The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-03-14
to veil and flourish their knives in a

to yell and flourish their knives In q
worse drunken orgy than they had
ever held before, and Black Jack
breahthed forth the direst threats he
could conjure up. .- .--.y,.
The whole town was thoroughly
frightened. Black Jack and his cow
boys soon began to see the humor Of
the situation, and with many a laugh
and much to drink held high carnival
throughout the town until the wee
small hours of the morning-Sunday
morning-when they succumbed to
sleep on the curbstones, on front door
steps, in the vestibules of the churches
which they had broken open-one here,
one there, from one end of the town to
the other.
Sunday morning was clear, warm,
beautiful, and the whole population,
including the cowboys, slept peacefully
until quite late. Here and there man
ventured out; but the sight of one OF
the gang lying not too sound asleep
right under his feet sent him back into
the house again. About nine or ten
o'clock the gang began to wake up and
wander into the saloon for something
to quench their burning thirst. The
church bells had not been rung until
the gang noticed the omission and did
the ringing in wild, bacchanalian
fashion. Black Jack laughed at the
power he suddenly discovered to be his
and lounged and smoked and called out
now and then in derision to the mayor
| to turn over the Hawk.
When he had had breakfast, and had
recovered from his dissipation of the
night before somewhat, that is, about
two o'clock in the afternoon, he went
out to walk. The Indians followed him
quietly enough. There was no pistol
practice, no fourishing of knives.
What had happened the night before
was quite enough. -s.-l ...
Black Jack was in no hurry. He said
he could wait as long as the mayor
could, and he was much obliged for the
freedom of the town. He and all his
gang thought the whole affair most
amusing They drank and sang and
told stories and :rioted gloriously. In
the afternoon, as have said, they pa
raded the town, and again in the even,
ing. If any head or foot was seen
without, bullet went flying after il
and it quickly disappeared. Nobody
was hurt, l believe; but that was not
the deliberate fault of Black Jack, by
any means.
How long this might have lasted
do not know. Black Jack said he had
come there to live, if need be, and he
would keep the whole town shut up
as long as the mayor kept the Hawk
shut up. Monday morning came and
the thrifty farmers and shopkeepers
were exceedingly anxious to begin
business. Dozens started out, but,
being greeted by bullet or the flash
of an Indian knife or grimly humor-
GUS Indian smile, they retired pre-.
cipitately. Monday was a fierce day.
The inhabitants were getting very
wrathful at their long restraint, and
Black Jack was grimly obstinate and
decided. By Monday night feeling rar
high. Everybody was ready for fight
the town most Of all. But there coulo
be no meetings, no consultation, nc
gathering together; for Black Jack:
bullets were ready for anyone who at
tempted to go to his neighbor. People
had been escaping from the town
however, one at a time, unobserved
and little company with rifles at las
bore heavily down upon the besiegers
: There was hot, heavy fight. One o.
two were killed on either side. The1
the Hawk suddenly appeared, having
escaped from his prison. Thereupol
Black Jack declared himself ready t.
accept humble apology from th'
mayor and withdraw. The mayo
gave it, and Black Jack and his com
panions rode away. I may add tha
they did not return again. But thel.
was a great joke over the plains abou
{ Black Jack having the freedom of Re-
$ Cloud for three days.-N. Y. Inde
: pendent.