Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
SLIPPERY SAM.
lOriRinal1

| ne and horses. especially stolen ones.
the most desirable prize on earth.
never knew the mans real name. but
he was always referred to AZ Slippery
| Sam for the reason that no one had
ever been able To catch him. He had
| for some time been the terror of the
community.
| When Slippery Sam became IN
| bearable il was the unanimous wish or
the settlement that l should make an
| attempt To get hold OF him either alive
| or dead. One day u boy rode in among
us and said that Sam was hanging
about a house in the next county.
where lie was counting u widow. and
/ was persuaded TO go over and sle
what could do. with view OF chick
ing his lawless career.
A travelling parson had been among
us and left lot of Bibles aid tracts.
/ was not overscrupuiouS as to the
means l employed wdh deSperadoes,
so l put Il white handkerchief around
my neck. stuck pair of revOlyers I'M
der my breeches. sltmg7 TO my waist by
cord. and made for the widows
house. reaching il about supper time.
/ told her / was a travelling parsOn:
that 1 would like IL square meal and
was willing To pay for 1t. She agreed
10 give me the supper. and while we
We're eating 4 man came in and sat
down opposite me. l had never seen
Slippery Sam. but l knew in mo-
ment that he and the stranger We're
one and the same person.
After supper, when the widow had
washed the dishes, l asked them il
they would listen TO some things l
would like to read to them. Slippery
Sam. who seemed TO he especially
pleased about something. lighted u pipe
and told Inc To fire away" l read
some of the tracts to them, when Sam
stopped me and said:
We've listened To yOn. parson. Now
l want you to listen to me for awhile.
LIZ. bring out that demijohn."
The sight OF gallon OF whisky didn't
trouble me nnIch. for / could drink
better than l could preach and was
willing 10 back my powers against Sam
at any time. ] admitted that l drank
occasionally and the widow filled our
glasses. knew l couldn't shirk my
liquor and that 1t was merely ques-
stronger head If could put him I'M
there was no telling about what would
become OF me in that case.
or course / demurred every time my
glass was filled, but every time drain
ed il. After awhile il began To dawn
upon me that Sam and j were about an
even match mt the business and the
battle would be drawn. so I changed
my tactics and gave way to an appear
ance OF being very drunk. sank down
under the table and was put To bed in
the adjoining room by Sam and the
widow. Then. while snoring Justify,
heard the two conversing.
Them people over there'll find out
they can't ketch me nappin'. j got the
Teller they sent snOrin'-"
"WhatI we do with himT' asked the
widow
I'm a-goin' TO put a bullet into him."
whispered Sam.
NO. you're not goin' to do any such
thing. I have enough to stand harbor-
in you without havin' murder done
I'm my house"
This was the last / heard, for they
shut the door and consulted in a very
low tone in the other room. l lay shiv-
ering under the covers. Presently the
door opened. and /, pretending to sleep.
knew by the altered light that Sam
was holding a candle before my face.
didn't know whether he had come to
kill me. but snOred for dear life. He
went out and shut the door. and it was
TO me like coming to life again.
I'LL. n. %. FL,
dow, wondering what to do, when /
saw a rope with a moose on the end de-
scending from the ceiling.
Then / heard the door open and q |
catlike tread in the room. A figure |
seized the moose. glided to my bed and |
with a soft touch l knew to be wom- |
ans placed II around my neck. This |
done. she stole away.
She had no sooner gone than / took |
OF the moose and held 1t I'm my hand. l |
waited half an hour, when l began to |
feel pull on the rope. Clinging to ii |
with both hands. l was swung from |
the bed and drawn upward. l wiggled |
aud made a sound as il ehok ing ,and /
when hanging straight down over the /
center Of the room gave few spas
modic kicks. after which ] remained l
perfectly still.
Though l had both hands OH the
moose I feared 1 would not be able to
hang long enough To convince my
would be murderers that l was dead.
could hear nothing. but was convinced
that Sam and the widow were at the
other end of the rope and would make
IL fast Presently I heard footsteps in
other rooms above and surmised the
Job was complete.
When the first faint light of day /
Bhone In AT the window / saw a piece II
Of paper on a chair beside me. On II i
was written i'm lead pencil:
Tired of life. Got the liquor habit on II
me and can't get rid of IT IL won't do for
one of my calling.
Sam had carried out his murder