Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-08
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
/ REDHORN'S
TFNDERFOOT /
By Charles Lee Taylor
Copu,.ioii:. 1871, by 4. y. Richardson |
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By Charles Lee Taylor
Copyright, 1901, bu i. $. Richardson

| RIuhCrn WAS I tough tOWn. fiaiI IL
dozen "tcrruaS' amang its highly pic
| t,re. cue population stood ready to
shoot II the drop Il the hat. and as
many NOR pr i :s.o.al llackless and
| gamblers wyr,. Ii .HdN with their guns.
1t wa. !: al ,.ay when II killing was
not reported and an off week that did
not chr.i ice Il lyGching.
Hv..ac;l accepted s,rangrrs on pro-
| ba:i :. Ma: H. the rcw man was Civ
en- l,y-fc ur ioirs in which To show
| tllat hc rolr; Ifi;.h. .i:-lit ANA lose his
outfit at FRO without taking 1t TO
heart. If h. dil y aiiiiiatc with 1.-The
gaiig." nr "...rivt,. notice somewhat
II ti.;s ~ e.
.'Sya ycr". va riou> Spulcd. psalm
SIM. l;i.ec' n cd jack rabbit of
crit. =. t'::s ai;.'t rrrr town. and you'd
| ,,:tor inav. on if YOU don't want to he
| pl"". i ~ ,,iAr on the hill among the
| 81: :: - T-;,'vc 81 two hours to kiss
| vour ~ :: T. = ctl'y ard git
- l3ng i:.,oF = : a tenderfoot. a man
| - fresh r. ~ III safes that he still
W. d = 20 = l'''<.l aid = cake of soap
and who h..'i never kaifcd fellow be-
| ing. SHOWED up at nc;ihorn and wsls
struck dam, II; lis v-ickcdncSs. If he
was simply going mewhcrc." he
was permitted 10 remain lon- enough
to refresh the inner man ana then was
sternly ordered on. iiychorn preferred
| to assimilate citizens of It's own sclec-
ton
One morning the cry was passed
along the line "Tenderfoot I'm town."
and the gang sauntered up street to
size UP the latest arrival from civilian
| tion.
He sat on the steps of the Oriental
hotel. IL wonarish chap with n smooth
face ana honest blue eyes that scanned
the crowd Of toughS unhinchingly. al
most humorously. He smoked placidly
for minute or two. then. removing his
pipe. inquired quietly. Anything can
do for YOU. %entlcmCn?''
The gang collectively and Individual
| ly snoriCd and the fun commenced
They moved down on the newcomer
and shot the pipe from his mouth. the
hat off his head and the heels of his
boots. They had expected 10 see him
slide off tie steps and break for III"
hillside when the first bullet whiStled
through his hair. hut he didn't move
He sat there until the fiIsilladc had
ceased and the jplicrs were wonG", ~
If he was not an old hand in disguise
and then quietly said. Much obliged
for your welcome: it's as god us bring
| ing out n brass band"
| The crowd held Il brief consultation.
II was agreed that he had nerve but
that he would never make Il bad man
not bad enough tn become in eminent
citizen of kcGhurn. lin keiso acted
as spokesman. and his sincerity could
not be doubted.
Il hear YOU" replied the tendcrfoot
when jim paused: then he dropped his
chin Gil his hands and stared III Il dis
tant mountain peak. apparently oblivi-
Gus To his surrounding. Ii was not un-
til the hour of grace had gone by and
crowd gathered again that he awoke
..::s: :;:;::.c:: - ~. 49,,
"You can't say that we didn't give
you Il fair deal" observed Joe I.obdelA
the gambler. rs hc came forward with
q nooscd rope in his hands. You had
an hour in which 10 git. and as you
didn't 20 we concluded that YOU want
to be planted here. II you've any fare
well words To shoot off. you might give
| 'em 10 us.
I'm going TO see how many real
men there are in ReIhorn." replied the
stranger as he stood up. You are
three hundred to one. and every one of
you has Il gun. and you've turned out
this morning 10 do Il brave thing. AS
| was trampug over here from Hunts
valley | heard that the Apaches wcr"
loose again ANA headed this way. At
Beaver Bend | come across Il settlers
family camprd out in the wagon. The
man has Il broken leg. and his wife
and four children are almost helpless.
I'm giving you straight talk when l
tell you that | walked I'LL night to get
| here and bead Il crowd sack to save
that outfit. They'll be meat for the
Apaches and wolves before this hour
tomorrow unless some of you will 20
with me to bring 'em in. How many
of you can count on?'
Not n voice answered. The Apaches
had raided down close To Redhorn
three or four times. but the soldiers
had always been sent for to drive
them back.
mighty brave about turning out to
q picnic" smiledR the stranger. 'but
you don't seem to want to run !2to any
danger. Are there ten men here who
will follow mef''
40 one replied.
well. Ill take five. then"
The crowd was silent.
Isn't there one single man in Red
born with grit enough to go back with
me to that defenseless OUTFIT" contin-
ued the tendcrfoot
Say. boys" said the gambler lead
er, Il sickly smile on his face, this
looks as il we were short of sand in
this town. I'm not hankcring after
Apachcs. but I've got Winchester
and 300 cartridges and if any galoot
wants To become IL hero I'll lend him
the outfit
Not Il man took advantage of the
offer The crowd growlcd. muttered
and dissolved. and only half Il dozen
were left when Joe Lobdell continued:
Look here. tcnderfoot you've thrown
Rcdhorn down and thrown it hard. but
for one don't bear no grudgc. l see
you re determined on gong back 10 the