The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-06-17

iff, and had his leg broken by
sBucky's" return shot. When the
sheriff reached the settlement with
his prisoner he found himself con.
fronted by mob. Smith, the captur-
ed outlaw, was himself of chivalrous
turn. He had that morning met a
school teacher lost on the desert and
had brought her back to the settle
ment. This struck responsive chord
in the Wetsern heart, and the New
Mexicans were convinced that Smith
was "a gentleman"
Smith was quick to preceive his ad-
vantage and declared that O'Neill had
shot him over a difference about
woman. The crowd closed in to res
cue him. Things looked squally for
the Yavapai sheriff. O'Neill backed
his prisoner and his horse into an
adobe hut.
"When man crosses tnat doorway,
L IL ouOOL 41AA anu LAOA IAS ~ AoOANAS
he said. his soft eyes grown hard as
steel.
New Mexico understands that kind
of talk. O'Neill got away with his
prisoner in safety.
While "Bucky" was resident of
Phoenix the Hardy "outf1t" rode in
from the cow-camps to 'shoot up" the
town. They camped outside and sent
word that they would presently be in.
Henry Carlo, Mexican, was sheriff.
He was good man and nervy one.
O'Neill was deputy, and the two men
rode out to meet the cow-punchers
who were racing down Washington
street in a cloud of DUST their smok-
ing Winchesters swinging from side
to side.
O'Neill and Carlo stepped out of a
doorway. The vaqueros drew rein for
a moment and O'Neill advised them
to be gone. Their leader, Hardy, laugh
ed, and fired at him. O'Neill's answer
ing shot threw him from his saddle.
Il told you to STOP" said "Bucky"
in gentle apology as he stepped across
to the wounded man.
While he was sheriff of Yavapai
some notorious cut-throats rode into
Prescott and alighted at Cavanaugh's s
saloon. Word came to the courthouse
that they were in town. Presently a
quiet young man sauntered up to the
bar and joined the bad men," 1t was
"Bucky O'Neill. A tense silence filled
the room. Some believed that
"Bucky" would not tackle this job.
But he did.
His rather effeminate voice an.
nounced to the leader that he had
come to arrest them. The man
reached for his gun, but "Bucky's''
fearless eyes met his fair and full For
moment the man hesitated, looking
into the sheriff's pistol. Then he threw
down his gun with curse. His men
followed his example.
So gentle was "Bucky's" manner
that those who did not know him were
likely to be deceived. At Tucson he
was once walking down the street
with rough-spoken citizen who
prided himself on being blunt in talk
and bold in action. O'Neill made a
remark that caused his companion to
spit out that he lied.
beg pardon?" said "Bucky," aston
ished.
81 say you lie," was the brusque re
tort.
"Bucky" took the would-be bold
man by the ears and churned him up
and down in the hope of teaching him
better manners.
Despite his early fears of speech
making O'Neill became one of the
greatest politicians in the state. He
was billed once to speak at Mammoth
to deliver an election speech. Neal
the stage driver, was taking him in
Oue VI ulS llSo. IHCS CtIlAC W IiAS
wash of the Canon Del Oro, and found
it raging torrent.
Neal, himself a man of acknowl
edged courage, drew rein and asked
"Bucky" what he should do.
1--WE got to get to Mammoth to.
night" said the other.
"Ill take you through if you say
so,' returned Neal nonchalantly.
Fire ahead then"
They were nearly drowned, but
"Bucky" spoke at Mammoth that
! night.
Only once was "Bucky" O'Neill
known to turn his back to foe. This
was when he was acting as probate
Judge of Yavapai county. He had of.
Tended a woman and she opened fire
at him with her tongue and an um.
brella. "Bucky" hurriedly announced
that court was adjourned and fled in
continently through the back door.
There was nothing O'Neal would
not tackle. He took always the side of
the underdog and did not care how
many were against him. 1t was the
vivid abandon with which he plunged
into the frontier life that gave him
his universal nickname of "Bucky."
He gambled with the lid off" at any