Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-10

SouA4uo EolIltsEheU tu6U tWuZ b low owl
cowardly trick. He wuz no friend Of the
imported Chinese hirelin, but he blieyed
in fair play. He wouldn't shoot a dog with
q rope roun its neck or murder a cat in
it's sleep. The mar thet he'd done this
thing wuz no gentleman, an IL the cap'n
only knew fer certain who 'twuz he'd
take pleasure in lickin him within an inch
Of his wuthless life. We could see Badly
Bowers eyes fame up, like q coal when
you blow it to light your pipe, but he
didn't say nothin-not in words. BY an
by the boys commenced ter deal fer seven
up, an Badly invited the cap'n ter play q
game OF ~cribbage. 'Twuz a queer Invite
at sech a time, but the cap'n consented,
an they sot down at a table by themselves
An commenced ter play.
Cap'n Jenkins insisted 'twuz fair ter
count n way an Badly swore the rule
wuz t'other way. l don't know which
wuz right, an l don't care. But pretty
soon Badly SEES: "Cap'n Jenkins, you're
a-oountin wrong ag'in. You're a-tryin ter
cheat ag'in."
YOU'RE a liar, . sed the cap'n, turnin a
shade whittier, like he wuz gettin hot.
Then Badly made a leetle play thet he'd
often took the starch out Of bigger men
than jenkins. He riz up to his 6 feet 2 an
throwed Oft his coat an rolled up his shirt
sleeves, shown the muscles on his arm,
bout ez big ez a key of beer, al he ses,
"Cap'n Jenkins, you" leetle whiffet, I'm
a-goin ter lick you right now"
You're a liar" sed the cap'n, an he
slowly 'riz up on ter his feet.
Nobody rightly knowed jest how it hap
pened, but when Badly drew his big,
sledge hammer fist back the leetle table
thet they'd been a-playin on flew up be-
tween 'em; an Baldy's fist come smash
ag'in 1t. AS 1t tumbled ter the floor with
q clatter Cap'n Jenkins sorter ris up in
the air an brung his left fist like a streak
OF lightnin ag'in the pint of Ba]dy's chin.
The big Teller jest elapsed. His whole
body stiffened. He gripped the floor a Sec
ond Or two with his heels an then he went
smash full length on ter his back with a
jar tibet shook the buildin. 'Twuz full
five minits by the watch afore he moved a
muscle.
e. soon's Badly could stan up an take .
glass Of whisky he went out of the back
door, an Cap'n Jenkins went out of the
front door. We all knowed tibet the mex
thing ter come long would be a leetle gun
play, an while the two principals wuz gone
fer their tools WI all took a drink, an
three or four as wuz sensitive ter the sight
OF gore slipped out an spread the news Of
what wuz a-comin.
Tibet wuz how Glib Perkins happened
ter pear on the scene. Havin come ter town
arter dark, he wuz eatin his supper at the
Transcontinental when he heered the
news, an he rushed over ter Morey's think
In he might swipe a sketch Off the Incl
dent. You could hev knocked us fellers
down with a feather when he sprung inter
the room like he wuz shot out Of a gun
an looked our sorter dazed by the lights
an the queer look On our faces. Skeered a
little, too, ! reckon, fer his voice sorter
trembled as he sed, "Gentlemen, will you
hev q drink with mes"
Perkins poured out bout a finger OF
whisky In a glass IN wuz jest a-raisin It
tor his lips when the back door flung open
-t'rd which Perkins back wuz turned
an . big gun ONE in, follered by Badly
Bowers. 'Thout waitin a second he pulled
the trigger, aimin right at the center OF
tibet velvet ooat-the back Of it. But
Tony Moore, the barkeep, wuz too quick
fer him all the same. He knocked the
muzzle Of the gun down with an empty
bottle, an the bullet nipped the heel off Of
Perkins boot, IN the blood ran out on ter
the floor. OF course Perkins wuz s'prised.
He catched up the heel in his han an stood
an hollered. lest then the sheriff, who'd
been a-waitin outside till arter the shoot.
u ter arrest the survivor, If any, come in
N nabbed Badly.
Cap'n Jenkins wuz the ca'mest man Of
the lot in the confusion thet follered. Sech
= shout a. went up when he Jpeared on
The scene. He he'd a six shooter in each
han when be stepped inter the front door,
but he dropped one inter each pocket Of
his velvet COAT an stood smilin, first at
orb Perkins, artist, still a-howlin with
pain, an then at Badly Bowers, who wing
a-sulkin In the grasp Of the law.
Mex day the sheriff tried to git come
body to swear out ao'mplaint ag'in Badly.
But the cap'n sed he wuz satisfied an
hadn't no o'mplaint to make. Badly he'd
lnsulted him an he he'd licked him good
tibet wuz all right. An Perkins sore heel
didn't hurt him fault at all to
find with tibet. He b'lieved In brethren
a-dwellin together In unity, an In peace
an harmony an good will. He wuz willin
Ter forgive Badly Bowers fer bein licked
an didn't want 70 see him sent up ter the
county jail. No, he want afeared tibet
Badly d tackle him ag'in. Some friend
Of Baldy's guy Perkins a new $t2 pair Of
boots an persuaded him tibet a leetle thin
min Of his blood wnz good fer his health In
sechs = dry climate. So he wouldn't make
no cOmplaint N Bowers wuz turned loose.
But no left town same day, an we never
sec him sag' in,-William n. Tisdale In
9ArgonAute
IA -- 100000