The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-12
A CLAY IDOL.

It was universally conceded that Bill
Kingerty was the toughest character
in Lone Rock. The stage driver told
me as much before we had gone three
miles from the station on our ffty-mile
drive to the camp.
'Tough? he said. 81 should say yes.
Always plays in great luck, drinks lots
Of whisky, spends a bushel of money,
and Is mighty handy with his gun.
Whatever you do, tenderfoot, don't run
up against Bill Kingerty."
told him didn't intend to run up
against anyone, least of all man who
was handy with his gun.
We arrived at Lone Rock the next
morning. and must confess the town
did not make very favorable impress
sion on my English sensibilities.
The largest building in town was the
Inter Ocean saloon, long. low build
ing of rough boards, thrown together n
true frontier style. The camp had
grown up in a day, as it were, when the
placer fields were discovered, mile or
so up the canon. The floating popula-
tion of the whole territory had tiocked
hither, and what a month before was
as lonely a gulch as could be found In
the Rockies, was now a fourishins
''city" of several hundred.
As I wandered into the Inter Ocean
that evening. the stage driver, who wa 5
standing near the door, recognized me,
and drawing closer, whispered:
There's Bill Kingerty over yonder at
the farther table. Remember, stranger,
and don't run up against him."
looked in the direction irdica ted
and saw large-boned, roughly ly-dressed
man of perhaps so seated at parlor
table, playing cards. His wide slouch
hat was pulled down over his eyes, so
that only the lower part of his face
was visible. His chin was covered with
a grizzly growth of reddish-gray hair.
There was goodly stock of gold at his
elbow, to which he added now and then
as the game went on 1t was evident
Bill Kingerty's luck.
The scene before me was new and
strange. From a secluded place in a
dark corner of the room / watched the
motley crowd singing, drinking and
gambling. Now and then some es-
pecially lucky player would cash in.
and, advancing to the rough board
counter answering for bar, call up the
crowd and set up the liquor. l had not
been noticed in my dark corner until
later in the evening a tall, sinewy cow
boy scooped great pile of gold into his
pockets, and, advancing to the bar,
threw down a handful and called up
everybody.
CHANGING about the room with glass
of the reddest OF red liquor in his hand,
he spied me.
"Hey. thera .nderfoot," he shouted.
"what are sulking in that corner
thing"
/ advanced meekly into the light, and
hardly knowing what.I said or did, re-
piled: "If you will excuse me, will
take cigar instead"
Cigar" he roared, and pouring out a
brimming glass of whisky handed it TO
me with the words, Take that, ami
drink it, quick"
Really" said in my fright. 81 don't
NdlC LOl lhios Ady N-ASooC Lie anu II
smoke a cigar instead"
''Cigar be hanged" he answered
"drink that liquor and, pulling a six
shooter from his belt. he pointed it 1t
my head.
/ looked at the cleaning muzzle in
terror. The mouth of the barrel looked
to my frightened senses as large as a
drainpipe. The drawn, hardened face
of the man behind 1t looked fiendish.
''Really-" l stammered. Drink"
he shouted. l raised the glass to my
lips and gulped down a mouthful The
fiery stuff choked me, and. throwing it
up. went into paroxy m OF coughing.
The crowd surged about me, laugh
ing and shrieking, when the cowma q
waved his weapon over his head. fired