Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-07
Short STORY
Of the DAY
HOW TIM MuLcAHY WAS SHOT

Francis Noonan in Forest and Stream
The door was flung open and the
frosty air, accompanied by the driving
snow, rushed in in way to chill the
whole bar-room Jake Kummelwasser
reused himself from an after-dinner
nap by the stove and roared:-
shut dot door!"
Writ lander, who had been dream
ing with his eyes open, while MUNICH
ing mechanically his beloved weed,
looked around reproachfully and drew
nearer to the stove.
whats the matter?" cried Tim Null
cahy, who walked in and began shalI-
ing the snow from his clothing. Zone
would think that you two was a pair
of dollhouse plants"
BAH" cried Jake. you Irishmans
want everything vide open!"
and you Dutchmin," said Tim,
only want your mouths wide open!"
In contest of this kind Jake gener
ally came off second best, so he made
no attempt at retort, but merely re-
quested Tim to stop his foolishness,
shut the door and sit down,
"Bedad, said Tim, when he'd taken
his seat This night reminds me of
the night | slep' with the bear on the
mountain"
Jake knew what this meant, and i'm
mediately proceeded behind the bar
and took down the bottle of rum.
1t was Christmas eve. They had
dined sumptuously as usual, and Tim
had stepped out after dinner ito see
what the night was doin," in his own
phrase, which led to the above little
rumpus.
AS soon as Jake had passed around
the hot rum, steaming dramatically,
Tim settled back in his chair and
seemed to listen with a keen and al
most poetic enjoyment to the eerie
sounds of the storm out of doors
After while he put his hand in his
pocket and took out a meerschaum
pipe, deliberately carved with deers
head. This he lifted deliberately and
lit while Jake and Writ kept their
eyes fixed upon him. Never, except
on state occasions" as he called
them, did Tim smoke this pipe
Where did you git dot pipe, any
ways, Tim?" Jake inquired at length
That's a question you've. asked
every Christmas eve for nearly tin
years" answered Tim. "and | haven't
answered it for good and sufficient
raisons, no offence mint But think
] can answer it now, without injury
to me conscience or anybody's reputa
ton, as you'll understand whin I'm
done"
He took the pipe out of his mouth,
regarded it contemplatively for a few
minutes, restored it, and then, between
puffs, delivered himself as follows:
TT is nearly tin years since | was
sittin one evenin' in the barroom down
at the hotel The thrain had lust
come in, and as | looked out of the
window | seen a young man with a
shootin' kit get out of the stage and
inter the hotel. | says to meself:
Here's a chance of job and | asked
Gus, the BARTENDER, to put In a good
word for me if the stranger should
be lookin for guide Well, / hung
around till after supper, whin was
pleased to see me man inter the bar
room He was dapper little chap,
dressed like a cock pheasant and
talked with drawl.
'A-good evenin',' says he to Gus,
let me have brandy and soda
Thin he began to talk about shoot
in, and told Gus how he'd stopped of
on his way to Pittsburg for day in
the woods.
You'll want a guide, of coorse,
says Gus.
"'Well-a,' says he, that depinds.
They're such frauds, most Of EN-.
dontcher know
"'oh, l don't know says Gus I
guess some Of thin are all right And
there's one of EN- here now
AIS this the man.? says me lord
turnin' to me. Are you a guideT
Well says /, i have done some
guidin' in me time
DO you think-a,' says he, you
could find any deer in the woods
Il think | could says !.
a. says he, that's what We ali
say
You think says I. that we're in
clined to be too oppymistic?'
THAT'S the rnIatfa way IF y.Y.s8sri