Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-20
The Man From Michigan
A Story Of Mining Camp Where An Eastern Tenderfoo
Was Game When the Residents Stampeded.

DICWll6 LII was hot oiioliSi
fellow in the camp who knew enough
about cooking to boil water without
burning it. He gave Dan his time, and
Dams check evaporated in two glorious
days at Fairview. So Dan had drifted
to Hermosa, "stone broke" but the
eastern gent had plenty of money and
they settled down in French Johnny's
old place on the side Of Bullion, well
pleased with each other. Dan was big
and loud and considerable young in his
talk at the Six Shooter, and the east
ern gent was snappy and curt, so Her.
mosa did not like them very well. But
when the smallpox broke out among
the natives in the lower gulch, STAN
peding the camp as smallpox alone
could do, they appealed to the eastern
gent to stake out a scheme to protect
them, counting Upon all eastern gents
to be doctors more or less.
"All I know about smallpox is hat it
is powerful catching, and that there's
no stopping it when it gets going in a
town. I'm no DOCTOR" said the eastern
gent. So they run the sick natives
out of the lower gulch and drank in
trepidation.
Just at this nervous moment Texas
Dan had to go and get sick. One night
. when it was only II o'clock he quit the
stud game at the Six Shooter and drag
ged it up the hill, all because his head
ached so feverishly. Hermosa knew he
was really sick, because he vas behind,
but not broke, when he quit. This wor-
ried the camp, and the boys appointed
Old Three X and Red O'Connor a board
of health to go up and see about 1t the
next day. They found Dan in his
blankets.
HE has a bad headache and some
fever" explained the eastern gent. HE
hasn't been right for three days, and /
am not going to have you fellows both
ering him."
Fever and headache is shore sinister
these times" put in Old Three x. "We
pintedly wants to know if he's broke
out none"
WELL, he hasn't. So suppose you va
NOSE and let him sleep it off," declared
the eastern gent.
The next afternoon the board of
health climbed the hill again. They
found the eastern gent nervous and
white and cross. He said Dan had been
in a high fever all night, and things
looked bad. In they went to inspect
him officially.
Good God, Dannie!" yelled Three X,
you're speckled like an old hen. Let's
drag it Red! He's got all kinds of
smallpox"
Look here, stranger" said Red
O'Connor, good and ugly, when they
We're outside, well have an outfit here
in an hour and freight this smallpox to
the deserted shafthouse on Mineral
Greek. Then Well burn the shanty.
There are plenty Of other houses for
you, and French Johnny amt going to
mind, seeing he has stayed dead for five
years. This camp amt in the mood to
tolerate no pollution"
"No you don't" answered the east
ern gent, cool as ice. ANY fool knows
it is sure death to move that boy in his
present state. If you all are too many
cur dogs to help me nurse him, I'll take
care of him alone.''
OF course, Red paid no attention to
the tenderfoot's patter, but went down
the hill to tell the awful truth at the
Six Shooter. CONSERVATION reigned, and
so great was the run on the bar that
Bud Collins had to limit each man. At
last, being drunk enough to defy conta-
gion, some Of the boys rot a wagon
ready and started up to run out the
smallpox and burn the cabin in the in
terest of the community. The eastern
gent met them outside the door, tart as
vinegar.
II trust you gentlemen have come to
help me nurse Dan," said the little ten
derfoot.
We've come to pack him out of the
camp for the benefit of the many" re-
torted Red O'Connors.
HE'D have no show at all in that old
~shafthouse, wen If l went to take care
of him." pleaded the eastern gent, much
disturbed.
"Of course, we amt aiming to hurt
this Dan none," broke in Old Three x,
though am saying he amt especially
valuable to Hermosa. But it don't
stand to reason hat a whole camp
should rot with the smallpox on account
| IF cnnfip,onfo1 oxytopot1xv with - o;k;
zen who gets speckled unfortunate"
"The whole camp doesn't have to rot
argued the eastern gent, gamely. "We
are secluded here, and have grub
enough, and I'm not going to have any
time for promenades till I pull this boy
through. When Dan is able, we'll move
fast enough, and don't you forget It,"
THAT'S spunky, but it don't go on &C
count Of public safety" decided Red.
We're sorry, but I'll have to ask you to
right away. The smallpox is too blamed
catching for this camp to back any 9TH
er play"
Cant nothing persuade you, gentle
menu" begged the tenderfoot.
mot a thing yelled Old Three K.
II guess you are wrong, you moth
eaten drunkard, you," snapped the east
ern gent, suddenly changing his tone;
1--WE a sixteen-shot argument left that
may convince you"
He jumped back into the cabin and
run a winchester out of the window,
covering the board of health with an
earnestness that appalled, them. They
made grand time down the hill to the
Six Shooter, where they told these
things to a crowd divided between an