Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-03-01
; Ms: B D !!!yul's 0Dul|I

When l began to report for a~Westeru
newspaper, l wrote up wedding of q
couple named Crown. Mrs. Brown did
not take kindly to married life, and after
few weeks Of overindulgence in stimu
lants she ascended the golden stairs via
the morphine route. wrote her biogra.
ply, referring to her as member Of that
circle of society which finds it's mentor il
the police justice. I was rather proud OF
the effort and secured a copy Of the pa:
per as soon as it came from the press and
viewed the alliterative headline and well
! rounded phrases with admiration. After
the paper was distributed about town
took walk down street. As I passed
the Blue Front palace, of refreshment ]
ran across Mike Kelsey, Jack Browns
old partner ir crime. He had copy OF
the paper in his hand and looked at me
with rather quizzical expression in his
eyes, remarking:
$50 you're goin away, are youY'
Rather surprised. said that had moi
heard Of it as yet.
Il thought you were when, I read this, "
he said, pointing to my obituary effort.
"WhyT' said rather anxiously.
"Oh, nothin," said Mike,
! passed on. to the Office, too proud ia
ask an explanation, but just a little bit
uneasy. There was but one door to my
Office, and my desk was across a far cor
ner Of the room, SO that when was at
work my back was to the corner and my
face toward the door. -
In the wisdom Of fate there was to, be
no delay in my first lesson in practical
Journalism: As luck would have it, the
train from the west. came in about that
hour, and as it slowed up Jack Brown
stepped off the cars, as big and as proud
81 his "killing record" as ever. Some
kind friend was at the depot and showed
him my literary gem. He read it with
close attention, muttered few words not
translatable and started for my Office.
l was sitting at my desk writing q let
ter to friend back east, telling him how
well l was getting along and how easy it
was for a man with fair intelligence to
bold his own in the west, when suddenly
heard the door open, and ! looked up.
saw in front OF me man about six feet
tall. broad shouidered and muscular. His
face was type that furnishes deputies
for the sheriffs' Offices in the west and re.
crults for the desperate gangs-square
jaw, well developed nose, regular fea.
lures and dropping mustache. There was
nothing in this so far to awaken any emo.
ton in my breast, but when I realized
that it was Jack Brown, that he held in
his right hand big As Colts six shooter
and that the tears were streaming down
his cheeks my heart stood still. It has
been my experience that one should as
promptly as possible get out Of the way
Of any determined man with a six shoot
er in bis hand, but if, in addition, he is
crying mad" say your prayers, for the
outlook for your safety is more than
gloomy.
Jack advanced toward my desk, a copy
Of the paper in his left hand. his gun in
his right, covering me as sat behind my
desk, pale and motionless.
Ibid you write this p he demanded.
i knew what he had reference to with
out further plans or specifications. 1t
was my literary gem. l made an effort
at sickly smile, intended to be concilia-
tory, and after swallowing two or three
big Jumps in my throat I managed to
say:
,"Well, 1-1-work on the paper, you
know, and the paper is responsible for
what is published in it,
None Of your - palaver" said Jack.
Il want to know who wrote that. I'm
goin to kill the man that did," And he
raised the muzzle of his gun toward me.
l was thinking. I thought so hard that
my head ached for hours afterward.
finally decided that I had but one chance
for life, and said:
'You know Ed Smith owns this paper,
and he stands good for everything pub
lished."
"Where IL hep demanded Jack. I'D
ruther kill him anyhow, eos he's always
claimed to be my friend, and this shows
he's liar"
With a realization in my soul that the
crisis had passed, rose from my chair
and said:
"He's at home. You know where his
house is 2"
EYES," said Jack, II know where his
house is, and that is where I'm goin now.
and I'll kill him in his own door in sight
Of his wife. He insulted mine after she
was dead. and no man will do thing like
that when woman's dead. it's no matter
if she did do wrong. She's entitled to be
let alone, and I'll see that she is" And
he was gone like flash out of the door.
l Immediately ran up the street in the
opposite direction, intent upon carrying
out my hastily conceived plan. rushed
into store the owner of which was an
influential business man and well &C.
quainted with everybody. explained
the situation and told him to go around
the block in the opposite direction. meet
Jack Brown and detain him while
warned Ed Smith. He realized the sit.
uation. as he knew the man, and did as |
told him. l ran up to Smiths house and
told him what was the matter. Fortu.
nately his horse and buggy were hitched
in front of the door. He lost no time,
but got in and drove furiously out of
town. l started back to the office feeling
fairly easy in mind. In the distance |
saw my friend the merchant and my
would be slayer walking rapidly UP and
down the back streets arm in arm.
Jacks gun was in it's holster, and knew
the danger was over.
That night the merchant came around
to the Office and shook hands with me.
Jack has left on the evening train" be
said. 'You've had a narrow escape.
young man. and I'm mighty glad there
was no trouble, but let ME tell you it's a
mighty sight better to sacrifice good sto-
~ than to do some one a bad turn. I've
lived many years among this kind of PEG
pie. and they've got feelings just the
same as anybody else'
thanked him warmly and grapnIed
the moral of the incident to nv soul .,,;4 !