The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-03-22
Vol. XIII.-No. 35.
THE LILLIPUTIAN BANDIT.
Written for The PRISON MaYTOr.

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Written for The PRISON Marror.
In the latter part of the eighties,
while in the employ of Nelson Bennett
& Co., the contractors who bored the
great Stamped tunnel through the
Cascade Mountains, I met with very
painful accident caused by the prema-
ture explosion of a blast of giant
powder. My injuries were of such
serious nature that was compelled to
stop work and seek medical attention
at one of the many health resorts that
abounds in our western states.
: Connected with the hotel at which l
stopped was saloon and gambling
room, and during my stay of nine
months, I not only acquired the habit
of occasionally bucking the tiger, but
was often referred to as "Tin Horn,"
title looked upon with adherence,
for the tin horn is as much despised by
the professional manipulation of the
paste boards as is the shyster lawyer
by the intellectual giants of the legal
profession.
About five o'clock one afternoon,
while standing at the saloon bar con-
versing with some friends, three
strangers entered. Two of them were
fine specimens of physical manhood,
but the third was the queerest looking
little man that it has ever been my lot
to gaze upon. Idon't think he weighed
an ounce over seventy-five pounds.
On his head he wore one of those big
hurrah hats with a rattlesnake band.
The dome of his pants, which was no
larger than the business end of tame
bee, was shingled with buckskin. On
his feet he wore high-topped boots
with clanking spurs fastened to their
heels. He cultivated a full crop of whis.
kers, which was irrigated with placid
little brooklet of tobacco juice which
flowed freely from an opening in his
face, and they seemed to thrive, for his
mustache stuck out as straight as does
the spikes in the apparatus that stock
raiser adjusts to the snout of weaned
calf.
All three wore big belts from which
dangled two big guns, but there was
nothing unusual about that, as it is an
established custom in the west.
When they entered the saloon the
little fellow ordered the drinks and
invited all hands to join them. After
several rounds of drinks had been
called for and consumed, the little fell
low was requested by one of his chums
to sing song, and he responded by
singing song entitled, "The old gray
mare kicked over the whipple tree"
He received much applause and as an
encore gave us three verses of that
beautiful old song, "Oh Now Reuben,
Quit Your Teasing"
At the conclusion Of this song we all
proceeded to the gambling room where
there was faro game in full opera
tion. L was asked to sit down and
keep cases, privilege which is granted
to all patrons of game that is run on
the square.
[ had not been seated more than
fifteen minutes, when [ heard the
command, "Throw up your hands,"
[ thought at first it was only joke;
but when 1 saw the dealer with his
hands up and heard voice which !
recognized as that of the little stranger
ordering the lookout to step down
from his lofty perch and face the wall
1 then realized that we were in the
hands of robbers.
Every man in the room was made to
stand and face the wall, with the ex,
ception of the two big strangers and
their little bewhiskered chum. The
two former held big persuader in
each hand and told rs to keep quiet
= while the little man was actively en-.
gagged going through the pockets OF
his victims and relieving them of their
money and other valuables.