Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-03-02
NAVAJO JOE.

Navajo Joe 90 out Of luck. Ordinarily
his vagaries arc not regarded In Wolf
Vile. His frequent appearance in its
single street in a voluntary exhibition
G. nice feats Of horsemanship, coupled
with nm exhibition Of pistol shooting in
which old tomato cans and paase Eeer
bottles performed as targets, has hither-
TO excited no more baleful sentiment in
the Wolfvire bosom than disgust.
But today it is different. Camps. like
individuals. have moods. At this time
WolfvilIe is experiencing n wave Of vir-
tue. II may have been excited by tho
presence OF a pale party CT eastern tour
lists. just now abiding at The o. X. ho-
tel; gentlemen which the rather San.
Euine sentiment of WolfvilIs credits
with meditating an investment Of treas
ure in her rocks and rills. But whatever
the reason, WJlfville virtue is certainly
aroused, which makes it a bad day for
Navajo joe.
The sngTy sun smites hotly in the
deserted causcway Of Woifyillc. The
public is within doors. The Fed Light
saloon is thriving nightly. Navajo Joe,
rendering himself prisoner to Jack
-llocre, rescue or no rescue, has by order
II ,hat sagacious body been conveyed
by his captcrs before the vigilance com
rnittee and is about to be tried for his
life.
What was EGvl5o Joe's immediate
crime? Certainly not q grave one. Ten
days before it would have hardly earned
a comment. lie has killed u Chinaman
Here is the story
''Yere comes tast prairie dog, Navajo
doe, all s~praddled ont. says Dave Tut
at looks like this camp never can as
soome no airs, remarks Cherokee Hall
in a diotempered way. ''but this yere
iniser' BILE Joe comes ohargir up to queer
it."
As he speaks that offending person
agc. unconscious Of the great change in
Wolfville morals, sweeps mp the street,
expressing gladstone and c~cstatic
whoops ard whirliug his pistol on his
forefinger like u wheel Of light.
One CT the tourists stands in the door
OF The hotel smoking n pipo in short,
brief prffs of nstonishmcnt and reviews
thc Amazing performance. Navajo 10;
Mt once and abruptly halts. Gazing fol
n d~isgruBtled moncent On the man from
tho eant, he takes tho pipe from III
owners hurriied mouth and places i
In his own.
''Smoliin of pirGs. he v~ouchsafes il
condemnatory explanation, sis onele
CANT an degradin, an dent you do i
no more in my l-;asence. In might,
sensitive that a way about pipes an
don't aim 70 tolerate 'em none what
ever.
he sits putting and gazing at the tour
ist, while the latter stands dumb.
staring. with a moTsel Of the raviahe'
meersehaum still between his lips.
* Chinaman. voluminously robed
emerged from the New York store
whittier he had been drawn by dint c
soap.
Whatever is this Morgol doin il
camp I'd like for to know2" inquire
Navajo jos disdainfully. "a shor
leaves orders when I'm here last for til
immejit removal Of all sech. Iwouldn'
mind it. but with strangers visitin u
this away il plumb mortifes me I
death"
Then comes the short emphatic utter
ance of a six shooter. A puff Of smok
vanis.les quickly in the hot air and til
next census viii be short one Asiatic.
In a moment arrives a brief crde
from Enright, the chief Of the vigilanc.
committee. to Jack Moore. That gentle
man proffers Il Winchester and the re
quest to surrender simultaneously
Navajo Joe. realizing fate, at once &C
cedes.
"Of course. gents" says ENRICH
apologetically. as be convenes the com
hittee in the New York store, II don
say this Joe is held for beefn the Chi
naman solo an alone. The fact is he
been havin a mighty sight too gay
time Of late. an SO think it's a good
aafe play, beiu as it's a hot day an W
has the time. 70 sorter call the commit
tee together an ask its views. whethe
we better hang this yere Navajo 10
yet or MOTT"
''Mr. President" responded Dav
Tut, ''if I'm in order. | moves we tax
this Navajo Joe an socee0s to stretc
Bis neck / amt basin il on nothin i
partic' lar. but lettin her slide unde
the general head Of bein adapted I
public good"
~ = wa aA' '@A' -
right eff not. ] takes Mr.. TUFTS yer
excellent molten as the census OF thl
meetin. an it's hang she H..
''Not intendin Of no interruption,
remarks Texas Thompson. II wants
say this: I'm "a quiet man myself a
ascberal aims to keep Wolfville a quie
place likewise. For which all ] shoreI
Eavors a-hangin Of Joe. Like Tut.
don't make no pint on the Chinamal
We spares him too easy. But this 10
10 alters a-ridin an a-yelhna an a-shouti
mp this camp till I'm plumb tired out
50 ! says Jets hang bin. an suggests q
4 eligible nook tbarfor the windmill
back Of the dance bail
''see yere' Ny. President interrupt