Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-28
A GRAVE NATTER.

in the principal and worst built erection
in the place, Pete Budd's "sloon, +" to con-
slider the desrability of establishing rec
ognized cemetery for the use Of the local
community.
"Whar shell we hev this graveyard
asked Pete and Doc Moseley suggested
that, as most Of the killing was done "rite
thar in the s'loon, the cemetery had best
be located somewhat clus handy"
The proposition found no favor, and the
conference proceeded. Various situations
were proposed and discussed, but abandon
ed for some reason or other, and it seemed
as though the subject would have to be
dropped, at least for the present.
JOB Syllable had been sitting quietly in
the corner, apparently taking no great in
terest in the proceedings, but at this juno
ture, however, he rose to the occasion and
his feet.
"Pards," quoth he, % little thickly, II
reck'n I've got burned sight better idea
N any of yer. What subjests is this, as
ye don't seem ter be able to settle upon q
suitable spot jest now, postpone this hyur
,meetin and leave the graveyard ter Provi-
dence"
''Wotinthunderdye mean?"
"Look We hyur, pard Billee! Take keer
ye amt the first galoot tibet gets planted
in Low Down City new graveyard! /
warn ye!'
Billee subsidized, and old Job went on
"I'm sweet tempered by nature, /" he con-
fessed. II don't mind bein interrupted
once, mar twice, but Pm royal terror
from Terrorville when get run up against
three times. Now, as was remarkin,
perpose we leave this hyur subject ter the
decidin O. Providence. I'll explain my
meanin," he added, helping himself to
another bottle labeled lightning Con-
ductor.
"Some one'll be bound ter get plugged
fore long, pards, and / say let the spot
whar the first man dies from this moment
mark the new Gem terry
A roar broke out as Job finished, and
Pete was kept busy for the next five min
utes. The meeting, with scant regard for
orthodoxy, broke up without a vote of
thanks being passed for the chairman, but
this may have been from the fact that no
chairman had been appointed. The citi-
zens Of Low Down were rare socialists.
Old Job was voted genius His fertile
brain had solved the difficulty in thorough
bred fashion. The adoption of his idea
meant not only the location of the site for
the graveyard but it would provide the
first candidate for burial honors as well.
Each one felt that great honor would be
attached to the first 'stiff,'' but the love
of life was just as strong at Low Down as
it is anywhere else, and, # anything, the
men avoided quarreling as much as posi-
BILE, and none seemed eager to run the risk
of being "No, l."
Three days passed, and still tho great
trouble remained upon Low Down City.
The men walked about like shadows 1t
was depressing. Who would have dreamed
for moment that the matter would have
been SO long prolongeds Why didn't some
one get killed?
''Does Injuns count, pard .JobS" Doc
asked on the night of the fourth unevent-
full day.
"Our Gem terry old Job thundered in
reply, sis goin ter be one fer men, not In
juns. Unnerstan thet.'' And Doc did
On the evening of the fifth pacific day an
CRY words suddenly arose in the IS loon, y
and men jumped to their feet white with
excitement. Nat Warner and Arizona
Tom were playing poker, and Nat was
losing his money and his temper.
II death occurred in the "s'loon," it
meant the removal Of the building to
make room for the cemetery, as the men,
once they had passed resolution, were
determined never to go back on it, and
the meeting had unanimously resolved
that wherever the dead man was there
should the cemetery be.
Pete came forward and with tears in
his eyes begged the disputants to convey
themselves and their quarrel outside. Now
here Pete did a foolish thing. His words
sobered the angry pair at once If he had
only held his peace and let the mon get
their dander right up, then there is no
doubt that the event would have taken
place for which all Low Down was wait
ing.
But then, Pete was thinking of conyen-
fence, not the cemetery.
The chance had come and gone and
whole week sped by without incident.
1t all happened on Friday of course!
TWAS near old Job cabin, just where the
river divided. Pete sent Billee to old Jobs |
diggings to ask him to step over to the |
"s'loon" and look ut the new mare he had |
just bought. and because Billee, in his |
hurry. collided with the old digger at the
corner Of the shanty, Job got riled and |
swore at Billee, and then he lost his tenn
per.
Go and tell ole Pete he kin go ter
blazes, shouted Job, "and tibet his mare'll |
come in handy for the journey. Then ye
slide rite back hyur and we'll settle our
little matter clear away"
Billee went and returned with Pete and
the whole of the township behind him.
Old job got more rilcd when he discovered |
that their private quarrel had been turned
into public question.
s'lf ye come q step nearer, Pete Budd,
III jest about blow the top off'n yer
head, = he sang out from the interior of the
hut.
Pete laughed and was complimentary
to old Job. Job said he wasn't fighting
the hull town." he only wanted ter set
tie wi that little cuss Billee. Pete said
he wasn't going to '"low no harm ter come
ter Billee," and offered himself as substi-
tute Job accepted gleofully, and issued
forth.
Then some Of the others Clipped in and
took sides, their spoken object being to
prevent the fight but the matter ended
olnorWleo. ArizoHtt AolH SlSseu f,eCe
and Budd drew trigger on him. The Ice
once broken, bullets flew round like Geno-
ese arrows, and In few minutes one half
Of Low Down was awaiting decent inter-
ment and the other half was busy gather
ing itself together to resist the horde
Of redskins which suddenly and most inop.
portunely appeared on the scene
THERE'S no sign Of Low Down now The
reds had been omitted from all calcula-
tions in the question of the cemetery. They
settled the matter by settling the settlers,
who, under the circumstances, might be
excused from feeling any further interest
In the subject. Haven Hid in Sketch.
A Place For Everything.
"Here II n bifl., said the h,ok keever of