The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-11-24
MAGIC THAT FAILED.
1t Doesn't Pay TO Fool with Some
Western People.

"estern fcOpIc.
Stranger in town, amt We, pilgrim 20
Gueried man with his trousers tucked
in his boots, a brace of small howitzers
strapped about his waist and CORY
squirt to his eye, as he shuffied over I'D
the place where l was sitting and
dropped into chair beside me.
II am" L responded.
"Tarantula Tom is the handle ] go
by" he remarked. throwing his feet up
on the table and drawing bowie knife
from one of the elevated boot legs
I'm purity well known around this cor
ner of the range" His gaze wandered
pensively about the saloon. Az last
he rounded his thoughts up in their ac-
customed corral and said, with jerk
Sad accident we had last night
what was it?''
Not hintin' anythin' at all, but mere
ly expressin' a wish to know, on the
dead square. podner, have you got tho
price of two drinks?"
| ordered them with alacrity. anG
after they had been duly disposed of.
Tarantula Tom took up the thread OK
his narrative.
"A gallus hombre struck town yestcr-
day an posted up lot er bills calm
himself a prestydigitatur. Us boys
didn't know what the pizen that was, so
we allowed we'd pay two bits an go an
find out. 1t was over in Casey's old
song-and-dance hall-since Casey got
hung we amt running it no more-sO
we drapped in thar.
"Well, I'm rat-eatin' Chinaman il
ther perfesser didn't borry Texas Bis
sombrero an go ter breakin' eggs In IT.
IT took Bill jest erbout holy ninut 10
get bead on ther critter.
"'Drap it. plague take ye!' yells BIZ
Tibet hats private property, an I've
seen men hung fer less'n theft
My dear sir, says the perfesser, it's
only trick
"'Can't help tibet! Empty tibet ar
mess out of it an, hand 'er back
"The perfesser did so. an III be
hanged if thar was grease spot either
inside er outside of tibet sombrero.
"'Great centipedes!' says Bill. he
cleaned 'er up pretty slick. anyhow
II was plum fooled. stranger. blamed
if wasn't. Well. Their show went on.
an finally the perfesser brought out =
gun an asked Bill ter come up on Their
platform. an Bill went.
"'Now, them says the perfesseT. git
tim back Always, fire at me-aim right
at my head
'Bill fired, an I'm maverick If thet
perfesser didn't catch Their bullet squar'
between his teeth. How the boys yelied,-
Then some one hollered: DO it ag'ini'
KNOWN Bills ole muzzle-loader
was only good fer one shot, h'isted my
shooter, thinkin' tibet if the perfessex
could catch one o. Bills bullets he sure
could catch one O. mine, cause I'n
better shot than Bill ever thought q
'bein'.
"'Catch this!' 1 yells, an blazesl
away.
Tarantula Tom stopped short ana
gazed out of the windowwith thought
ful expression on his face.
"Did he catch it?' asked.
81 reckon he did, although the saw
bones from Prescott hasn't been able
ter find it yet. He may pull through.
an If he does you bet he'll be keerfnE
not to play any more shootin' tricks Ep
Arizony. With a cowpuncher SEEM n
believin'; an when ther time, Gomez
tibet he can't believe what he, sees,
reckon he'd better throw down his hand
an pass out o. Their game. Ain's
right?"-William Wallace Coax, !. X
Y. World. II
ct<x. ~ ~. I.n.u~.e Goxer-.s