The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-18
he NET JOE IRISH.
MAN WHO Used TO run PAPER
IN WYOMING.
Most Exciting Adventure, Whfcn
shows q Mans Not Broke Until
He's BrOke-Als0 That sheep
Herders Are More or Less Crazy.

The man WHO gave Uttsrance 10 these
two gems o. wisdom. or experience, ussu
to run newspaper az Buffalo, Nyo- he
took two long draws al his cigar and gazrsi
around him osaHaly. The ot9er men al TIE
cafe table regarded fllrn Win interest ihey
cid not perceive the connection between the
two remarks.
No stree" he continued, no mans ever
broke until he's far cleaned out and busted
down TO the +ass piece OF metal with tas
United States stamp on IL And. although
there's not a particle OF doubt that Joe
Irish vas. and probably is yet the craziest
sheep nerder that ever threw rock at
Snake river nsaepie, that don't say that all
sheep hertlers aren't more or less Ioony.
Now, after the chance Joe Irish had TO
quit a big winner that time. OF course. like
the crazy sheep herder he was, ne WASH
outs out OF business, and. of course, ne
went broke down 10 his last two bits And
II. after getting down 10 the last two bits.
he hoped In again and fooled me up oy
quitting a bigger winner than he had been
before. why. that didn't prove that he
wasn't plumb blind. staggering crazy, not
BY dickens CT a lot, did 1t?
Joe, You know" went on the returned
exile, couldn't spend his pay on the range.
and so, when ne came into Pocateilo twmca
Is In Idaho. as suppose / mus; say for the
benefit Of the Uitlanders by whom l am
sufrounded) he had 1870 waiting for him.
That $50 bundle was an awful aEllction 10
Joe. He knew that he couldn't hope 10
blow II al In on sage brush whisky within
the space OF len days, which was to be
the period of his kn0ck-off after nine solid
months on the range-but he made the at
tempt.
After three days of /, he still had $50
left. Now whisky and Unborn insanity nat
urally make toward melancholia. | was
up against Ii at Pocateio. but had front.
That is. ] had a collar and necktie. That's
probably why Joe Irish picked me out for
somebody when he saw ne standing near
the entrance 10 the Grand palace bar and
asked me. We had two or three. and then
Joe unfolded 10 me his tsie OF woe. Only
six and half days remaining of the vaca-
uon from the sheep range and about $50
left.
An tn best i kin do. said Joe, is Z
drink three gallons o booze day. an there
amt no one around here 10 stan me up an
take tn bundle off me- or work tn shells
on me. or do me out o. tn wad. Podner.,
wound up Joe. plaintively. I'm afeared I'm
a-goin' L hev fully sl2 left out o. this bunch
when tn time comes fur me L hit UP tn
range agin.'
II really felt sorry for Joe. and so sug-
gested Shag Shaughnessy. You see. when I
struck Pocateio / had gone against Shag
Shaushnessy's layout myself. My ticket
ran out at Pocatelio. and ! only had S. left.
/ wanted to go 10 some old place. ethe,
backward or forward and s. wasn't much.
shag got the S.; That's why l was an
chore3 at Pocateilo.
Il had practically to lift Joe into Shag's,
for the mesquite whisky had told on him
already on this fourth morning Of his vaca-
taken more than 81 drinks OF il since he got
out Of bed at O'Clock In the morning
lifted him into Shag's from purely phiian-
thropic motives. ! didn't purpose permit
ting any poor sheep herder TO go back TO
his range with money IL / could help 1t.
And Shag looked pleased when I brought
Joe in. Shay was dealing himself and the
four men In front of the table were pikers
Here's a poor man, said ! 10 Shay
that's got to go To work on his range next
week. and he don't see his way clear to
getting rid OF his pile between now and
then unless he has assistance. I can't help
him any. because myself I'm only waiting
here TO be vagged Fix him out, Shag, and
earn his eternal gratitude
" 'Podner' said Joe to me. gratefully
you're all right, Much obliged
Then Joe fell into one Of the side seats
Just when Shag was starting new box
full. and by the time the box was out Joe
had won 81 so Of Shags coin Just by let.
ting his money stand eight times on the
double because he had no more sense be-
tween his natural greatness and the whisky
Joe piunked his first hunk of gilt $50 on
winning and the original so over on an
eight. II came out. And so on. Eight
times he did this. The box was kind TO
him every time. After the eighth came
out when. besides his original $50 1850
worth OF Shag's chips Were piled up on the
Jack the eighth card, Joe suddenly came
10. like man who had been hypnotized.
1t was a burned uncomfortable lucid in
tervai for Shag.
"'Podner. said Joe. addressing me. Tn
Jest hit dizzy. Wen git out in the air
an whiri eroun' some. Jest cash In this
bunch fur me. Will you
'Shag looked very much disappointed In
fact. I've rarely seen such a disappointed
looking man as Shag was when he turned
that $3.50 worth Of chips into gold and cur
rency.
Are You going 10 bring him back?'
My boy said TO Shag. Tn waiting
10 get vagged here, but am not yet run
ner for your institution. From motives of
the purest philanthropy brought our sheen
herdtng son or fortune here. to assuage his
premature grief Al the prospect OF being
compelled 20 return 10 his range with ne
gotianie paper and metal The task seems
To have been too difficult. hut II lets M. ont
For the future movements Of Mr. Irish
Joe had already gore out the front door,
am not responsible
''Shsughnessey cashed the chips and
walked ont with the si.S10- which included
Joe's original venture Of $50 and mailing
the wandering joe about a block no the
street. handed X out "a him. You may be
surprised that he trusted me- a stranger so
completely. but then you are measnrabiy
familiar with my winning ways
Zoe didn't seem 10 ~ particularly pleased
with the amount Of his winnings
'It's ore thing or tha'otaer po!ner wf.h
me said he Either eo hack 10 tn range
broke or / go a-tTaVelin', an | keen on A.
-taVei:r NDt} II broke IL looks As II 7
don't get broke here 50. how ABOUT a.
trave!.B an right now
II related 70 t1e crazy man several .aIas
of quite sensible persons who hadn't ever
r. ~ able - let Well enough alone. and
told him hed better hang on 10 his win
ainEs and take a brace.
'Ftrlce nNth0'.' 80 replied I'm hraea1
y ei3hn a ornety bunch o sheep ,ea moerhs
g. ~ YEAR. M I'm JUST unbracin' now an
le:tin' out When's ~ mex train IVES,
ccfnla' along"
The neNt Union Pacific train for the
wcs' a : about due then. and I told ham 90
We'll. WI tesl take it sail joe
1t w2s hHW 4tlf.c. hut vas gon,ucl1a1
- tel him my circumstances trted -
rr.n. ru- moral 50 telling about nv
circumstances tu; he Wasn't ,3p - moral
!x'r< 1usf them lie dug tHta the rorse,
Wh@re.n Sc ea5 deposited as winnings
drew put a handful - eoi3 and notes sni
as J i'lacn1 totA II ny hands behind nv
back depreratingiy. BE pat it all m the rim
o. ny har
I'm ssak!n' you.' ne saia poa't b.
cryof--
II ree.aed for ne money. then. and
ca."t.t IT, 7. amounted ID szE
As = lrar, t&@r sass al right, -,
: ref@t fef IRA; y a. we're - go travelling
O stake wouid Re necessary. very likely. be.
tl~e !orG