Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-25
CHAPTER xxi.
Robbery Under Arms.

BOerS nad their tail up, ana the bfillsi
army was indulging itself in 'regrettable
incidents" about once week. Which L
allude to here because the word "regretta-
tie incident is good, it's soothing, and 1t
illustrates exactly what happened on the
night when 1 delivered Curly, damaged but
cheerful, among my cousins, the Misses
Jameson.
Just to the east of the home inhabited by
these ladies occurs the Jim Crow mine. the
So me being the very place where the rob-
bers once had breakfast with old man
Ryan, making him pay the bill, as afore-
SAID which was seventy-ftye thousand DOL
lars, and annoying.
On this further occasion which I now I'M
fold, there were only four men working the
jim Crow claim. 1t seems they were In the
bunk house playing poker until IL p m, When
their foreman uprose with regrets to surren-
der his hat, boots and pants to an aVar1clouS
person holding three aces and a pair OF
jacks. The foreman'S warm communication
on the subject of cheating was then cut on
short by masked robber standing in the
doorway with guns. This robber proposed
that all gentlemen present should throw up
their hands, and allowed they had ferVent
invitation to die unless they stepped out
pretty soon to the head of the Jim Crow
shaft. Accordingly the sad procession
trailed away to the shaft, and one by one
the mournerS went down in bucket 10 a
total depth of one hundred and four feet.
Then the robber hauled up the bucket to
keep them from straying out, and prom
ised faithful that If he heard any noise he
would just drop in a few sticks of dynamite
There was not much noise.
Meanwhile other earnest young robbers
were collecting every citizen who passed
the mine, and inviting him to join their
surprise party down at the foot of the
shaft. The citizens all accepted, and when
some candles, a deck of cards and few
bottles of nose paint were sent to assist
the levee underground began to get quite
success.
Mixed in with these proceedings, and
other hold-ups various and swift, was the
Chinese cook with a robber holding his tail
while he fixed supper for twenty-five men.
Afterward he likewise was handed down
the shaft l should also mention preacher
in a black suit and a white tie under his
ear projecting around among the store
shed for cases of dynamite.
At 1890 bunch of cowboys numbering
eighteen head, with a cavvyard of ponies
trailed in off the range. After each man
had roped and saddled a fresh horse and
fed corn to the same, their reverend pastor
put out a relief of sentries, and told the
crowd to line up in the rampasture for sup
per-
Naturally these people had to get the pro-
visions off their minds before there was
any talk, but then the preacher reared UP
to address the meeting.
Brethren" says he.
Look a-here," the new segundo, Black
Stanley, started in obstreperous backed by
a dozen men, all seething. II represents
this outfit in starting to buck right now!"
Turn yo'self loose
Veal has come to an understanding
that we amt agoin' to fool around here any
more These is mean pastures, and we
breaks for home"
That's what's the matterv' lot of
robbers began to come to crisis.
'Misteh Stanley, seh," says McCalmont,
you air Judge of rye whisky, and a
natural Dawn leader of men,"
The boys began to laugh.
Now" says McCalmont, 'all you boys
who yearns to get quit of me, and have
this judge of rye and natural bawn leader
of men to be their chief, will arise and toia
his herd. Yo' hawsses are at the door, SO
trail yo' spurs along the floor and go!"
Not man moved.
You, Black Stanley, take yo'self and yo'
followers, and get absent quick from this
camp cause the rest of us has business"
Stanley, getting to feel a whole lot 1ono-
some, Just dropped his tail and submitted.
Chief" says he, Il take it all back
Il made you my segundo Stanley. and
you've proved yourself mighty sudden. l
reduce you to the ranks You, BowIaigs
act as second in command. And now to
business.
First, I want to instill into yo' dim and
ciouded tntellecks that when a member of
the gang is captured he has to be rescued.
The captured man was my son, and seven
teen skunks of you hung fire when I asked
for his rescue, These seventeen said
skunks Is fined half theyr shares of plum
der IN the next raiding, the same to be paid
to those who do most work. Second the
man who rescued my son Is Jim du Ches-
nay here" The captain laid his hand upon
inns shoulder He IS my guest and as
he's not member of this or nary low
flung herd, you don't want to tell him
awdehs. or Cypress him. or stuff his haid
with any Of yo' dreams. I've a mind to
muzzle a few pet liars right now. The
speshual liars 1 see grinning is the ones L
allude to particular.
Now. all is q mighty sight wide of
bein perfect thieves; you has weaknesses,
some for bad liquor, some for small mean
thefts, most for showin yoselves off 'sif
you was buck-devilS, which you shorey
amt. Tonight 1 propose you fast from
such-like vanitiesh and attend strictly to
business, Moreover, as some of you amt
now explains this warpath, lest you get
wandering around after the wrong scalp
The objec' of this virtuous night is to steal
n millionaire which goes by the name of
Michael Ryan, and holes up in a palace
cyar on the railroad sidings. If you get
him in reasonable preservation, We realize
lots of wealth for his ransom; but any
blamed fool who spoils him with loose am
munitfon IS robbing his partners Of theyr
lawful due"
And SO, having tanned his wolves Mccall
mont gave the orders for the night.
Right here l bubble over with remarks On
the art of being villain.
Now, this Captain McCalmont wasn't a
good man exactly, it being his humble vo-
shoot any party who happened TO get in
the way He was a sure-enough scoundrel,
and yet Curly just loved him frantic. Jim
trusted him body and soul. l was mighty
proud of having his friendship. All his
wolves were tame as little children when
he led them; every cowboy on the range
would have shared his last drop of
water with old McCalmont. and even
the victims he robbed would speak of
him mostly perfect gentleman.
When he laid a trap that same dead
fan looked a whole lot attractive and
comforting. =" Scuse me-" says Mccall
mont, springing the steel Jaws on his vic
tim, II hope yo're not feeling hurt?"
Now if McCalmont had looked like one of
them villains l see at the theater scowl-
ing, threatening. lurid nlean-eyed scare
heads, he wouldn't have seen the victims
tail for dust. No, he wasn't like a villain,
he was like a mana white man at that
and when he gave show 1t was worth any
mans money to see. Just watch his play.
Grave City was a plenty big city to at
tack; 1t could turn out three hundred rid
ers, anyway, and that mighty sudden, too,
in case of robbers. McCaimont had to at
tack with twenty-four outlaws, and get
them away without any holes through their
hides.
Along toward one in the morning the sta
ble-man at Ryan's livery met with an acct
dent, being dubbed. Then a couple of men
walked round the stalls loosed all the