The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-23

Ben used to say it was his liver that troubled him when he got to feel that way, but whatever it was it certainly needed fixing. About a hundred miles from Austin, , out in the middle of the prairie, among 1 the cowboys and bad men of the plains, there was tough saloon kept by an Irishman who made a living catering to this sort of customers and helping them to evade the authorities. A I quiet game had been going on there one night and was to be succeeded by a famous blowout Men of all sorts had come from all parts of the coun- | try for miles around, and Austin and | similar neighboring towns had con- | tributed dancing ljadeis from the va | rious theaters and dance halls. There was to be a record time. The fun was at it's height when a stranger came gall | lopipg to the front door, leaped from his horse drew pair of six-shooters, enter | ed the hall, and in loud voice an- | nounced: T I'm Ben Thompson. and every body's going to quit this hall.
 II who would be the first to obey the bad man, and in less than no time the place was cleared of all except two per- sons. One was the barkeeper. who stuck faithfully to his post, ready to dive down behind his bar. The other | was little slight man, who had his back turned to the bully, but whose hair, as it escaped from under the broad gray sombrero. was distinctly yellow.
 "The newcomer probably did not mo- | tice that, although seemingly occu- pied the little man was watching him from the corner of an eye every minute.
 The bad man advanced, wagging his pistols, and tapped the other on the shoulder. ..,s.
 "D' you hear me talk, pardner?' he asked. a.f.. j. l Yes, think I heard you remark. I Then why didn't you rnove?.
 I didn't know you were addressing your remarks to me.
 We'll, I was; an my names Ben | Thompson. i&H<s fs& <
 That's funny That's my name. too the little man explained, and the jaw of I the big man dropped. But he was still clutching his guns. He didn't dare re move them from the face of Ben for. I fear he'd be shot the minute he; gave an opening. Then Thompson spoke up: Mighty queer we should bear the
 same name but think you'll find mine
 counts best he said; and all the time. I if he'd wanted to, he could've squfnted down the barrel of the guns and seen the bullet that was waiting for him. Then he went on:
 And you put up them guns and get l down on your knees and apologize for
 using gentleman's name when it isn't I your own
 Tn spite of the advantage the big, fellow had. he didn't dare use it. The
 name of Ben Thompson was too much for his nerve. and he did as he was bidden, went down on his knees, apol- Iogized in presence of all the guests and | was sent on his pony backward and
 nipped with playful bullets as he gall | loped into direction for nowhere.
 That little experience pleased Ben
 so hugely that he tried the trick of ! ordering guests away from saloons for,
 his own amusement. In Kansas 20
 cattlemen were dining one evening. The Kansas City punchars were known
 to be strong among the best and about as handy with gun as most men in. the business you'd run across in many miles ride. All of the diners were
 armed. The meal was at its height when little Thompson bounded in, am Inounced himself and bade everybody clear the room. All hands moved with lalacrity and precision, preferably out of the window as the nearest short cut. When Thompson had cleared the room he broke into laugh, invited all hands
 back, -'set 'em up for everybody. < I "sThompson's end came from another sell of liver He went to San Anto- nio and renewed a quarrel with a dive keeper who was known as a bad man. As he left the saloon he mentioned he'd be back again within half an hour. The saloon man knew what to expect and prepared He loaded double-barrel- | led shot gun and set it within reaching behind the bar and waited Within. the time limit he happened to look up and there, stiff as ramrod, stood Thompson He was very full of whisky, but he was steady as a church nevertheless, and in his blue eyes was an ugly gleam that augured trouble The saloon man resolved to cut things short. He raised
 his gun, pointed at Thompson, who
 stood within twenty yards, and fired both barrels. Everybody expected Ben
 to drop in his tracks, shot more or less into halves. But never was touched As usual, the angry assailant had missed clean as whistle.
 "The next instant Thompson had
 reached for his gun and with the same motion of drawing it, fired three shots
 almost as quick as if in one report and seemingly without aiming. The dive keeper fell to the floor. One bullet had gone through his head, second through his heart and the third through his forearm as he was in the act of falling prostrate.
 I Thompson was arrested and com mitted without bail for that kill, and
 when his trial came off he was acquit- l ted without the jury leaving the court room. Everything would have gone all