Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-19
,. ARIZONA KICKER.
SOME HOME HAPPENINGS FAITHFUL " CHR0NlcLED BY THE EDITOR.


 The Dimculty That Major Shorter Had
 With Cowboy Davidson Explained==A
 Man Named Nelson Who Was AltO-
 sethef Too Frcsh. ..s
 We are glad to announce that Major Shorter, who had little difficulty with a cowboy named Davidson several weeks ago, is able to be out again, though he is still carrying one of the bullets in his leg The major is born joker and never misses an opportunity to have a little fun. The cowboy, who belongs on Big X ranch, came into town on an er- rand, and he looked so meek and mild Rnd humble that the major sized him up for tenderfoot just arrived from the east. There was crowd in front of the postoffice, and as the cowboy halt ed to gaze around him the major pulled his gun, stepped forward and yelled to him to throw up his hands. It was all ill fun, but the cowboy didn't take it that way.
 He put two bullets into the major quicker'n scat and would have added half a dozen to the number had not the crowd restrained him. The case was ex- pldluSu GO A1I1 ONSE d1lu ON6E d&dlu, DuG he could not see where the joke came in, and curiously enough the major has not been able to point out the place where the laughter and applause should come in. He has limp in the left leg which will accompany him through life, and though he may joke again he will take the precaution to ascertain whether it is loaded or not.
 On Saturday last a man named Nel- son arrived here from Prescott and call cd at the postoffice to inquire for mail. When we were appointed postmaster few weeks ago, we put up sign at the general delivery window reading, Pounding on the shelf with the butt of gun to attract attention is strictly forbidden. About 20 of our citizens refused to heed the warning and met with various mishaps. The stranger ill town decided that we were putting on altogether too much style for country postmaster, and he had no sooner read the sign than he pulled two guns arsl began to beat a tattoo on the shelf. Our chief clerk looked out and warned him away, but he would not go. We were busy at the moment, but. after awhile got time to attend to his wants As we appeared ill the corridor he turned his gun on us, but before he could pull the trigger we had him by the neck and dis armed. He then appeared to lose con- sciousness for about 20 minutes, and when he came back to earth he was in the city lookup, and his head felt sev- Bral times too largo for his body. We are not trying to run this postoffice after New York style. Indeed we want all callers to feel perfectly at home and drop ill as often as may be and stay as long as they can. Nevertheless there is | certain dignity connected with every ] postoffice which must be maintained at l all hazards, and we propose to maintain | it here if we have to face dozen guns per week. The general delivery window | is always open and a clerk at hand, and pounding on the shelf with a shooting iron is bluff we are determined not to | put up with.
 Three weeks ago Colonel Rankin of Sunfower ranch stopped his subscrip- tion to The Kicker and sent us word that if we wanted any explanations they would be made ill the shape of bull lets. We knew what ailed the colonel. He is a crank on the subject of murders. We have had accounts of as many as 32 murders ill one issue, and yet he would call at the office and declare that we were running one horse sheet i'll the interests of woman's rights alone. We didn't get time till last Sunday to ride over to Suniower and have it out with l the colonel. He had been expecting us for several days and had barricaded the house and laid ill thousand extra car tridges. It so happened, however, that he was riding out among his cattle when we arrived, and we got between him and the house before he saw us. He fired seven or eight shots at long range and then headed for Lone Jack at 3 gallop. We overhauled him after a race of three miles and made him get down and have talk. The result of the confab was that he renewed his sub scription for year and subscribed for four extra papers to be sent to friends. Our jealous minded contemporary, who indulges ill half column sensation re- garding the affair, says we forced the colonel to shell out at the muzzle of a gun. That is all bosh, of course. When local subscriber stops his Kicker, we call on him to find out what is wrong. We do not force any one to subscribe to our paper. We may display our guns and indulge ill arguments, but there is no coercion. The colonel was mad be- cause we didn't have more murders in the paper. We promised him to keep the number up to 50 per week, if possible to get hold of that many accounts, and he
 was more than satisfied.
 Among the improvements being made in town this summer we notice that the
 Bald Eagle saloon is being heightened
 by 20 feet or more at the rear. The idea
 is to make a private room where few
 gentlemen can sit down to quiet game
 of poker or smoke and chat without
 being interrupted by the shooting at the
 bar It will be called the "editorial
 room" ill honor of the editor of The
 Kicker, and now and then, when we wish relaxation from the busy cares of life, we shall be found there holding at I least three of kind and willing to back ] our hand to the extent of $50.
 : MT. Johnson, the proprietor of the l Bald Eagle, has done his best for Q yeat | last to discourage shooting affrays in