Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-20
THRILLING BORDER EPISODE
Rival Editors Of Rival Mining Camps Start
an Awful Row.
EXAMINATIONS pREcEDE THE COMBAT
Johnny DuH straps on His Gun and
hikes for AZ. Matthews, Editor
and MankiIIer"-what
Happened.

Happened.
That summer afternoon the Eye Wink
saloon contained only two citizens OF Gold
Plume, greatest carbonate camp on earth
the bartender and Old Hoss Durand. The
bartender was lolling back, with his elbows
among the glasses, doing his best to look
interested, while Old Hoss unwrapped
curious little gray rocks from tissue paper
coverings and thumped them down on the
bar. These. Old IIoss explained, were
specimens from the greatest silver claim
IN the universe.
outside the snow peaks glittered in the
brief summer sunshine OF the Divide The
bartender's eye swept the lazy street out
side. but found nothing to charm away his
wandering attention from the tale Of Old
Hoss. who rambled on. telling of horn sill
yer that you could pick up out Of the vein
with a knife and leads that assayed
hundred to the ton.
II was e relief, then. when a stranger
pushed through the swinging doors. The
bartender. accustomed to estimate his
patrons at the outset with view to posi-
BILE future trouble, saw that he wasn't a
mining man in active service because he
wore a white collar, and that he wasn't
tenderfoot because he did not look like
one He was passing young and seemed
to he struggling TO be calm.
When the stranger came in range OF
vision. Old Hoss greeted him with whoop
and burst of awful words:
"Gloriana Peacock" said Old Hoss, drop
ping his language about thirty degrees.
"Gloriana Peacock, If it amt Johnnie DUFF!
Has ORC busted or has that last editorial
illumination O. yourn blown you out of
town? An what are you drinkn'?"
Rye and cider chaser" said the stran-
ger. Then he leaned on the bar and fixed
Old Hoss with a gray-blue eye.
Business" said he, important and press
ing business. About the most important
business that ever engaged the attention of
man"
sObblng for Blood.
He unbuttoned his coat Swinging in
front of his left hip, just within easy reach
ing distance, was the holster and the
wicked grip of a Colts As.
Seer" said Johnnie Duf, as he toyed
with his glass;
Old Hoss whstled.
Jest goin' to wade in gore, amt your"
said he. Coin to leave bloody tracks all
over the face Of our fair little city? Coin
to mark your trail down our greatest bust
ness street by widows and orphans? /
! hope and trust that amt included in the
grand municipal funeral?"
! You're in IT," said Johnnie Dun in
| an advisory capacity. I'm here to wipe out
the Gold Plume Times-Dispatch. Wipe it
out and to hell with the consequences. And
| want out Of you the plans and specifca-
tons Of the new grammar butcher that's
| editing it-that ]. Matthews"
Down your drink, man; down your
drink" said Old Hoss in voice that was
choked with some strong emotion.
Johnny Dun drank. AS he drank he
raised his eyes to the ceiling and so he did
not see a QUICK signal which passed be-
tween Old Hoss and the bartender. When
he set the glass down they were both
ms serious as owls Old Hoss spoke.
That's right, Johnnie. Tell your
troubles Itll do you good to get 1t of
your mind before you go up against J.
Matthews Make nice obituary item for
your old sheet down at Orc; for just as a
friend, I'm warning you that you amt the
first man who got his medicine from J.
Matthews in short weeks in-cum-ben-cy
Of the Gold Plume Dispatch"
For the matter OF that responded
Johnny Dun, II amt betting whether the
funeral will be in Gold Plume or Orc. Go
ing to be a funeral though. Matter OF
honor Old Hoss, honor! What's an editor
got but his honor?''
There was a tear in his eye and the bar.
tender, out of the fullness Of experience
made a note that this wasn't his first rye
and cider chaser of the day. nor yet the
second. Therefore the bartender shifted
his gun to a place under the beer cooler
so as to be on the safe, side.
The Foul Accusation.
Johnny Dun pulled a newspaper clipping
from his wsistcoat pocket and showed II
along the bar
Amt there shooting in that?" he asked
II want to know amt there shooting in
that? slam Gold Plume regular in the
editorial columns. as is proper and a part
of the game. Old Charlie Hart, when he's
here. running the Times Dispatch, does the
same to ORC, and it's all right. Then Old
Hart goes down to the democratic conven,
ton in Denver and says on the front page
that he leaves the business in the hands OF
j. Matthews. l print my regular weekly
roast on Gold Plume, as Is right. amt III
And here's what ]. Matthews does! Read
) It! Get it into your head and ask yourself
If they amt shooting in it"
Johnnie Dun leaned moodily on the bar
and Old Hoss read the clipping thus:
The youth and inexperience of the per
son who attempts to edit the Weekly Mer
curry Of ORC should be the only excuse fol
the ridiculous Misrepresentation OF plar
facts which appeared I'm last weeks issu,
Of his semi-occasional sheet. An excerpt o
the article appears below, more for tn
amusement Of our readers than for the az
/, vertisement of a newspaper so plainly lack
ing in the first qualifications of Journalistic
dignity Great newspapers make grea
communities. How can ORC expect to at
tain that place beside Gold Plume whicl
its citizens fondly dream OF i'm their mos
optimistic moments while it is handicappe
2 by person so plainly amateurish In hi
1 methods as the oallow editor of the Mer
|. curry"
i We'll" said Old aoss, looking over tn
Z clipping into Johnnie's face, you are mid
ding young, Johnnie Duff"
e Young exploded Johnnie Dun. Young
K Is IL any business of that tenderfoot VIII
d broke into the business last week? Is
j. his funeral II l get out the orc Mercur
e when, where and how durn please? Semi
2 occasional! You can't talk to me, Old Hos,
n Feelings hurt. Editorial honor touched
5 Gone beyond all fair and appointed limit,
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