The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-29
M ACE BOWMAN,
In his book. Story wolfvine.
NNaSA lN 9gN0NNNG

gent, an we-alls rounds up to Bob Steps
an gets a drink.
But the cat has quite a tail j=st the
same. A Mexican that away is plenty
uncertain. For instance, you're settin'
in on a little game of monte all free an
sociable, an ore of 'em comes crowdin'
round for trouble, an you downs him.
All good enough, says you. No
other Mexican seems like he wants to
assoome no pressure personal; no one
goes browsin' round to no sheriff; an
thar you be deluded into theories that
said killin's quite bein' a question.
That's where you-all is the victim CT
error.
which in this case the Mexican Mace
stretches has uncles or somethin' down
Off Chaperlta. Them relatives Is rich.
In a week-no one ever saveys how
everybody knows that thar's five thous-
and dollars up for the first party who
kills Mace. I speaks to him about it
myself, allowfn' he'd oughter be careful
how he goes spraddlin about permiseus.
Mebby, when he's loolCin' north some
time, somebody gets him from this south.
:" L amt worryin' nome says Mace, I
Amt got no friends as would down me,
nohow; an my enemies amt likely none
to think it's enough dinero. KILN me
is liable to come mighty high
"After which announcements he goes
romancin' along in his cheerful, light
hearted way, drinlxin' his whiskey an
bein' sheriff, mingled an in week or
SO we-a1ls begins to forget about them
rewards. One day little Mexican girl,
who Mace calls Bonita-shed shorely
give a horse for smile from him any
time-scouts over an whispers to Mace
aus how three GreaseTs from down around
Anton Chico is in camp on a hunt for his
ha'r. Them murdsrers is out for the
five thousand; they's over in Chilli right
then.
whereabouts in Chilli be them
Mexicans?' asks Mace, kinder interest
ed.
cover camped in Old Santa Annals
dance hall, a-drinlsin' of mascal an
waftln' for dark says the girl.
"'AH right says Mace, I'll prance
over POGO tempo, an it's mighty likely
them aliens from Anton Chico is goin
to have fitful time
''Mace kisses the little Bonita girl, an
tells her not to chirp nothin' to no Mexi-
can; an with this carsss that away her
black eyes gets blacker an brighter, an
the red comes in her cheek, an bats
could see she'd swap the whole Mexican
outfit for a. word from Mace, an throw
harse'f in for laniyap.
"Mace p'fnts out to get another gun,
which is proper enough, for he's only
one in his belt, an in a case like this
yere he's mighty likely to need two a
lot.
"'Seme of us oug11ter go OVER with
Mace, I reckons,' says a party named
Benson, Sorter general to the crowd.
What do you-alls think yourse'f p
"'Go nothin'v re'torts a gent who's
called Driscoll, an who's up to the hooks
tlto a game of poker, an don't like to
s=e it break up an him behind. The
hand Mace holds don't need no hep.
IF Mace is out after two or three of
the boys now, it would be plenty differ
emit; but whoever hears of a. white mans
wantin' hep that away to down three
Greasers, an him to open the game?
Mace could bring back all the skelps in
Chilli If he's that Precious an wants
to, an not half try
This seems to be tho general idee,
am aside of some bets which is made,
no one takes no interest. Bob Short puts
1t UP he'd bet a hundred dollars even
Mace gets one of 'em; a hundred to two
hundred he gets two, an hundred to
fivs hundred he gets 'em all; an some
short-kyard sharp who's up from Socor-
70, after figgerfR it all silent to himself,
takes 'enl all.
Now 1 don't reckon, stranger, says
Benson, sorter reproaehfuI, to the short
kyard party, you knows Mace Bowman
mighty we'll? If you-al did you wouldn't
go up agin a shore thing like that
we never gets anything but Maee's
story for it. He tells how he sa'nters
into Santa Annals am finds his three
Anton Chico felons all settin' alone at
a table. They knows him, he says, an
he camps down over Opposite an calls
FOR drink. They's watehin' Mac, an
him dom similar by them. Final, he
says, one of 'em makes a play for his
gun, an, seein' thar's nothin' to be made
waitin, Mace jumps up with a six
shooter in each hand an thar,s snme
noise an a heap of smoke, an them
three Mexicans is eliminated in a bunch.
when he plays his hand out Mace
comes back over to us-.no other Next
cans allowin' for to call him-an' re-
lates how 1T is. an nacheral we says it's
all right, which it shorely Is. I asks
old Santa Anna for the details of the
shake Cup later, but he spreads his hands
an shrugs his shoulders, an whines:
No quien sahe.'
An, of course. as can't tell an az
santa Anna don't, I gives up askin.""
FIVE VEARc