The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-04
FARO AND THE GUN DAYS OF FRISCO
Incidents of Flush Times in California When PLAY Was
High and Life Was Cheap.

likely to have been death to the city sur
Yeyor OF san Francisco-that was me-
toIllshment ana anger when told by one
OF our party at my office in the city, and
man hau sent me word tnat ne meant 10
put buil5t hole in me on sight Ny re-
Nolvers were soon hunted up; but the
nearest gunsmlth (this industry was q
lively one at that period OF California his
tory found them badly out of order, and
preSsed upon me TWO SIngle-baTreled pls-
tolls with very hair triggers Then 1 lett
better didn't mean 10 be killed by the
bloody-minded Mcpherson without d
the boys, say With my hair-trig-
pocket, 1 sauntered down town and into
one OF the most gorgeous saloons IN the
town for we had no clubs i'm those DAYS
of a. The transition from the bar room
TO the faro room in the rear of the saloon
was natural tor though I did not play j
was sure 10 meet there many big men and
city officials. all we'll known 10 me The
Scottish chief / Thought was sill hask-
ing where the May sun sheds an amber
light on the new-Ieaved woods and lawns
between" up on his own elegant ranch, or
MESQUITE bushes in the mountains.
Neyertheless, as got close up TO one
their respective pockets ready FOR imme-
dlale action ! was much interested IN
the play OF a little, short. squatty half
breed, seml-demi, French Mexican ganb-
Ter, who was plunglng wildly with his
gold dust all over the thirteen cards on
thE faro layout. When 1 was within six
Z inches of he haItbreed rocked Up. a mere,
! ten PAGES away. on the other SIDE Of the
table, towering like another saul among
the gambling Israelites, six feet in his
boots, stood my mortal enemy. Dugaid
both h4nds gras ping my rusty singh bar
rels in pOche. Suddenly there was an eN-
ploslOn; a hundred re, overs ~ ere nstant-
/ ~ drawn in the gambling room ana the
/ click and cooking OF the shooting irons
/ drowned the chick OF the worries and the
buzz of the roulette wheel.
j ''Sae-r-d-n'' cried he little half-breed.
( scattering his nanOful OF SOld du- around
Z r4-ftd 1fa
mounted the faro table at bound. The
/ dealer drew his pistol and the halt-breed
! was very close to the gates agar OF an
/ other world as he caVOrted strangely
among the chips. scared out OF his wits.
With my left drew my remaining pistol
and pointed it at the burly Scot, McPher-
! son. All my life was crowded into that
/ one moment, when the sense OF Danger
/ was calculated 70 Ssfetch an nour INTO
eternity or eternity into moment NC
] Pherson threw up both hands and shout-
/ ed, my pistol stlll holding cool pedu on
Don't! I'm a d-n fool. I found out
! Down went my pistol into my left peck
! ct while i began TO clap my right hahd on
! nv right pocket which was attire, with
- &C. ber owe sill on Tho Mexican
I Frenchman, who was ready and eager 10
/ fight me. The bullet had creased the
/ gamblers skin and cut open his trousers,
/ which covered the brOadeSt part OF MS
/ person. L ,hurriedly begged his pardon
! dragged him out of the gambling roOms
! glad to get out alive, and with dtTf1culty
/ explained the situation .,..4 -
| N hen he began TO comprehend ne
I laughed Until the tears ran down his race,
/ more particularly after 1 told him in the
I best Mexican l could master ana mat II
! he would meet me at my hotel the next
! day at noon 1 would order for him at
my tailor's the best sUit of clothes money
! could buy The suit cost me 500, ana
( gave him besides 500 in gold, and the
] iingling of the guinea helped the hurt his
| honor felt a pOsteriorL IhiS man proved
; 10 be a rough diamond and became my
| fast friend.
! The old ScOtchman spent q week with
/ me but he never again recognized any
I of the crowd whose pleasantly came near
I costing three people their lives Dugald
/ Mcpherson died the next year, full Of
I years and ducats, and left me $4,000 in
! gold, by way of apology for his mistake.