The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-26
Odd Motions
Of Bad Men
Jesse James and Phil Dixon's Premon-
Ition-A Cartridge for u
keepsake.

From the New York Sun.
II have seen some very bad men do
some pretty good things" said Tom
Wilkinson, the eX-sheriff of Creole,
who lives here. Moreover, most of the
bad men | ever knew had streak of
the woman in them, and most of them
We're believers in premonitions. One
hot summer afternoon in 1878 | was
talking with Jeff Brunstetter over the
counter of his grocery in Leavenworth
Kas. jeff had been with Quantrells
gang Of guerlilas during the war He
did not belong to the bad man class,
but he had held his own in a few gun
plays since the war, and he never took
the worst of it. We were old friends.
and L had stopped off at Leavenworth
to see him for the first time in several
years. Well | was nibbling at Jeff's
barrel of dried apples while we chatted
about the old gang, when a well S6t-up
man with a thick black beard and
pair of very bright black eyes and
wearing a linen buster that reached
almost to his heels, strolled in.
% Hello, Jeff. said he, darting a
swift glance at Brunstetter.
Hello, yourself said jeff, who was
pretty quick at getting next to a stu
alton. Come back and sit down.
Then he turned TO me. Excuse me for
while. old man. will YOU? he said.
Just then | couldn't see Brunstetter's
reason for wanting to lose me, an old
friend. for the first man who came in,
and ! was a little sore over il. But
i nodded and walked to the front of
the store and stood in the doorway.
jeff and the stranger in the linen
buster went to the rear of the store
and sat down ON a couple of bags of
bran and seemed to be having a great
cugger muggering time of it for 10 min
uteS or so, while / waited in the door
way. / didn't very we'll know what to
make of the game. and watched the
pair rather curiously. Finally the
stranger in the linen buster got up from
his bran sack and stretched himself
Then | saw him unbutton one of the
buttons of his buster. reach into his belt
underneath and draw cut a cartridge
He handed the cartridge to Jeff. and
as he did so he shot a quick glance in
my direction and caught me gazing at
him. ! afterward found that | figured
it right in concluding that the stranger
was asking jeff about me. Brunstetter
shook his head deprecatingly. and
slipped the cartridge into his pocket.
The two men then went through a
rather long handshake and the strang-
er strolled out. sizing me up narrowly
as he passed through the door. l
watched him as he disappeared down
Pawnee street, for he was an unusual
looking man, and had an imperious
way of carrying himself.
When l turned around Brunstetter
was at my side. He had a quizZical
look on his face, and seemed to be
studying me a whole lot more than /
cared to stand for.
What the devils the meaning of all
this funny business. anyhow said |.
And how long since you became a
jeff? What was your idea in
shaking me for that chap?
Easy, easy said Brunstetter. If |
hadn't stood for you five minutes ago
you might have been full of holes now
+" Come around to the point quick,
then said l. for | couldn't see into the
thing at all.
"'Well. | don't mind telling you
about it, said jeff. becoming serious,
for YOU used 10 know how to keep your
head close. This was the first time I'd
seen that friend Of mine for six years.
was brought up alongside of him in
Missoury. | guess you've heard his /
name. It's Jesse James
Had l heard his name? Brunstetter
gave me a couple of minutes to recover. I
Yes. that was jesse he went on, |
and il looks To me as If his nerve is on I
he break He's got il into his mind |
hat he is near his finish. We were I
slipped into town to see me. | could \
act talk him out of the notion that the 4
yame Is nearly over with him. He .
gave me this cartridge out of his belt /
Is a keepsake. Jesse's the last man fd /
ever figure on to get like that
And about those holes that might /
aave let the sun through me?' l asked. (
-" oh said BrunStetter. Jesse didn't 4
ike the way you sized him up, that's +
al. He wouldn't have punctured you /
without you'd make some kind of a /
.ool break. He's not taking any I
chances, even If he Is looking for an t
Early windup. He only wanted To I
know if yen We're all right. and when 4
told him You We're, that settled it,
This was the first and only time | 4
aver saw Jesse James. and I've always I
thought ir peculiar that | should have ]
dropped off at Leayenworth Tn see .
t5ruustetter On The Same day that the .
sntlaW drffttd ia there fer the same .
purpose Ills prCmonitiuu as 10 his APP .
preaching death was verified a few
months later. when the Ford boys 4