The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-08
DEAD MANS HAND.

cattleman as ho thoughtfully read the
makers name In his sombrero, ian while
not possessin one OF these yere heat gauges
to say ackerate I'm allowin 1t was ridin
hard on Jest sech weather as this. The
Tucson mail was In, an band of us was
at the postoffice a-makin OF demands for
letters when in comes Cherokee Hall,
lookin some moody, an sets himself down
on o shoebox.
"sWhich you no doubt thinks as how
you'll take some missives yousef this
mornin, says Dock Peters, a-noticin of his
gloom an amin to pint his idees up some
other trail. Pass over them documents for
Cherokee Hall an don't try for to hold out
nuthin on to us, for we're way too peevish
10 stand any offishul gnyeties today
There amt no ono weakminded onuf
10 write to me none, says Cherokee,
which 1 remarks this yere phenomenon
with pleasure. Mailbags pack grief, not
Joy, IN ] amt honin for no hand in the
game whatever. It's 10 years since buys
o stamp or gets letter, an all thirst there
fore is assuaged complete
Fifteen years Is shore a long time
says Enright, an then we all hops into our
letters again. Finally Cherokee breaks in
onoe more.
"'I amt amin to invest wolfville In no
superstitious fears, says Cherokee, but
Jest chronicles as current event how
was sittin into a little poker lab night,
an three times straight picks up the
hand the dead man held-jacks up on
eights--an 1t win every time
"'Who all lose to itp asks Dan Boggs,
some breathless
"'why, says Cherokee, it's ovcry time
that old loghorn as comes in from Tucson
back some two weeks ago.
Yes, says Boggs, a-gettin mighty
decided, IAN you bet your saddle an throw
the pony in death is flxin its sight for him
right now. It's shorely a-warnin, an I'm
glad whole lot 1t amt none of The boys,
that's ALL
"You see, this yere stranger who Chero-
kee alludes at comes over from Tucson a
little while before this. He has long white
ha'r an beard an, jedgin from the rings
on his horns, he was maybe a-comin go.
He seemed like he had plenty Of money,
an we takes 1t he's all right. His leavin
Tucson showed he had sence, so we cashes
him at his own flgger. OF course we all
nover asks his name none, as askin names
an loolxin at tho brands on hoss is speshul
roode In the west an shows your bringin
up, an frequent your bringin down, but
he allows he's called old Bill Gentry, to
the boys, an he an Faro Nell are particular
friendly.
"'Talkin to him, says Faro Nell, lis
Jest like a-lyin In tho shade. He knows
everything, too, all about books an things
all over the world. He was a-tellin me,
too, as how he had daughter like me that
dies way back some'ers about when I was
a yearlin. He feels heap bad about 1t
yet, an I gets so sorry for him, SO old an
white
AN you may gamble says Boggs, If
Nell liked him, he's all right.
"'If Nell likes him, that makes him all
right, says Cherokee.
eve was still talkin an readin over our
mail in the postofflce when all at once We
hears Jack Moore outside.
What's this yere literature as affronts
my eyes pasted on to the outside Of Uncle
Sans wyckeyupr says Moore mighty
enuf Is notice offerin 81, 800 reward for
some sharp who's boon standin up the
stage over on the Lordsburg trail.
Whoever tacks this up, wonderf'
says Enright. 1T never was here ten min
utes ago.
well, Jest you all hover around an
watch the glory of Its comm down, says
Moore, a-cuttin on ID loose with his knife
an tearin it up. Il herewith furnishes the
information cold, this yere camp of Wolf
Ville knows its business an don't have to
be notified of nuthin. This yere outfit has
vigilance committee all regular, an
which I'm kettle tender therefor, an when
1t comes nachefal to announce some notice
to the public you will perceive me a-per-
vadin of tho scenery on q hoss an promul-
gatin Of said notice viyer voce. Am I
right EnrightP
a. 1t. anIr . r..
right You speaks throoth like runnin
brook
"'But whoever sticks up that notice Is
the information pants for, says Boggs,
a-pickin up an readln OF the pieces.
Il reckon posts that notice some my
SELF said o big, squar' man We don't
know, who comes in that mornin on the
stage an who was then a-saunterin about
the suburbs of the crowd a-listenin to the
talk.
,"'Weil, don't do it no more, pardner,,
says Moore, mighty grave. We're no
doubt way wrong, but we have our own
peoooliar notions about what looks good
SO after now don't alter the landscape none
round yere till you first gifts our views
I'm offorin even money postin notices
wouldn't hurt this camp little bit, says
the stranger.
Woll, TlHut GASES says bl-
right, 1T don't hurt us none, but 1t CRATES
on us whole lot. Tho idee Of mere
stranger a-strollin in an a-tackin up of no.
tices like he was standin pat hand on
what he knows an we not In 1t is heap
unpleasant. So don't do 1t no more
Well, don't aim to do 1t any more,
says the man, but 1 still clings to my
idee that notices amt no setback TO this
camp
(which tho same bein a mere theery,'
says boo Poets, personal to yourself,
holds 1t would be onpolite to discuss It; SO
let's all wheel under cover for drink
$50 we all lines up on the EARLY Bird
bar, an the drinks ends the talk, as they
alters ought to.
"Along onto night we gets cooler, an by
second drink time in the eyenin every one
was movin about, an as 1t happen quite a
band was in tho Red Light some drinkin
an exchangin of views an some buckin the
various games which was goin Wide open
all around. Cherokee Hall was a-sittin
behind his box, an Faro Nell, who lotted
a heap more on Cherokee than on any Of
us-seomed like, from a little girl, she'd
give a pony for smile from Cherokee
was sittin up at his shoulder on the look
out stool. The game was goin plenty live
ly when along comes old Gentry. Chero-
kcc takes look at him an seems worried
a little, thinkin no doubt of them hands
the dead men held, but goes on dealin
without word.
"'Where you done been all dayf" asked
Nell to the old man. l amt seen you
none whatever since yesterday
"'Why, gets tired an dono up lot,
settin again Cherokee last night, says the
old man, an SO jest prowls down In my
blankets an sleeps till about an hour ago.
so the old man buys stack of blues
an sets them all on the ton. 1t was Jest
then In comes the big man who was postin
of the notices former an points six shoot.
or at Gentry an saysi
Put Your hands up-put them up
quick, or III drill youl Old as you be
don't take no chances.