Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-05-30
An Affair OF
Interest
Hy OSCAR COX

begin at the very outskirts Of civiliza-
tio0 and gradually work inward rs
gained in experience,
had travelled 10y rail as far us they
would take me, then 10y coach. and was
doing the rest Of my journey on horse
back to the settlement where | pro,
posed to locate, when met a man also
mounted, who asked:
he you Il doctory"
y am; hut why did you suspect ME
to lie Such?"
Il didn't. 4 lot OF us is out huntin'
fer 4 sawhoneS. and we allowed we'd
ask every man we met. lcastways,
every man MS looked MS IL he mought
be in u Professional business"
We'll what can | do for you?"
Jim Tuwner and Cy Hardwlck is
Eon' to have shootin match, They're
goin' to do it up in grand style, That
is, they haiu't goin' to shoot on sight,
but by regular agreement. In all these
high mucky muck affairs 1t seems they
must have a doctor along TO fix en- uN
If they don't get killed. don't see any
use in such Teller. cause in this here
territory when there's any shootin
goin' on the man as don't draw first
usually gets killed This way, please"
The man had turned and was riding
beside me, when we reached Il road
crossing the one we We're on, and he
led the way into it. 1t was Il singular
case In which to begin professional
career but beginners can't be chooSers
Besides. had come west partly to see
- 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 otiiciate professionally
to ask my conductor for the facts,
"Oh. it's about n gal Turner he
seen her ut a dance in barn and tux
It into his head that he wanted her
powerful bad Hardwick he seen her
ridin' behind Il 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
same gal. and they got into dispute
about her. but before they came to II
draw n gambler from Georgia he said
it warn't respectable to fight about
lady In saloon nohow. He advised
'em If the lady was TO be mixed up In
the matter to make an appointment
to do the shootin' In decent way. So
they axed him how II had ought to
be done. and he offered to manage II
fer EN- He allowed each man must
have n second. ms he called It. and
there must be surgeon on hand, So
n lot of us fcIlers who was curious to
see how one of EN- fine feathcred
shootin' matches was done said we
didn't mind helpin'. So the Georgia
man sent us Off to hunt up surgeon.
l asked him If the lady had shown
any preference to either OF the dispu-
tants. to which he replied:
"She couldn't very well show any
preference when she'd never seen
either of 'em. leastaways to know 'em
agin. Sartin she hadn't never said
word to either OF EN-"
And they are going to fight for
"Sartin. How would they decide tho
matter without n fghtT
What matter2"
"Waal. | dunno bout that In this
yere territory we hain't SO particular
what we fight about; it's the fghtin
that counts,
In due time we reached n hamlet
composed OF four or five cabins, where
we halted. and man came out
Have yo' got su'geonT he
drawled.
This yere gentleman is one O that
description
wal, | don't know as hen be any
use since that both Jim and Cy insist
on the kind OF a deal they're used to
that is. startin' in and emptyin' all
their gun barrels into each other. But,
since it's to be done accordln' to rule.
we must have surgeon. Come In.
doctor, and take somep'n TO git the
dust outen your throat"
l dismounted. and when | was told
that the principals were only waiting
for n surgeon to begin the fight, ! de
clned to get the dust out Of my
throat" since | might be needed. and
liquor would not improve any skill
might possess. All were very much
astonished to find a man who ever re
fused 10 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
We're to march forward TIL he sung
out Time when they were to turn
aud open fire They were about 10
start on their march OF death when
the clatter Of horses hOofs was heard
coming nj n galop Eyes were turned
fl the direction of the sound. and
when the conner was seen to be wO-
man all hands waited She refined M
before the party
I hearn.' she said. that you fellers
was a-goin' 10 fight about me. don't
see no use flghtin' about woman az
IS married to mighty good man and
got two kids :"