Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-08-28
HIS PRESENCE OF MIND.
q Served Him Pretty Well. but IL Might
have Done BETTER.

nave Done
Its great thing, presence Of mind,
and / always regret that somehow l
don't think Of the right thing until the
wrong time
The speaker was man whose mus
tache and hair showed the winter Of life
was near. His eye was piercing, not
shifty, and his clothing and adornments
betokened comfortable circumstances
Il was guard on the Big Bend stage.
had been a gambler for 20 years.
knew all the tricks, and had played ev-
cry game in all sorts Of ways and with
every kind of device.
1t vas just such night as this, the
| very gentlest Of broezes, the moon SO
br. ght one could read by it and the road
through the woods was as white rib
bon. We were bowling along quietly
enough up grade, when at little turn
we met two horsemen coming at slash
ing gallop They threw their horses
back on their launches, and we were
held up.
Passengers, driver and all were
stood up in row, and one Of the ban
| dts guarded Us while his partner, Pete
he called him, was soon at work Oh the
box. suspected the driver Of conniv-
ance, for when we heard the horses he
said il was n courier coming He knew
IF the trip and SO threw me off my
guard Twas put in line alongside the
reinsnan, and while had both eyes on
the guard and his partner not IA move Of
that rascally driver escaped me.
"Of course we all had our minds in
the air, and right here let me explain "a
little point. Did you ever see poker
hold out? It's an ingenious contrivance
which fits beneath your clothing, with
III arm extending down the sleeve Of
your coat on the inside, so regulated
that by pressure Of the elbow the clip
at the end Is at the wrist TO grip card
or out Of sight up in the arms. 1t is a
handy affair not TO be caught with, too,
for it Is prima facie evidence, and hang
ing's too little for man who's known
TO be ready to play with the contrivance
about him. When / quit the game,
had set Of 'em. l took 'em from fel
low from the bay who came up TO carr.
an honest dollar. l wouldn't sell em or
give en- away. Some one might think
used such things myself. So l just quiet
ly worked "A patent. / got pair Of sin
gle shot dCrringers, which would lie III
the crock If my arm, and not rest hard,
and fastened en- to either clip Of them
hold outs. OF course when my hand 4;
was up, the Gerriugcrs lay snug against
my forearm | hid practiced with 'eE.
lots and knew just how TO cramp M
elbows, drop my arms little and have
the little barkt rs IN my hands.
Il was gradually letting my hands
down ouce-that is, / was testing the
thinS-when the guard called me NJ
sharp, fearing something, and made me-
move away mite from the line, whera
he could watch me particular and keep
the passengers covered as we'll. He or
derod everybody To keep still, too, foT
there was little bit Of sobbing by a
woman i'll the party, and sniveling
drummer was bemoaning his fate. Pete
was not doing good business with the
box, though, for he was clubbing away
with hammer, but not making am
Roadway at opening the little safe.
Suddenly the opening came. Tho
guard was getting impatient and ours
ing Pete, when with a smash the hinges
broke. Pete gave an exclamation, ana
the guard turned his head-only for "A
second, though, but that was enough,
for l had been watching him, and it
was no great thing to take advantage
Of the chance.
Like fash my arms had dropped
and those little IS caliber pops weru
in my hands. With my right l dropped
the guard, the bullet going through his
head. | shot the fellow at the box with
my left hand. 1 never was as good q
shot with my LETT as with my right,
and III addition he was three times "a
far away So, instead Of hitting him ii
the head, as / trrd. | only got him il
the body. AS he turned and drew his
gun l cried TO the people to drop, for
knew there would be some lively shoot
ing l didn't take time TO reach fer rly
own gun, but threw myself Oh the de"G
robber. catching this bullet as l Went
down
Il had the gun Of the dead one up il
moment, and was able 10 kill Pete
before any of the passengers were hit. /
have kicked myself hundred time.
when l remember my absolute lack o.
self possession 1t would have been just
as easy for man with presence of minG
to have turned the. trick with two shots,
using the left on'the close party, ana
saved the wound, but | couldn' { thinl:
L
liner.
Got 1t Printed.