Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-11-09
ABE AND AUSTIN.

n ksstin ana L Welo 9i"Si'io ~ ~" W.
60 Abe had been a stiff since 8
plP OFF, and it was then six hours later.
were cattlemen-cowboys they
VA call us east-living in ranch on
'. pocos in Texas. Abe was lying on q
sDfalo robe over against the wall, where
5iad He had been granting around
!. several days complaining of his old
md He was taking drink when l
~ ont in the afternoon to salt some
~. when came back, he was dead.
.rstin and l Strengthened him out and
s-ow saddle blanket over him. We
Used his eyes, but left his head out. 1t
ssmed more natural like.
Anstin was sitting facing the corpse.
ha5 nv back that way, We were play
\ mo freezeout poker for yearling heifers.
Al of a sudden there was a noise over
Nv the corpse that made us both start. 1t
ssrnded ike two knocks on the floor.
Va dropped our cards and went over.
Rvarytbing was all right. | said it must
have been a prairie dog or gopher-we
had no cats nor rats around there Aus
IN was horribly scared. He swallowed
LARGER drink of whisky than usual. We
want back to our game, and presently
/. wa heard the rap again-this time loud
Z Ar We up again and went over. All
was quiet as quit mining camp. Aus
tin was shaking all over, and he says,
% if | take any stock in spirits out
dde of the iug!' Then he took another
drink and banged out of the ranch.
When he came in, he says, We'll have
snorther tomorrow"
We didn't play any more. We sat
mere talking about whether we better
start Jose Jour 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?'
pNo, he didn't" says |. "If he's mar
red. 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 |.
After little | says to Austin, WAS Abe
married.? Il know nothing about him"
heays, and then he went off of his box
unto the floor as if a broncho had kicked
him. dumped up to help him, and as !
did so saw Abe (the corpse sitting up
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 one long 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 to
set something to help him, | saw Abe
was lying just as we had fixed him, and
the blanket looked as if it had not been
disturbed. took about five fingers my
self, then poured some into Austin. The
hrst 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-
smlning the blanket. Then he says
That's the second of those d strokes
I've had. | guess the next will fetch
me-" didn't tell him what I'd seen, and
ldldn't ask him what he'd seen. 1t didn't
always pay to ask questions. Austin
drank right along "a drink between
9i1nks-and an hour later he fell over on
The floor. | threw a robe over him.
didn't feel any too good sitting there
alone after what I'd seen, and | took
more than | should have myself. don't
remember much about going to bed.
me first thing | knew was Austin shak-
ing me and saying, bill, where the
ueVll s Abe got to?' got up and looked
around. There was the buffalo skin, but
no Abe, and his Winchester was missing.
We called in Jose. He'd seen nothing
out OF the way. We both felt far from
comfortable and decided to ride up to
tne next ranch and tell the boys there
"nen we caught up our ponies, there
was Abe's sorrel as big as life. We
uunt come back to the ranch for a
week. Then we were so played out and
Gck nothing could have scared us, but
ootn OF us kept wondering where Abe
had gone.
Two years afterward Austin and
rUue into Cheyenne from the Crazy
'Woman's fork, where we were then
nVlng. We went into Talbot's saloon.
IN, , 0arroom was separated from the
~ part by a plain board partition.
we sat down at Il table in the barroom
ana called for liquor There was long
haired, heavily whiskered man who
ooked like "a bullwhacker stretched out
N bench. He looked as if he were
Aeeplng. We'd taken several drinks,
'nd got to thinking of old times and
oinehow of Abe. DO you ever think
}, u. Abe nowY | says. Indeed do,
I'eh' says Austin. I'll never rest till
know what became of him."
just as he said this the bullwhacker
use up and says: Mr.. Williams, or
austin, If you prefer it. you may rest
rom this date. | am Abep Austin
eaehed for his gun. but Abe caught his