The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-05-11
NAV AJO JOE.

Navajo Joe is ont of luck. Ordinarily
his vagaries are not regarded in Wolf
vile. His frequent appearance in its
single street in voluntary exhibition
of nice feats of horsemanship, coupled
with an exhibition of pistol shooting in
which old tomato cans and passe Eeer
bottles performed as targets, has hither-
to excited no more baleful sentiment in
the Wolfville bosom than disgust
But today it is different. Camps, like
individuals. have moods. AT this time
Wolfville IL experiencing wave of viz
tue. 1t may have been excited by the
presence of "A pale party Of eastern tour
lists, just now abiding at the O. K. no
tel; gentlemen which the rather SAN
guine sentiment of Wolfville credits
with meditating an investment of treas
ure in her rocks and rills But whatever
the reason, Wolfville virtue is certainly
aroused which makes it bad day for
Navajo Joe.
The angry sun smites hotly in the
deserted causeway of Wolfville. The
public is within doors. The Red Light
saloon is thriving nightly. Navajo Joe,
rendering himself prisoner to Jack
Moore, rescue or no rescue, has by order
of that sagacious body been conveyed
by his captors before the vigilance com
mittee and is about to be tried for his
life.
What was Navajo Joe's immediate
crimeH Certainly not grave one. Ten
days before it would have hardly earned
a comment. He has killed Chinaman.
Here is the story:
"Yere comes that prairie dog, Navajo
joe all spraddled out, says Dave Tutt.
at looks like this camp never can as
soome no airs remarks Cherokee Hall
in a distempered way, "but this yere
miser BILE Joe comes chargin up to queer
it."
AS he speaks that offending person
age, unconscious of the great change in
Wolfville morals, sweeps up the street,
expressing gladstone and ecstatic
whoops and whirling his pistol on his
forehnger like wheel of light.
oIJt VI VIC AOullHtE III tlIt tt'Ii
of the hotel smoking pipe in short,
brief puffs of establishment and reviews
the amazing performances. Navajo Joe
at once and abruptly balts. Gazing for
disgruntled moment on the man from
the east, he takes the pipe from its
owners Mortified mouth and places it
in his own.
G.GanaIriY, Of t,iy - ha rag -,
condemnatory explanation, lis Onele-
CANT an degradin, an don't you do it
no more in my presence. m mighty
sensitive that II way about pipes an |
don't aim to tolerate EN- none what
ever.
He sits putting and gazing at the tour
list, while the latter stands dumbly
staring, with morsel of the ravished
meerschaum still between his lips
A Chinaman, vuluininously robed,
emerged from the New York store,
whittier he had been drawn by dint Of
soap
whatever is this Mongol doin in
camp I'd like for to know inquiries
Navajo Joe disdainfully. Il shore
ltdftb OIutIS With III HtIt ldNb lOl INC
immejit removal of all sech | wouldn t
mind it, but with strangers visitin us
this away it plumb mortifies me to
death.
Then comes the short emphatic utter
ance of six shooter. A puff of smoke
vanishes quickly in the hot air and the
next census will be short one Asiatic
In moment arrives brief order
from Enright the chief of the vigilance
committee. to Jack Moore. That gentle
man proffers Winchester and the re-
quest to surrender simultaneously,
Navajo Joe, realizing fate at once &C
cedes.
"Of course. gents, says Enright
apologetically, as he convenes the com
mi:tee in the New York store, 81 don t
saw this Joe is held for beefin the Chi