The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-03-30
never complained Had luck or good.
that man kept stin lip on him.

that man kept stin lip ON him
"This Scott was sort O. butt among
the men about Arizona, for he was 80
quiet an simple-like There was no
party. either. 10 take up his grievances;
for. as I've been saying the Britishers
hardly counted him rs one of them. aud
many q rough joke they played ON him.
lie never cut up rough. but was civil to
all hisself. think the boys got To
think he hadn't much grit in him till he
showed EN- their mistake.
1T was In simpsons bar as the row
got up. an that led TO the queer thing |
was going To tell you Of Alabama
Joe and one or two other rowdies were
dead on the lsritishers in those days,
an they spoke their opinions pretty
free. though warned them AS there'd |
be an almighty muss. That partic'lar
night Joe was fighting drunk, and he
staggered about the town with his
six-shooter, lookin' out for chance.
Then he turned into the bar. where he
know'd he'd find some o the English
as ready as he was hisself Sure
enough, there was half dozen loung-
ing about an Tom Scott standin alone
before the stove. Joe sat down by the
table. and put his revolver and bowie
down in front of him. 'Them's my
Arguments jeff he says to me. 1T any
white livcrcd Britishcr dares give me
the lie tried TO stop him, sirs; but
he weren't man as you could easily
turn. an he began to speak in a way
as no chap could stand. Why. even
. II a.. SalI n q
much OF Grcaseland. There was
commotion at the bar, an every man
laid his hands on his wcpins; but afore
they could draw we heard quiet voice
from the stove: Say your prayers,
Joe Hawkins: for you're "A dead man.
Joe turned round, and looked like
grappin' at his iron. Bat IL weren't no
manner of use. Tom Scott was stand
ing up. covering him with his Der
ringer: a smile on his white face. but
the very devil shining in his eye. 1t
amt that the old country has used me
over-well.' he says. but no man shall
insult it a fore me and live For "a second
his finger frightened round the trigger.
an then he gave laugh. an threw the
pistol on the floor. No. he says; 4
can't shoot a half-drunk man. Take
your dirty life, Joe, an use 1t better
7 nor YOU have done.' He swung con-
temptuously round, and relit his half
: smoked pipe from the stove: while
I Alabama SUNK out o the bar. with
: the laughs of the Britisher ringing in
Y his ears saw his face as he passed
= me, and on it saw murder, sirs-mur'
5 der. as plain as ever seed anything In
a my life.
r IL stayed in the bar after the row
Il and watched Tom Scott rs he shooi
hands with the men about. II seemed
$ kinder queer to me to see him smilin
: and cheerful like; for ] knew Joe
$ bloodthirsty mind. and that the Eng
IS li,hman had small chance Of ever see
ing the morning. lie lived in an out
d of-the- way sort Of place. you see. cleal
x off the trail. and had to pass throug
&c the Flytrap gulch To get TO It. I'M
gulch was a marshy. gloomy place
lc lonely enough during the day evcn-fo
sc it were always a creepy sort o thing I
p see the great eight and ten-foot leave
IS swapping up if aught touched them
e. but at night there was never SOU
H. near Some parts OF the marsh, to'
IL were soft and deep, and body throw
IS in would be gone by the morning.
I'd could see Alabama Joe crouchin' undt
a. the leaves OF the greet fytrap in II
" darkest part Of the gulch. with scov
e, on his face and n revolver In his ham
I could see it, sirs, as plain as with III
y. two eye.
sh ..'Bout midnight Simpson shut u
h. his bar. so out we had TO GO To
~ scott started of for his three-mi
III walk at a slashing pace just dropp'
of him a hint as he passed me, for kind'
SIS liked the chap Keep your Dcrring
dc there or about it., ! says. Tor you mig
on chance to need it. lie looks round
or me with his quiet smile. and then 10
Ike sight OF him in the gloom ! nev
las thought to see him again. He'd hard
h gone aforc Simpson come up TO me al
avs. .rh.re'll be old - in the ri
ed trap gulch tonight Jef. The DO
cl- saw that Hawkins started half an ho
ago TO wal. for Scott and shoot him
is sight. l calc'late the coroner ~
ere wanted tomorrow.
I a What passed in the gulch tn
Dc- nlynty III Wds VeSs~
lsh asked pretty free next morning.
me half-brecd was in Ferguson's ste
urs after daybreak. and he said as N
see CHANGED to be near the gulch bout o
in o'clock in the morning. 1t war
, in easy 10 get at his story. as he seem
Get so uncommon scared; but he told US.
or last as he'd heard the fearfui
it. screams in the stiffness Of the mig
There weren't no shots. he said,
.ins scream after scream, kinder mufi
Ger like a man with a serap- over ms ne
ard an in immortal pain. Abner Brane
\ri- and me. and few more. was In
, of store at the time; so we mounted
he rode out TO SCOTS house, pass
nd through the gulch on the way. IN
. as were nothin' particular to be $
GOD thcre--no blood nor marks OK NJ
ked nor nothing; and when we gets up
nv. Seott's house, out he comes To meet
"a nc fresh as a lark 'Hullo, JEFF" 5
nto he: no need for the pistols. after
inc Come in an have cocktail. DO
: a .Did We see or hear nothing as yc CO
,per home las, night@ says |. No,
his he; all was quiet enough An
tick kinder moanin' in the Flytrap gulc
en-, that was all Come, jump of ana
.u.l..,,lx ya saws a puer.