Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-21
A DRAMATIC EXIT.
Old Cap Summoned an Audience to
Witness His End,

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
THE longing for the center of the stage
exists not only in the centers of ciyiliza-
ton" said a man who had gone west made
his pile in mining and come back to enioy
himself You'll find it up in the Rockies
among the hardest. toughest citizens that
ever handled a pick or shot a bear The
melodramatc instinct is mighty strong in
most men. and the glare of the calcium is
eagerly sought after by many who won't
admit it. ! knew an old man out in Ar-
iona some years ago who was one of this
kind. He was about the most don't give a
d-n' cuSs l ever knew. He lived up in
the mountains, about ten miles back OF
Tucson, all by himself. How he managed
to live | never knew, but he seemed con-
tented His evil deeds never seemed to
worry him any. and the Lord knows his
record was black enough. He had been a
great gun-tghter in his time, and even in
the days l speak OF it wouldn't do to tread
on his toes. He loved to tell of his wild life
and the frankneSs with which he related his
somewhat questionable eSCapades made him
an excellent entertainer if you didn't hap
pen to feel squeamsh. Squeamishness isn't
a common fault out that way, and every
body knew and liked Old Cap'-that's what
they called him-except the few who had
been in trouble with him at one time or
another.
NOW. no one ever thought that Old Cap
was spectacular. He was the last man on
earth who would be thought likely to want
the center of the stage for any of his stunts.
But he did. and the climax of his life was
more pyrotechnical than any mans | ever
got mixed up with. He certainly did go out
in blaze of glory. 1t all happened about
seven years ago. | was in Tucson. a lot
of us boys We're sitting around in front of
ginmill one afternoon. just talking about
things in general. Our horses were tied in
the yard at the back. 1t was a mighty fine
day just warm enough for solid comfort
out of doors. and with the sky clear
absolute dryneSs could make II. 1t was one
of those days, you know, when you throw
your chest out and congratulate yourself
on being alive.
''As | was saying. we all sat on easy wick
er chairs, talking and whiting. | reckon,
when down the street came a ten-year-Old
boy riding a broncho hellity-larrup. We
recognized him as a youngSter who lived d
couple of miles this side of Old Caps on
the same trail. He rode right up to where
were sitting and rolled off his horse.
with his eyes a-popping and his breath a
painting.
"'What's the matter, bub? asked a tall
Texan, who was in the party.
" Old Cap says L come right up t his
place right off and fetch all tn men yer kin
git TIL Iniuns is COMM
THE Indians always liable to bust
loose and do something nobody suspected,
so we got our horses out in jiffy and
started up the trail to save Old Cap. There
about a dozen of us and we had our
Winchesters and siX-Shooters with us. When
We got near to Old Caps slowed up a
bit and began to look pretty sharp for In
dams, but not sign of a redskin could we
see.
well be in time. boys said the Texan,
who was leading the band. Eff we get to
Old Caps cabin we kin stand off a pretty
smart lot
"Old Caps cabin was situated in a clear
ing off the trail around a bend. with high
rocks hiding 1t until you came out in the
open. We reached the turn in safety and
swept around it at full gallop. There we
saw, first of all. the little cabin. looking as
snug usual, and then we noticed Old Cap
sitting aStride a keg about ten feet in front
of his door. His big gray sOmbrero was
cooked to one side and the red scarf about
his neck gave him the look of stage hero
OF the plains. He had heard our horses
hoofs beating the rocky trail before we
wheeled into view and he was ready for us.
Waiting until we had come within seventy
five yards of him. he lifted his hat and
moved it above his head with a hoarse,
wild yell. AS | think of it now 1t sounded
like the cry of a mailman. Then he reach
ed into his pocket and drew forth match
This he drew carefully across rock when
was within reach of the key upon which he
sat, and saving it from the breeze until 1t
was safely lighted he opened his legs and
dropped it between them.
There was a yellow puff of smoke tinged
with flash of red. and then a terrific roar.
Old Caps body flew skyward, and when it
came down it didn't look like a human be
ing's He had been sitting on a keg of
powder and had deliberately blown himself
up Funny thing for a man to do. wasn't
it? Old Cap apparently got tired of life
and decided to kill himself. He wanted an
audience. SO he sent the kid out to drum
! one up. He got what he wanted, but 1t
wasn't Il very sympathetic one Men don't
go much on Sush out there, and the Texan
was little sore about the triC we'd had
played on us. He helped to straighten out
| the CORPSE. and then he sat down on Il DOWl-
der and gaZed at it.
We'll, he said finally. he certainly did
give himself a good send-off! And the rest
of the gang guffawed loud enough to start
| the echoes down the valley.
But it was all pretty human when you
| come to think of it. Old Cap had the CEN
| ter of the stage when the curtain dropped.
and his audience then proceeded to forget
i'm,