The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-10-18

lie Lived "a wild Life aud Wanted a
wild Death, and He Summoned "a
Wild Audiences to See Him Do Hts
Final Wild Act.
The longing for the center Of the
stage exists not only in the centers of
civilization" said a man who had gone
west, made his pile in mining and come
back to enjoy himself 'You'll find it
up in the Rockies among the hardest,
toughest citizens that ever handled
pick or shot a bear. The melodramatic
instinct is mighty strong in most men,
and the glare of the calcium is eagerly
sought after by many who won't admit
it. | knew an old man out in Arizona
some years ago who was one of this
kind. He was about the most don't
give darn cuss I ever knew. He lived
up in the mountains, about ten miles
back of Tucson, all by himself.
How he managed to live l never
knew, but he seemed contented. His
evil deeds never seemed to worry him
any, and the Lord knows his record was
black enough. He had been great
gun fighter in his time, and even in the
days / speak of it wouldn't do to tread
on his toes. He loved to tell of his wild
life, and the frankness with which he
related his somewhat questionable es-
capades made him an excellent enter
tainer if you didn't happen to feel
squeamish. Squeamishness isn't a COM
mon fault out that way, and everybody
knew and liked Old Cap--that's what
they called l1im-except the few who
had been in trouble with him at one
time or another.
"Now, no one ever thought that Old
Cap was spectacular. He was the last
man on earth who would be thought
likely to want the center of the stage
for any of his stunts But he did, and
the climax of his life was more pyro-
technical than any mans l ever got
mixed up with He certainly did go out
in a blaze of glory. 1t all happened
about seven years ago. I was in Tue
son. A lot of us boys were sitting
around in front of ginmill one after
man. just talking about things in gene
at the back. 1t was mighty fine day,
just warm enough for solid comfort out
of doors, and with the sky as clear as
absolute dryness could make it. 1t was
one Of these days, you know, when you
throw your chest out and congratulate
yourself on being alive.
"As 1 was saying we all sat on easy
wicker chairs, talking and whiting
reckon, when down the street came a
ten-year-old boy riding broncho. We
recognized him as a youngster who
| lived a couple of miles this side of Old
| Caps on the same trail. He rode right
up to where we were sitting and rolled
off his horse, with his eyes a-poppine
and his breath a-panting.
What's the matter, bub?' asked a
tall Texan, who was in the party.
| "'Old Cap says t come right up t his
place right off an fetch all tn men yer
kin git. TIL Injuns is comm"
The Indians were always liable to
bust loose and do something nobody
| suspected, so we got our horses out in q
| fifty and started up the trail to save Old
| Cap. There were about dozen of us
and we had our Winchesters and six
shooters with us. When we got near tc
Old Caps we slowed up bit and began
to look pretty sharp for Indians, but not
sign of a redskin could we see.
Wen be in time. boys said the
Texan who was leading the band. Ell
we get to Old Caps cabin we kin stand
| off a pretty smart lot
odd Caps cabin was situated in a
clearing off the trail around bend
with high rocks hiding it until you came
out in the open. We reached the turn
in safety and swept around it at full
| gallop. There we saw, first Of all, the
| little cabin looking as snug as usual