The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-27

ehnlg, bot none OF them held tia0 0fllce
very long. An fast ~ they wero elect
cd Joe invited them to resign, and they
showed respect FOR bis wishes Some
OF them werc d little slow, though. and
hc hnd to como in and press his invi'
tatlon by nrin' fow shots just close
enough about their heads TO make them
nervous and loosen up tho muscles oi
their legs. M
"wcll. things went along that way
Tor bout a year. Then ono dny long
ganglin' feller with a mild eye, soft
voice and a solemn lookin' face hap
pcncd into town. Ills name was Al
Case, and that's him n.slttin' over
there on the left.
"Ab he was lookin' for Job, and
tho town II was lookin' for q marshal
feat then. 80 the two gin together md
strikes up deal. Alb says he nin'i
never been q marshal, but lows he can
manage II all right. and tho town IA
nndin' II difficult to got anybody q
take the Job with Joe Kern and shore
death hnngin' over II, 10 To speak.
"wcli, Alb Ia sworn In and puts on the
star, and then here comes q invite ID
him from Joc, askin' him TO resign. Al
listened 10 Joos message, which wns
delivered by another cowboy, then
shrugs bin shoulders and replies that ht
don't never accept invitations second
hand.
"Tf Mr.. Kern wants me TO consider
any proposition hc has got 10 offsI
along that line. he says. 'hc VIII have
10 come In aud sec me pussonally.'
"About three days Inter Mr.. Kern
did come in, Down at the saloon he
told them why no had come. II was
to convince the new marshal that be
ought to resign and 20 away.
"'And I have brought my very best
arguments with me- be finished. 'ar.
gumcnts that amt never failed as q
last resort
"He shore had them. too-a Win.
chester and a brace Of six shooters.
And he knowed how TO handle them
arguments bout 40 eloquentiy as any
man that ever lived.
"He irrigated his system at the bar,
coolly lighted a cignr and then went
out to look up the marshal and pay his
respects 10 him. And he didn't have To
10 far, either. for he was scarcely out
Of the saloon when somebody pointed
out Al standIn' on corner bout half
a block away.
"'Arc you shore that's hlmT Joe
asked. ia rather not make any mis-.
take and kill an innocent man n II can
be helped
"'That's shore him." they answered.
Joe smiled and raised his gun.
"'rll sarter wake him up.' he said.
I won't hurt him at first. but jest call
his attention that I'm here
He fired. and the bali cut q lock Of
hair from Abs head. Alb looked
around sort OF casual to see what II
meant and the next instant sent back
an answer to Joe's shot. That answer
plowed a furrow along the side Of Joe's
head.
"From that they went at II In dead
earnest Everybody else got out OF the
way and give 'em n clear feld. There
want no backln' down and no runnin'
on the part Of neither Of 'em. They
Jest stood up there and pumped lead at
and into each other as carelessly and
cheerfully as you please
After bout ten minutes the firin'
ceased, and then we all cautiously
peercd out to zee how It had ended.
They was both down on the ground
helpless, but still tryin' to shoot.
when we come to examine. we
found 'cm pretty badly riddled up. but
with no wounds that promised to be
fatal. We carried 'em of, and the
doctors patched 'em up, and for a long
time they remained quiet In bed.
"Some Of Us reckoned the matter
would end there. as they had both
shorely had enough, but the older men
thought different. One OF 'em said:
at won't ever end while they both
live. Kern will never give up. and it's
pretty evident Case won't either. When
they get out, they'll be at 1t again, and
they'll keep at 1t till one of 'em Is done
for
"And It proved that he was partly
right. The very first time they met
after their recovery they took another
round Of shootin' at each other
"The result this time was similar to
what It had been before, Both were
badly used up, but neither injured
fatally.
"And so for two years II continued.
Every time Joe came up to town there
was a shootin' bout They fought to
kill, too, and, both of 'em bein' good
shots, we reckoned every time one OF
'em would be shore to git 1t. But,
strange to say, neither Of 'em ever did.
They riddled each other all up, but
they was never able to git In finish
In shot.
"I'll git him yit though Joe de-
clAred. I'm Jest bound to do 1t before
| quit
"Ab made the same declaration, and
we was all shore one of 'em would he