Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-10-06
BLUFFEO THE BAD MAN,
An Episode of Camp Life at Tampa whi ch
Showed a Civilians Pluck.

| All EPISODE OF Canp Lie at Tampa Will ch
| Showed a Civilians Pluck.
At Tampa, while the troops were
gathering to go to the West Indies,
some very rough men were assembled
from all parts of the country. Among
them was desperate belonging to O
volunteer regiment from the West.
The man yearned to terrify the ma
tives with an exhibition of what he
would have them regard as genuine
wild Western manners. He obtained
leave OF absence one evening, and
with thirty -eight-calibre regulation
revolver swung at his belt, started in
on the principal street of the town to
give his exhibition.
He went into drug store which
was filled with young volunteers from
Eastern States, who, having pros
pect of remaining a few weeks in
camp, were buying brushes, combs,
soap, tooth-powder and other articles
which they had been unable to trans
port in their railroad journey. The
rufiian proceeded to make himself as
disagreeable as possible.
'lf there's anything thatI hate, he
said, 'it's private soldier that sets
out to be dude"
No one paid attention, and he then
addressed himself to one of the men.
"Now I suppose" he said, 'that
you think you're mighty fine, with
your curly hair and your necktie?"
The volunteer became angry, and
two or three of his fellows stepped
forward. An affray was imminent,
and an affray between armed men
would be serious thing. The store
was in charge of young clerk of
eighteen or twenty years. From be-
hind the counter, he or Tered the dis
turber to leave the store. The man
Immediately grew furious.
'Hey!" he shouted. "Do you
know, there, who you're talkin' to?
Why, I'm Poncho Jim, from New
Mexico, an I'm bad man, and 1 don't
stand no"
He had made q motion toward the
big revolver in his belt when the
young fellow stepped from behind the
counter. He had on a thin summer
sack-coat, with side pockets. Both
his hands were in these pockets, and
they seemed to be holding there some
articles which looked through the
cloth like the muzzles of Derringers.
These were pointed straight at the
desperate.
''Put up your hands, said the clerk.
The man hesitated.
''Put them up, 1 say!" the clerk re-
peated, taking step nearer. Slowly
the ruffian raised his hands, until they
were well up in the air.
''Now some of you take that pistol
out of the holster" he said to the
volunteers. Two of them obeyed him.
and the pistol was laid down on the
counter.
''Now you tell me your regiment
and company, and the name of your
captain" said the clerk to the desper-
ado. He obeyed.
"Thats all right" said the clerk,
"Now get right out of here, this in
stant-keep your hands up, say!-
and I'll send your revolver to your
captain. Get out, now!'
The man obeyed, and when he was
out of the door, the drug clerk took
his hands out of his pockets. There
was nothing in them. He had been
thrusting his thumbs forward in such
way as to make them look, under
the cloth of the pockets, like the muz-
zles of revolvers. He had been play
ing game of pure ''bluff" with the
rufian, but having GOODNESS and cour-
age, while the other had simply bru-
tality, he had easily won.