The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-03-24
- enu TOT F'itzsiGr Was. NJ

~ auJol@ f~he9 toi lne falifoa1.
8 c'eNSS::Jns came. The delicate aro-
ma OF liquor and TOBACCO came with
him-he was in prime condition, was
F1tzsimmons. But then, he generally
was. The messenger who was sent
for him haC no trouble to find him.
Fitzsimmons day or night could be
found in his private office in the COR
ner of the bar at Steve o'Donnells.
u amt no hog" would say Fitzsim-
mons; Just gimme all kin cat an
drink an chew an | don't ask no
more. No, sir! An cant say fairer
than that"
Fitzsimmons strobe into the attor.
ney's Office with the peculiar air OF
dignity that was his alone.
'Fitzsimmons," said the attorney
bending his gaze upon the roseate
proboscis of that gentleman, but wait
minute. What am thinking Of?
win you come out and wet your
whistler"
Fitzsimmons eyed the attorney stiff
fly. IN go out an stretch my legs"
he conceded. They went out and
came back.
Now, Fitzsimmons, went on the
lawyer, as he closed and locked the
door, we're in hole. This man Jen-
kinson has sued us for heavy damages,
and the case comes up next week. He's
the fellow we smashed all to pieces
last summer, you remember" Fitz-
simmons kept on staring out of the
window.
Now" said the attorney, hes got
us dead to rights unless we can prove
just one thing, and that is that he was
drunk Understand? Now, we have
information that he was. But we've
got no certain proof. What we want
is the proof. Now, Fitzsimmons," he
fixed his steady gaze upon Fitzsim-
mons wandering one, you're a man
about town-that's what you are, you
know-a man about town"
Fitzsimmons suddenly screwed his
face up into remarkable contortions
There's somethin' the matter with
me legs" he complained; they need
stretching, l guess. It's the only thing
that keeps EN- Strengthened out, and
that's a fact" They were duly
stretched.
Now" finally resumed the attorney
IT. thing happened right in front of
Steve O'Donnell's, at 10 o'clock mid
night, of the 18th of June. Under.
stand? Well, it's just possible that on
the 18th of June, at midnight, you
were looking out of Steve O'DonnelPs
window, and saw this thing, or that
you were standing outside, and saw
the man and saw that he was drunk"
With one eye Fitzsimmons gazed
upon the distant landscape. With
the other he steadily regarded the
other man.
Counselor he exclaimed, cit is
no doubt at all about it. see the hull
thing in me minds eye. Here's me,
just standing inside the swinging door
ON the night of June the 27th-"
Seventeenth" corrected the attor-
ney.
Seventeenth it isl" went on Fitz.
simmons. "On the night of Tuesday,
the 18th of June"
Friday" interrupted the lawyer.
so it was" continued Fitz. Fri
day, the 18th of June, an me as sober
as a judge, not having had a drop for
forty-eight hours to say the least"
Eight hours would be better"
I@rmured the lawyer
''Forty-eight, upon my SOUL" insist
ed Fitzsimmons. AN what dye rink?
AS | stand there along comes this man
Peterson-drunk as JORDAN he not
KNOWN whether he was standin' on
his head or his feet-or whether he
was foot or horseback-an' what dye
t'ink he does-walks into the blame
trolley car, yer honor, and smashes it
to bits. On my soul he did saw the
man., continued he, shaking his head,
AN | ought to know. He was drunk
as a lord, I'm tellin' you
me legs" remarked Fitzsimmons,
sis feelin' that weak" Two hours
later Fitzsimmons left the room, hug
ging twenty dollar bill close to his
breast.
"a double eagle for me conscience"
murmured Fitzsimmons to himself.
IAN awful dear at that, it is"
Next day he called upon the attor.
ney for the injured man.
81 got bit of news for you" he re-
marked huskily to Jenkinsons lawyer.