The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-04

{ occasionally DN liat-cUeSlET. ODe-luHStU
tenderfeet from the east. A few years
ago 1 read a story in St. Louis paper
about the way a pretty, blue eyed
! tenderfoot lad who made Thurston Lii
! libridge dance. and it liked TO have
J tickled me to death. AS a matter Of
fact the man never lived that got the
drop on Lillibridge. He committed sui
eide by jumping from a second story
I window in Denver While in q spasm of
delirium tremens. Lillibridge was about
as bad man as ever struck Leadville
when Leadville was bad. which is say
ing enough. He was the worst brag
CART, the most tremendous blowhard
that ever blowed the sound of his own
voice, and yet he was bad and danger
Gus way down to the ground and un-
derneath it When he was drunk he
would narrate the history of his life in
nine languages, and then whistle it, as
they say, solely for the purpose of en-
t1clng some new arrival to call him,
and he always looked disappointed and
grieved when there was no one around
to make such a break. He loved tender
feet for the fun he had with them,
and this is the reason the fairy tale
about his having been corralled by one
of them was such good reading TO me.
Two young fellows from Camden, n.
J., struck Leadville in the fall of '78.
Each of them carried two big silver
mounted pistols in his new belt, and
their knives were new and shiny. They
We're pretty Swapping young men. as
matter of fact, but they talked too
much-and a new man in Leadville had
to keep pretty low in those days until
the layout had time to size him up and
properly label him, so to speak. These
two young men, who seemed to have
plenty of money, in addition to their
fine outfits, didn't appear to understand
90 dx or h hon nd <hkarr
toured around among the gin mills,
talking a heap. They were both fairly
we'll loaded up by the time they got
around to Nat Brinkerhoff's Red
Light saloon. and this made them more
garrulous than ever. Lillibridge, quiet
for once. stood at the bar when they
walked in. He looked at their fine toy
gerry and shiny weapons with a whole
lot of astonishment on his face, but
without saying word One of the
young men, the more boisterous, finally
noticed Lillibridge.
You're pretty husky looking. pard.
said he, with a dismal attempt at the
swashbuckler manner. What's your
Doison?'
''Thurston didn't bat an eye or say
word for a full minute. Then he
seemed to come out of his trance, shook
himself together. and strolled up to the
two young men.
Can you kids run at a lopez" he in
quired, with mock Difference.
RUM said the one who had before |
addressed him. Certainly we can rum
but we don't make a business of it. I,
Why?'
BECAUSE said Lillibridge. hitching
up his trousers, us three are going to |
play horse
Huhr said the laxative youth.
. Horse, l said, shouted Lillibridge.
m ra1ou Mt n
find out if you kids can lope in harness
as we'll as you can talk
AS he spoke he suddenly threw a
rope over the two young mems Shout
ders. hanging on to the two loose ends
himself, holding them in his left hand.
With his right he reached for one of his
guns, and planted ball about an
inch from each of the young mems
heels.
" Cit up he shouted, and the two
Camden boys were out of the door in
q second. Lillibridge right behind them
with the reins in mis- left hand, and still
kicking up the dust at heir heels with
the gun in his right.
Go a humpin', Shake ii up. Just
nit the hard places! Lillibridge shouted
after them between the cracks of is
gun, until they fairly dragged him
along, swift runner as he himself was.
so fast was the pace the gun persuaded
-hem TO take up. Up ana down Main
street he drove EN-. the town taking it
n with bowls of joy.
Whoa, there,' bawled Lillibridge,
when he had brought his team back to
heir starting place. Lillibridge I'M
wound the rope for them, and then
AIMED himself with his hat and walked
or the return of his wind.
You fellows are not Sc bad on the
co., he said. finally, but you can't go
ike you can talk. And you want to (
earn how and when and where 10 TN I
hip your guns from your belps before
Tou undertake to pack EN- around
With you. Why don't you shoot me UP !
ome? I
The young fellows looked sheepish, {
,ut said nothing. Lillibridge took them
nd in time they became sufficiently /
wicked.
This same Thurston Lillibridge was
he only man who ever had the drop on I
Sat Masterson for minute. He crept {
ID behind Masterson one day, and with
quick movement grabbed both of Mas c
erson's guns cut of his belt. Master a
on wheeled around and found himself S
overed by Lillibridge with his own 9
uns. He stood stock still. waiting to i
eceive two balls in his head. Lillibridge '
owered the guns and handed them q
ack to Masterson, butts foremost. a
g" That's one I've got on you. Bat ,
aid Lillibridge. and it's up TO you to
ever come a-gunning for me, marshal a
r no marshal, no matter what do :
t'And he never did New York Sun | !.