The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-17
How THE DEMON RUN SAVED JACK ABERNATHY
/|F Gun Fighter Had Not Bought FLASK of WhsAey
and Bit of Its Cork Had Not Clogged His Re0otUer
the Famoas Marshal Would Haze Died in Dael

the Famous Marshal WOuic
adventurous happening In the life of Mar
shall Alternately whose whole life has been
series of adventures.
The character of these can be imagined when
1t is said that spce his appointment to Office
he has made than one thousand arrests
thirty per cent of which for murder, and
the majority of the prisoners of the gen
eral character of the desperate criminals and
bad men of the West.
Born in Central Texas and brought up by his
pioneer ranchman father a ranch in Western
Texas, he hns lived the full life of the frontier
that merged at last into the rough and tumble
civilization that prevails in the Terrific
ries.
This story drawn from him with diff
fculty, and that it should be chosen from any
of the many others which we'll known tales
of Oklahoma is due to the fact that it deals with
his narrowest escape from death.
Copyright rights rescrrod1
GOOD many folks don't approve of rum
Lots of folks who know what they're talking
~ about and all of those who don't Will tell you
that the little red demon lurking In the bottle
works nothing but evil for mankind
But when Jack Alternately bears any light into
rum and call 1t out of its name and rot out all the
bad results the lecturer think OF due to it he
smiles unto himself n comfortable smile He knows
better.
Now, Jack Alternately himself is no devotec of the
flowing bowl. He couldn't afford it, He would find
IT too expensive. A man who has to be ready at
any minute to handle yeggs ard bookerS and killers
with members of various kindred professions that
make life interesting I'm Oklahoma who have no
cause TO love him, isn't apt be convivnl. The
practice would be likely to make him just the frac-
tion of second slow the trigger. And the
Jack Alternately is stll pretty much alive the fact
that he always is up TO his hest speed and always
has been.
stIl 1t should be recorded that Jack Abernathy
has nothing 10 say against AS United States
Marshal of Oklahoma he Is not :aed upon TO lead
Temperance meetings. he doesn't He wouldn't
anyway. He remembers. does Jack that upon
time he looked polntbaul into the eye of death
when all his courage and gun ccverness could not
save him and when nothing but fantastic accident
traceabc to the aforesaid red demon saved him
from - But this Is the story
On the eve of New Years Day 1910 two men were
leaning against the side OF shack an unfrequcnted
back street of Oklahoma City They lounged there
penceaby enough hands in pockets apparently met
to exchange remarks about the weather and enjoy an
evening smoke. They were ruggedly built and
dressed IN rough travel worn garments. AS smudged
against the darkness by the uncertain RAYS of dis
tant lamp. their faces strong and lean and
heavy jaNed, with quick, predaceous eyes Their
attitude for all It's ease suggested watchfulness and
something Subtly furtye and alert Cattle or railroad
men they might have been, Enthusiastically of active
life and the open spaces of the West
whats gone with Quigg?" asked one who wore
greasy red necktie with some a(fectaton OF style
about the nared collnr of his blue flannel shirt
Huh; still plastered from last night, likes not"
returned the other in tone of deep disgust
Didn't you tell that runt he'd got to stay soberY"
Sure told him. plenty. l give him leave to stay
soused for the next year If he'd keep off the stuff
to-day"
HE amt safe what?
"D'y' mean talk?"
Yes"
Nothing in it. Why you could feed it to him
through hose and every time he took a breath he'd
never say word cept ask for more. Talk? No
1t never hits him in mis- talk works He's pretty
nighty when he's dry and nervous but not when he's
wet"
81 don't like it, you hear ncI' returned the wearer
of the necktle Il don't like going on the lob with Il
barrel