Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-15
atlistrllanruus 8eading.
McDONALD'S BAD AIM.
The UndOing of n Rising Citizen of
the Frontier Town of Baldville.

The Undoing of a Rising Citizen of
the Frontier Town of BnIdville.
Old Perry Bald wasn't content when
he bought up a whole township from
IdiScontented settlers in the territory.
His ambition was to found n town. and
he did it simply by fencing in with
barbcd wire At that time the Griswold
cattle trail went northward clear
through Bald's land. But when he
stretched out his ten miles of barbed
wire fence the cattle herds were obliged
to keep outside, and the first house in
Baldville was built at the southeast
corner of Bald's tract. Bald lived in it
i'll right: but most of it's two stories
was given over to saloon, a gambling
room and a restaurant.
The town sprung up as If by magic.
1t was the first station beyond the line
of the Indian reservation, the first
place to get drink Of red liquor for
drovers coming out to ship their herds,
and the last place to get drunk on the
return to Texas and the southwest.
In six months there were more than
GOO people in the town, and town COM
pany was organized. A general store
was built, and Pete CrOtty came down
from Emporla and started a black
smith shop. Mrs. Halpin started ba-
kerry in a tent. and in two months she
made so much money that she built
frame store, and the future of Bald
vile was assured. Then it became the
winter rendezvous of the surrounding
claim owners and the scene of fire.
uuent "shindigs" between the visiting
cowboys and the farmers of the vicin-
ity.
| Cp to the time when Bald opened his
sporting house, Dave Mcdonald had
managed to live comfortably, quietly
and unknown with his partner in their
dugout on Polecat creek. But when the
snow began to fly and the idle hours of
winter began TO hang heavily on his
hands he became a daily visitor in the
growing town. When Deacon Hemp
stead began to get up" church Dave
gave him SO and, perhaps as n matter
of recreation attended all the meetings.
He was a handsome chap, with the
eyes and curls that women like. and
way of sitting his horse that won the
men over to him. Nobody knew where
he came from, and nobody in those
days cared.
His skin was white like a womans;
but he could shoot and ride and was
registered freeholder, so they made him
first constable of Baldvile and began
to expect great things of him. But
Mcdonald got n bad start. All that
first winter the horse thieves laid low
and he had nothing TO do but drink and
play faro or go to church. He did them
all with radiant good WILL laughing al
ways, till one night a Shawnee trader
dropped in at Bald's place to sell some
hides. Dave got to frolicking with the
Indian, began to shoot at his feet. and
when he had made the Indian jump as
high as the ceiling amid the encourag-
ing lauSnltT Vi lllc tIuNu, UGiuS liiS
jumper change his capers.
"The other way, now" roared Dave,
"see how low you can drop. I'm going
to take a crack at your knot"
The Indian. quite terrified. began to
squat lower and lower; but at last, his
ann unsteadied with laughing, Nc
Donald shot him through the head.
When he saw that the Indian was dead
he got on his horse and rode back to
his dugout and stayed there for a
week. Nobody went after him and he
might have lived down that killing. for
Everybody liked him, especially the
women, and the victim was only an
| Indian. Perhaps Dave was reaSsured
by his partner, but. anyhow, at the end
of a week. he rode into town very pale.
very subdued looking and quite silent.
if he had only stayed away from the
saloon that day there's no telling
whether he might not have lived to be-
come the mayor of Baldville and gone
to congress at last. But Dave did go
to the saloon. and by noon was laugh
ing louder and oftencr than anybody
in the settlement.
He drifted over to Crotty's smithy
and swung sledge for half an hour.
laughing and joking with the black
smith like q boy on a holiday. Then he
drftrd into the bakery and bought
some pies, distributing them among
four or five small boys who were peek
ing in ut the window. When he got out
ON the street he saw Il stranger cross
ing over To the new general store anu
stopping to laugh. The newcomer was
in his shiitseeveS. but he wore plug
| hat, a "st0vcpipc.' the first that had
been seen i'm IBaldville. The loitererS
along the street had not forgotten the
killing of the Shawnee: they had come
,o mislrust Dave McDonald's method
ui merry making. and when they saw
him follow the stranger into the new
store they gathered outside in little
groups and watched through the win
dow.
The stranger with the hat" had
teamed down from Wichita with VA
:nn load of merchandise. the first COM
mrrcinl Traveller that had struck Bald
willie. He didn't see that Dave WAS fol-
lowing him: but went into the rear of
the new store to barter with Joe Cog
folk. the proprietor. He was bent ON
selling his prairie cargo. and Dave.
lettering i'm the fore part nf the store.
WAS laughing ut tn" ''Stovrpipe us liz
l,.un.u nruinSl the barr CMuntrr.