Is. Bill cried under Il little
| there was a tear out Of each eye any
how~and the moinent he was let on he
| wsnt behind the bar 90 Put away The
fiddle, and be sees the bar.keeper's gun.
| 1T didn't take a wink's time for him TO
| level that gun on Iakes head and pull the
| trigger, but he made n mistake when he
| did u, because II was not loaded BY
| tho tine he'd snapped II twice Jake was
shooting and he eiuptlrd his gun--all six
cartridges Into Ellis head, when ono
was a plenty. Do yon remember thai
old saying about wliul waste mai;ina
wdful wartf Jake died learning thai
lesson In economy.
The moment he'd done shooting he
ran 10 The door 10 mount his bronco and
slope ior the range. but the daned
beast had stripped lie halter. Morse
yet, Bills forpmau. who was stuck al,
nlll, was coming up the street carrying /
MIpcheaier and sizing up the lay OF N,
lana by The motions Of Jake mud tha
crowd ana 80 on. He saw Jake had
been shooting bill, and he made up hi,
mlnd 70 20 him one better Now, Il
Jake had bad 1--WE Of those cartridges led
he nilghi-hpt what's the use Of talking
lie didn't have them, and all be couli
DO was 20 stand there and catch lead oui
on ilf Wlhfbrttcr aud crnge as The
| tirgugh and through, and down he fe,i
I'm Hfraid wen al follow JAKE ny
among those white pailng fences on N,
iuesa there weer learning 10 be eennon,
zeal and waiting for rise in silver, yeT
know. 49,