The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-04-13
SLIPPERY SAM
[original.l

! does to whom human life is of no val
ne and horses, especially stolen ones
the most desirable prize on earth.
! never knew the mans real name. but
he was always referred to as 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 I'M
bearable it was the unanimous wish of
the settlement that 1 should make an
attempt to get hold of him either alive
or dead One day boy rode in among
US and said that Sam was hanging
about a house in the next county.
where he was counting a widow, and
I was persuaded to go over and see
what could do, with view Of check
ing his IawIess career.
A travelling parson had been among
Us and left lot Of Bibles and tracts.
1 was not prescriptions as to the
means 1 employed with desperadoes,
so I put a white handkerchief around
my neck. stuck a pair of revolvers IN
der my breeches, slung to my waist By
a cord, and made for the widow
house, reaching it about supper time.
l told her l was a travelling parson;
that ! would like a square meal and
was willing to pay for it. She agreed
TO give me the supper. and while we
were eating a man came in and sat
down opposite me- / had never seen
Slippery Sam, but I knew in mo-
ment that he and the stranger were
one and the same person.
After supper, when the widow had
washed the dishes, I asked them if
they would listen to some things I
would like to read to them. Slippery
Sam. who seemed to be especially
pleased about something, lighted a pipe
and told me to fire away" I read
some of the tracts to them, when Sam
stopped me and said:
''We've listened to you, parson. Now
I want you to listen to me for awhile.
Liz, bring out that demiiohn.
The sight Of a gallon of whisky didn't
trouble me much, for l could drink
better than ] could preach and was
willing to back my powers against Sam
at any time I admitted that 1 drank
occasionally. and the widow filled our
glasses. I knew l couldn't shirk my
liquor and that it was merely Il ques-
ton as to whether Sam or I had the
stronger head. If I could put him I'M
der the table, I'd get him; if not-well.
there was no telling about what would
become of me in that case.
Of course / demurred every time my
glass was filed, but every time drain
ed it. After awhile it began to dawn
upon me that Sam and 1 were about an
even match at the business and the.
battle would be drawn, so l 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'. 1 got the
Teller they sent snorin'."
''What'H we do with him?" asked the
widow.
''Im a-goin' to put a bullet into him."
whispered Sam.
mo, you're not goin' to do any such !
thing. 1 have enough to stand harbor-
in you without havin' murder done |
in my house"
This was the last l heard, for they |
1,C in, =
low tone in the other room. l lay shiv-
ering under the coyers. Presently the
door opened, and l, 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 |
went out and shut the door, and it was
to me like coming to life again.
/ was lying with my face to the win |
dow, wondering what to do, when I
saw a rope with a moose on the end de- |
scending from the ceiling.
Then l heard the door open and a |
catlike tread in the room. A figure |
seized the moose, glided to my bed and !
with a soft touch knew to be q wom-
ans placed it around my neck. This |
done. she stole away.
She had no sooner gone than l took |
off the moose and held it in my hand |
waited half an hour, when l began to |
feel a pull on the rope. Clinging to it |
with both hands. was swung from |
the bed and drawn upward. I wiggled |
and made a sound IS if choking and |
when hanging straight down over the |
center of the room gave u few spas
modic kicks, after which l remained !
perfectly still.
Though l had both hands on the /
moose I feared l would pot be able to |
hang long enough to convince my
would be murderers that was dead. I
could hear nothing, but was convinced /
that Sam and the widow were at the /
other end Of the rope and would make |
it fast. Presently I heard footsteps in /
other rooms above and sumised the /
Job was complete.
When the first faint light of day
shone in at the window I saw a piece
of paper on a chair beside me- On il I!
was written IN lead pencil: