Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-17
DAILY SHORT STORY
A SIMPLE CONTINUANCE.
IOriginaLl

] COWDO. OF a miner IL very 5leol
Austin Abbott realized the difference
when he entered the Clear creek
/ mining camp in a suit of clothes that
/ he had contemplated throwing away
before leaving the east, but had. on
/ second thought, considered good
/ enough for Il railroad journey. When
( he arrived at the camp III them there
1 was a smile on the faces OF the men
whose costumes consisted of SOM
/ brero, wooden shirt and trousers tuck
{ ed in boots Then for the first time
/ he realized that his suit WAS too good
/ for the country.
Abbott was obliged to remain at the
camp for some time. since it was the
! only inha bited central point ON new
telegraph line he was setting up. he
was a good natured fellow with d
pleasant smile, with which he met the
banter his clothes called forth He did
| not adopt the costume of the country,
! and all efforts TO shame him into dis
carding his own were fruitless. Such
being the case, the camp, excepting
one person. accepted the situation and
We're disposed TO permit the tenderfOot
TO wear any clothes he liked. The ex-
ception was james Robinson. common
ly called Arizona Jim, who declared
that such ballroom outfit was an
insult to the rest of the population.
ThereupOn he commenced Il number
Of petty annOyances with view TO
forcing Abbott 10 discard the said
ballroom outfit"
Abbott bore these annoyances pa
tiently. meeting them all with his good
natured smile, but ii was soon evident
to him that trouble was brewing from
Arizona Jim. who was the acknOwl-
edged fighting man of the camp-a self
constituted regulator. one thing es-
pecially eXaSperated Mr.. Robinson,
and that was that under his persecu-
tions the tenderfOot waXed even more
amiable and was growing fat. His
glrth. which was but thirtyfour inches
on his arrival. within a week had
grown TO thirty eight, and in another
week TO forty-two inches. When his
increasing obesity was remarked upon
he laughed and said that camp life
agreed with him.
One morning Arizona Jim and Alb
bolt met in the only street in the town,
and Jim thus addressed the tenderfOOt:
Say, you've been dancin' about in
yer ballroom rig, putin the rest of us
common folks in shadder long enough.
| hereby gives notice fer y to take EN-
of. What v GRIMM ut, V walkin'
jumpin' jack: Eff l ever ketch Y in
them toys ag'in in this town I'll put a
hole in "
HoStilities that had been looked for
by the miners for some time had now
begun. Abbott's amiability had made
him many friends, and they admon-
ished him either to put on sombrerO,
a wooden shirt and tuck his trousers in
his boots or arm himself for shooting
match with Arizona Jim. He simply
smiled and said nothing. WhereupOn
his advisers inquired what they should
do with his body. He told them that,
having gained so much flesh among
them, the freight bill consequent on
sending IT home would be very high
and they had better bury him where he
fell.
Early the following morning the
whole camp waited at their cabin
doors to see the fray. No one believed
that Abbott would expose himself I'M
armed to he shot down like a dog, and
no one believed that he would turn and
flee at sight of his adversary. All of
this only added to the general curios-
ity.
Abbott emerged from his hut at the
usual hour. dressed in the objection
able suit and without any sign Of
weapon. His opponent, with n revolv-
er strapped TO each hip. was waiting
for him and started TO meet him. See
ing that his enemy carried no weapons
at least i'll his hands-the bully re-
Trained from drawing AS the two
men approached each other the audi
ence looked on with expectation min
gled with disappointment They dis
liked to see Abbott shot down IN
armed. Nevertheless they were puz-
zled that he proceeded on his way
wearing his imperturbable smile.
When he came within dozen yards |
of his opponent Robinson stopped and
said.
Il give y far warnin' yesterday that |
L wouldn't have no mOr&o' them finery |
in this yere camp. Take 'em right OFF" |
Abbott, who had also stopped. made |
no reply except by broadening his |
smile. showing more plainly his white |
teeth He could have done nothing |
better calculated to throw the bully |
into a TT of anger. Robinson put his /
right hand to his belt and drew re- |
yolver, cooking il at the same time
There was hush among the specta-
tors, such hush as prevails moment /
before some miserabl wretch is elm
mated by law.
Suddenly something like volley from
a Calling gun spat from the waist OF
the tenderfOot. Arizona Jim threw up
his arms. shrieked, then fell spra wiing
on the ground, dead Upon examina-
ton his body was found TO be pune
tured by I'VE bullets.
OF course Abbott explained. Around
his waist, under his false stomach. he
bad belt studded with short pistol
barrels. A wire attached TO a battery /
In his pocket connected the barrels