Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-19
Tben he swore again. but this time


fright CENTRE" the heroine stepped TO
the ground.
With a glance upward at the aston
ished Bill, which he rightly interpreted
as meaning that she trusted him to pro-
tect her, she picked up the bowie ne
threw down, and, making her way 10
the dead animal, cut away the en-
tangling harness and sprang back as
the other leader struggled to his feet.
1t was an unfortunate movement, for
a bullet-which, let us hope, was not
intended for her, even by highway
man-struck her in the shoulder, and,
with cry of pain she fell forward In
the dust
Then. Bill arose. Standing erect,
needless Of the target his broad frame
offered, he steadied the long barrel or
his 'forty-five" over his left arm, and,
taking careful aim, fired twice in quick
succession. His last shot mingled with
the crack of one of the rifles. He stag
gered, swayed a moment, and, falling
backward, struck the flank of the rear
The half wild animal reared and
plunged forward; his mates caught the
infection, and in another moment the
stage was rocking and swaying from
side to side as the frightened bruteS
dashed down the road. The masculine
specimens of humanity on the floor OF
the coach were free from death by bull
let, but in imminent danger OF getting
their deserts at the bottom OF the next
gulch.
The citizens of Bull Gap, who were
awaiting the arrival of the stage from
Rocky City and wondering at its delay,
had adjourned to the Tenderfoot sa-
loon-so called, probably, because its
proprietor was less of tenderfoot than
any of his customers. Rough natures
find humor in contradictions. The
crowd of men in front Of the bar had
Just put away their last injection or
vitriol and were looking around in ex-
pectant interest for some one to set
'em up again." when they were startled
by yell from without.
They all dashed for the door, and
out into the street, eager for any
break in the monotony of existence.
The men spread across the road to
stop the flying brutes. A second glance
was not needed for them to guess at
what had happened. The missing
leader and the empty seat told the
story.
Before the bruised remnant OF the
Cumberland Opera Company had
crawled from the coach, dozen cltl-
zens of Bull Gap had mounted and
we're squirting back toward Rocky City.
That was a busy afternoon III Bull
Gap. First, they lynched the wounded
road agent and hung his dead COM
panion alongside Of him, Ito prevent
accidents" as the coroner said. After
that little business had been properly
attended to, they had duty to per-
form of another and yet kindred ma
ture. one that was done with all the
solemnity and respect OF men VINO
knew not at what moment they, too,
might need the same offices. Familiar.
ity with death may relieve it Of Its
awfulness, but it can never be any
thing but solemn mystery to men OF
heart.
Eight men, each quartet with
rough pine box on its shoulders,
walked with slow steps to the out
skirts Of the little town. Behind them
followed a crowd of men, silent, with
bowed heads. When they reached the
plot of barren ground that had almost
as many denizens as the town, they
gently lowered their burdens beside the
two new made, shallow graves.
The proprietor of the Tenderfoot
saloon cleared his throat two or three
times, swallowed hard, hesitated, and
then said solemnly:
II amt no parson, as y know, but
Their bein' no gentleman Of that per
fession present l want t say few
words fer tn boys afore they're
planted. They wouldn't hev liked it
If they thought we'd bury ,em 'thout
even so long They was good men
as men go, good friends, and good
shots. They .knOwed how t take their
Ticker, an they always had an open
hand fer Teller in hard luck. Many
a time I've seed Bill here, and Charlie,
too, 60 without Il drink ter give some
poor Teller a lift. They may have
cussed some, but they died like men,
with their boots on. and-and-may we
all do the same and meet EN- tn other
side of tn divide"
That evening the whole able bodied
population of Bull Gap witnessed
"Othello," as given by the Cumber-
land Opera Company, and wildly
cheered the heroine at every word she
uttered; even if Desdemona did wear
her arm in a sling.
The woman in the top floor back
room of a theatrical boarding house,
in an Eastern city, has a bowie knife
hung on the wall, with a piece Of an
old trace, with its dangling chain, tied
to the handle.