Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-01-03
NOU all is askin' me why the

Its nigh ten year ago now when
the tenderfoot come into camp on
the stage. He was sure enough east
ern. Tenderfoots wasn't as common
in them days as they is now, and
naturally they drawed attention.
There's more tenderfoots here to-
day than there is of we-all, but then
it was different. This tenderfoot
called hisself Thomas Wright, and
we finds out later that he give his
self the right brand.
Wright was jest out of school
of mines out MASSACHUSETTS way,
and he came out here prospectin'.
We-all was there when the stage
come in, and we was onto the ten
derfoot hard. The first thing he done
was to streak it for the Bull Pup sa-
loon, and when we seen that we
thought he was good stuff for ten
derfoot. We follows on kind of curl
ouslike and gets into the Bull Pup
just in time to hear the tenderfoot
order Nosey Ike, the bar-keep. to give
him glass of milk. Nosey was plumb
near knocked out, but he pulled his
self together and told the tenderfoot
there wasn't a COW nearer than the
Cherokee nation.
Ginger ale, them says the ten
derfoot, and a long drink at that
He got it, but jest then Buck Bradley.
who could lick anybody in any camp
for hundred miles round, broke in.
Buck was with VEAL, but he stems
up to the front and goes to the bar
about ten foot away from the ten
derfoot. Buck had been to call on
Nosey Ike about 80 times since his
first eye-opener, and he was ready
for fun.
'He says to the tenderfoot: we
amt got nc cows in this camp. and
we don't want no milk-drinkinp
calves. Straight ticker is good enough
for we-all out yere, and, stranger.
Stops don't go, so take some red eve
or dance And Buck pulled his gun.
Yes, them things was done in
them days, but they's gone out now,
cause the tenderfoots hold over us.
We-all looked for a scared tender
foot when Buck pulled his gun. We
was sure surprised when the dood
says, calm like, looking at Buck in
the eye, Il drinks what l please
Buck was knocked out for mint
wuss than If whisky had done it, but
he pulled hisself together and saws:
Then dance and he begun shootin'
into the floor about the tenderfoot's
feet. Well, the tenderfoot danced.
He had no gun or I'll bet from the
look in his eye he'd a-given it back
to Buck. Samson, the Teller the
preacher told the boys about, would
a-danced, too. There amt no foolin'
when a mans got the drop and about
80 drinks of ticker under his belt.
'When Buck emptied his gun he
walked out, and the tenderfoot dis
appeared through another door. He
put up that night in n bunk in the
loft of the Bull Pup. and we-all didn't
see him again till near noon .he next
day. Then we seen him walking
across the stage road straight up to
the door of Buck Bradley's cabin,
and there was Buck standing IN
front of the door looking struck all
of n heap like when he seen the ten
derfoot comm up.
"We-all was standin' over by jim
that was a goin' on. The tenderfoot
walks up to Buck an puts his hand
on his shoulder and then points to
an open place in front of the corral.
Buck didn't have no shootin' irons
on that mornin'. In another mint
we seen Buck and the tenderfoot
comm toward us, Buck loolxin'
kinder daZed like. as though he
hadn't jest heard things right.
Boys says Buck, when he gets
near us, this milk guzzling babe
wants to fight me. He says I'm
coward if I don't scrap He SAYS
likewise that I insulted him in the
Bull Pup. Now. boys, you-all knows
me, and I wants you to show this
yere tenderfoot the errer of his
ways, and tell him as how YOU know
I've licked the best men of Hoot Owl
camp. Blue Dog Gulch and all the
other camps hereabouts. / amt got
no wish to do this we're infant harm
''Buck Bradley was sure enough a
good man. There wasn't no waller
in him. He'd licked everybody he'd
ever went up against, and he was
true pitiful for the tenderfoot. The
tenderfoot, though, he up and speaks
and says: Gentlemen, this man takes
an ondoo advantage of me yesterday,
and I'm goin' to fight him here, and
/ wants you-all to see fair play
well, you see we-all was willin'
to see fight, though we was sorry
for the kid. They went at it, and do
you-all know that tenderfoot had
Buck Bradley licked inside of Is
minutes. We-all found out after
ward that down east he'd been a box
er and a footballer and all that sort
of thing in college before he went
to the mining school. Buck made an
awful fight, but he jest couldn't do
nothin', and cause we-all had to see
fair play we had to stand by and see
milk drinking tenderfoot lick the
best man in Yaller Dust camp.
when that fight was over Buck
n. aXN1a u