Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
BOTH HANDS AT ONCE.
How Texan Became AmbidextrOus
With the Pen.

n Sooti-ioohihS man OF fofty-HNe or IISEe-
abouts came into an f street store yester-
day and asked the proprietor, whom he
knew. to cash a draft for him. The mer-
chant was perfectly willing to do so and
went behind the counter with the draft in
his hand AS he pulled open the money
drawer he turned the draft over to see if
it was Endorsed.
See here. Mr. Bell" he said This is
no doubt all right because l know You. but
has it never occurred to you that your
signature varies somewhat"
He held out the draft. On the lack ap-
peared the name written in a full. strong
hand-'Geo. T. Bell"
That's all right. said Mr.. Bell. Il wrote
it not ter minutes ago in the post office
IL don't doubt that. either replied the
merchant. but here is the draft ! had the
pleasure Of cashing for you the other day.
| haven't sent II to the bank yet The sig
nature is obviously different. although
there is a general resemblance in one to the
other
That's all right. too" said Mr.. ell.
81 haven't doubt in the world about it,
But your handwriting certainly varies"
veil sir. l wrote both of those sigma
lures and l can duplicate them a thousand
times and they won't vary much more than
a little bit. replied, Mr. Bell.
He grabbed pen and wrote his name
rapidly. There was no installing it. The
signature was precisely like that on the
draft.
Vow I'll write it again for you he said
and he put the pen in his left hand and
wrote. as rapidly and freely as before
the same name. That, too. was identical
with the signature on the draft the mer
chant had taken out of the drawer
Il can beat that, said the man who
could write his nam with both hands. IF
YOU will kindly hold the paper | will write
my name with both hands at once"
The clerk brought another pen, and the
merchant held the paper. Mr.. Bell took a
pen in each hand and without any diff
Guilty wrote his name simultaneously with
both hands. There was little difference in
the signatures. Ordinarily they would
hardly be told apart.
Now I'll tell you how it happens that I
can do that l was brought up in Texas
My father had a big ranch on the head
waters of the BrazCs, not SO very far from
the New NJ eXican line. There Were hun
dreds of cattle and nearly hundred
horses. The stock was kept in a stockade
embracing about sixty acres. The fenC"
Was Of posts twelve feet high and tn
dwelling house and the barns We're within
the Enclosure. In tn middle of the place
was a tower thirty or forty feet high. en-
which there was big bell. The rope tied
t. the Clapper was strung on poles and led
into the kitchen where the cid auntie who
die the cooking pulled it to call the hands
to dinner. one morning along about O'Clock
we were startled out of our sleep by the
booming of the old bell. som, body in the
quarters had heard a noise Of some one
out al the corral.
when We got out there we found that
Indians had lifted a couplA OF the posts in
the stockade. gone in and run off every horse
we had but two. AS il happened. my father
had that night come home late ami put his
team in stable near the nousa. These
two horses were the only ones left. Two Of
the men mounted them and rode three or
four mills and reused the neig ibors. and
they came by scores, all mounted and
arm q. With them they brought some ex-
ira horses. My father and my brother and
jumped our horses and Joined the party.
The red thieves had several hours the
start of US. and il was long chase, but
late i'll the afternoon We got sight of them
They had crossed the Pecos and had round
I'd up the herd and were getting ready TO
camp when We lit into them. Part of our
force went 70 the other side of them. try
ing to surround them. but they We're too
quick for US ana away they went, taking
the stock with them. Then began a fight
III the saddle that lasted until nearly dark.
The red devils would yell at the horses and
hang down alongside their MUSTANGS and
run like mad. Then they would swing
back to their seats and turn and fire at us.
My brother was hit III the leg. several 9TH
ers We're nipped and one poor fellow got
a big slug between the eyes. He was the
only man killed on our side. The Indians
had d disadvantage i'll trying to run off
the stock and hight at the same time and
il was not until two of them We're shot
that they began to think of letting the
horses go and save themselves. | was 1lOst.
on Notwithstanding wretch and, think
ing that my time had come to Kill an In
dian. when, zip. Il bullet took me in the
right hand and smashed my third finger to
pieces 1 kept after him. trying to get him
by resting my revolver on my disabled
arm and firing as often as | could My
Indian got away finally, but five others
were killed. we got back perhaps two
thirds of the horses. For long time it
was thought that | should never get the
use of my hand again. and | went to work
learning. to write with my left hand. In
the course of time my wound healed and I
regained the full use of the right hand
Then | found that | could write with both
understanding few men learn To do"