The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-03
An Affair OF
Interest
By OSCAR cox


rent Of competition In the practice Of
my profession In the east, concluded to
go to the far west. My plan was to
begin at the very outskirts Of civiliza-
ton and gradually work inward as
gained In experience.
I had travelled by rail as far az they
would take me. then by coach. and was
doing the rest Of my journey on horse
back to the settlement where I pro-
posed to locate. when I met q man also
mounted. who asked:
BE you doctOr?"
II am; but why did you suspect me
TO be such?"
II didn't. A lot Of MS is ont huntin'
Ger a sawbones. and we allowed we'd
isk every man we met: leastways.
pvery man as looked AZ II he mougbt
oe III a Professional business"
"Well. what can do for your
"Jim Tuwner and Cy HardwIck ID
goin' to have a shootin' match. They're
goin' to do It up in grand style. That
la, they hain't goin' to shoot on sight.
but by regular agreement. In all these
Acknowledgement affairs It seems they
must have doctor along to 6x 'em up
lf they don't get killed. don't see any
use in such feller. cause In this here
territory when there's any shootin'
goin' on the man AZ don't draw first
usually gets killed. This way. please"
The man had turned and was riding
beside me. when we reached road
crossing the one we were on. and he
led the way into It. 1t was singular
case in which to begin a professional
career. but beginners can't be choosers.
Besides. I had come west partly to see
0 little Of western life. SO ! made no
objection to going where my guide took
me. As we rode along | was curious
enough about the cause of the affair In
which was to ofiiciate professionally
to ask my conductor for the facts.
"Oh. it's about a gal Turner he
seen her at dance In barn and TUX
II into his head that he wanted her
powerful bad. Hardwick he seen her
ridin' behind a mule team. and he
wanted her too. They was both drink
In together at the Alhambra and told
each other how much they wanted this
snme gal. and they got Into dispute
about her. but before they came to a
draw q gambler from Georgia he said
1t warn't respectable to fight about .
lady In a saloon nohow. He advised
'em II the lady was to be mixed up In
the matter to make an appointment
H. a. Shx,. oh kt,,s lsx xsy0v n
they axed him how It had ought to
be done. and he offered to manage II
fer 'em. He allowed each man must
have second. us he called It, and
there must be surgeon on hand. So
lot of us fellers who was curious to
see how one of 'em fine feathered
shootin' matches was done said we
didn't mind hclpin. So the Georgia
man sent us off to hunt up surgeon"
] asked him II the lady had shown
any preference to either of the dispn-
tants. to which he replied:
"She couldn't very well show any
preference when she'd never seen
ag'ln. Sartin she hadn't never said a
word TO either OF 'em."
"And they are going to fight for
woman who doesn't even know them?"
"Sartln! How would they decide the
matter without n fight"
"What matterY"
"Wanl, dunno bout that. In this
yere territory we hnin't so particular
what we fight about: it's the 6ghtin'
that counts"
In due time we reached hamlet
composed OF four or five cabins. where
we halted. and man came out.
Have yo' got n sugeon?" he
drawled.
This yere gentleman Is one O. that
description"
"Wal. l don't know as he'll be any
use since that both Jim and Cy insist
on the kind Of n deal they're used to-
that Is. startin' IN and emptyin' ali
their gun barrels into each other Rut,
since It's to be done uccordln' to rule.
We must have n surgeon. Come In.
doctor. and take somep'n to git the
dust outen your throat"
I dismOunted. and when I was told
that the principals were only waiting
for surgeon to begin the fight. l de-
cincd to "get the dust out OF my
throat" since might be needed. and
| liquor wsuld not improve any skill I
might possess. All We're very much
astonIshed to find man who ever re.
fused TO drink. but as my arrival had
been announced the parties concerned
were slipping out for the fracas. The
Georgia man placed them back to
back, told them that on signal they
were to march forward till he sung
out "Time" when they were to turn
and open fire. They were about to
start on their march Of death when
The clatter Of horses hoofs was heard
,oming NJ gallop Eyes were turned
IN the direction Of tho sound, and
when the conner was seen to be a wo-
man all hands waited. She refined up
before the party.
IL hearn." she said. ''that you fellers
was a-goIn' to fght about me. don't
zee no use tightin' about woman as
IL married to II mighty good man and