The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-06-13


A tan, well-bOned man, with Slight
ly sooping shoulders. sat on the e,l-
IRENE right Of the imprOvised theater
and seemed very much affected as the
play progressed. He was swayed by
every shadow OF emotion as If he were
seeing real life instead OF a very ordi-
nary play acted by a semf-amateur
group OF transformers Twice he was
seen 10 grasp his chair convulsively,
and when the leading man. he of fierce
mustache and commanding mien,
swearing by the everything God that
she, meaning Little Lady, should be
his wife, whether or no. and rushed TO
seize her IN his arms. the tail. we'll
bOned man arose in his place with gun
leveled direct on the fierce mustache
and said: "They ainst a gvine ter be
no forced marriages in this yer house
ter night and they amt no kind er use
er enjoyment in sech harrerin scenes.
Tain't good. neither fer body er soul.
e fer you, Mister Bad Man. the less
seen OF you around these yer diggins,
the less likely We air ter find yerself
human tassel swinging at the end Of a
cord"
The speaker was Kansas Joe. the
same who a few days before wouldn't
hev he'd no resPeck fer a woman tibet
would so fer fergit her sex ez ter come
down into Ennis Gulch ter play act
fer a gamblin', cussin', fghtin' passed.
Of men, and he had scarcely finished
speaking when fOur-scOre weather.
beaten temPters Of providence, gam
blers Of pick and pan, arose as one man
and hurrahed the sentiment to the
echo.
Judge SlOcum, postmaster, coroner
and magistrate, finally managed to
get order out Of chaos. from his van
tage ground on the top Of a beer bar
rel, vouchsafed few remarks on the
occasion.
''The time hez been" said the judge,
within the memory of many tibet
see present. when SIGH an exhibition
Of downright cussedness would hev
been follered in due course Of time
with a lynchin'; but now, hampered
as we air by the friendly rivalry that
exists between this camp and our
much esteemed neighbors at Pine
Knob. ez ter which kin make the best
shown Of law and order; curtailed ez
our material privileges hev become by
reason Of our heartfelt desire ter be
recognized abroad ez the most law
abidin' community in this yer neck %
the woods. desire tibet hez already led
to our freely, cheerfully refrainin'
from exercisin' our Heaven-born pre-
rOgative of hemp stretchin' in the
case Of Bronco Pete, when nuthin' on
airth ever yvuz more sartin than tibet
he stole a rasher OF bacon and a sack
Of beans from the home and freside
Of our lamented and dearly beluv'd
teller citizen. Ezra Pickett, who died
manfuiIy defending his rights TO afOre-
said bacon and aforesaid beans, to his
last breath Of life.
ST say, gentlemen, a principle thet
hez cost US so dearly already, must
not be forgot at this moment Of trial
and temptation move tibet this
company, excIoodin' the dangerous
looking individool. be allowed to de-
part unmolested. move tibet this
pusson. Of the bear-iled mustache. be
given a trial by jury of his peers
and. lastly, ] move tibet the city mar
shall be requested ter levy a tax on
every self-respectin' critter in the
| gulch accOrdin' ter his means and thet
/ the proceeds of the aforesaid tax be
presented ter this yer little pale-faced
gal, who appears ter hev been gettin'
I the wust of it all along the line. with
/ the best compliments Of the season"
This motion. with the amendment
/ that the marshal be instructed instead
/ Of requested, as the latter word by no
J means expressed the meaning and
/ that the instructions be both given and
! put in execution forthwith, passed the
/ house without a dissenting voice and,
/ though the subscriptions were solicit
/ ed with a showing Of guns, it was more
as a matter Of form or through force
/ Of habit than because Of necessity. for
| there was not a man Of the four-score
who thought himself rich enough in
the remembrance Of good deeds. well
done. to afford to lose the opportunity.
Kansas Joe was appointed a commit
! tee Of one to escort Little Lady" and
her wealth back over the trail again,
and the stories he told on his return
elected him mayor of the gulch with
/ out opposition
/ The jury, not being quite certain as
/ to how much Of the fierce mustached
mans rantlng was due 10 his desire 10
/ play act in a realistic manner and how
much to pure depravity. gave him the
/ benefit Of their doubts; but the
chairman of the vigilance committee
and Judge SIOcum, having the welfare
and the reputation Of the community
at heart, escorted him to the county
line on the day following his demon
/ stration.
Indian with EyeEIasses.
81 noticed something the other
dav that was to me in the nature Of