Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02
The Whipping Scene as
Played in Oklahoma

fore the comic valentine was knife
stab to her.
"She knew that Joe Mum was in st.
Louis on business So she instantly
jumped to the conclusion that Mum had
sent her the insulting valentine.
~
/ "She did not show the valentine to her
husband. nor did she say a word about
the affair to him. Two afternoons later
Mum. having returned from st. Louis,
was walking down the main street Of
Ponca. At the intersection Of streets Mrs.
Beardsley suddenly turned a corner and
stood in front of him, not four feet away.
"'You will send me a foul valentine, will
you" she cried, and she drew q thick raw
hide from beneath her coat.
Mum was too stunned to say a word.
Mrs. Beardsley laid the whip across his
cheek with all her power. Mum never
WINGED nor moved. After the first cut he
allowed the bag he was carrying to drop
from his hand, and then he folded his
arms. Mrs Beardsley. in fit OF uncon-
trollabie rage, cut him across the left
cheek.
she might just as we'll have been cut
ting at the face Of a mannikin. Mum
just stood and looked at the woman. She
slashed him cruelty across the face, right
and left, eight or ten more times, every
But Mum never moved until she had de-
sisted and gone a hundred feet down the
street. Then he pulled out his bandana,
wiped away the blood and walked home,
where his wife was waiting for him.
Accounts OF that affair were printed in
all of the papers throughout the two ter
ritories on the next day, and the St
Louis papers also had stories about it.
Beardsley received note from st. Louis
The note was from young woman who
had been employed as clerk and cashier
in general store store in pSnca City until
and Beardsleys wife had had a falling
out before the girl left Ponca City for st.
| Louis.
i
II have read in the st. Louis papers
| the story OF how your wife cut Joe Mum
| UP with a whip, the young woman's note
| ran. Joe Mum didn't send her that val
| entine. 1t was just q piece Of cattiness,
and am the cat. l sent the valentine to
your wife myself. / am not a bit sorry
I sent it, either. although am mighty
| sorry that poor Joe Mum had to stand
for such a cowardiy beating through nay
| action
| In the same mail Joe Mum also re-
| ceived letter from the girl, in which she
| confessed having sent the valentine to
| Mrs. Beardsley.
ut was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon
when John Beardsley got his note at the
post office from the girl in St. Louis. He
| walked right up to Joe Munn's house.
Joe and his pleasant wife were sitting in
| the dining room talking things over-Joe
| with his swollen face In bandages.
well. John. it's been some time since
| you dropped in ON u.s. said Mum, pleas
antly to his old pal. and he rose and held
out his hand.
Not yet. joe said Beardsley. mo-
tioning Munn's hand away. III not
shake with you yet. You've got it on me
too bad for that. We've got to even
things up before ever We pump paws
/ again
What do you mean by evening things
up? inquired Mum, surprised.
~ mean this said Beardsley, I
mean that the score between you and me,
pard. is way ag'in me. You've got the
balance on your side.
Forget Il. Jack put in Mum. gen.
erously. I amt holding no malice. You
know that. 1t wasn't your fault Every
body knows that. Quit bothering about
it. Nothing ought TO break US two up.
Nothing can. We've been bunkies too
long for anything like that
: That's all right, pard.' said Boards.