The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-07
An Affair OF
Interest
By OSCAR cox

go to the far west. My plan was te
begin at the very outskirts of civiliza
ton and gradually work inward as
gained In experience.
had Travelled by rail- as far as they
would take me, then by coach, and was
doing the rest of my journey on horse.
back to the settlement where | pro-
posed to locate, when met man also
mounted. who asked:
BE you a doctor?'
II am; but why did you suspect me
to be suchl"
II didn't. A lot of us is out huntin'
fer a sawbones, and we allowed we'd
ask every man we met; leastways.
every man as looked as IL he mought
be In Professional business"
well, what can do for your"
"JIm Tuwner and Cy Hardwick is
goin' to have shootin match. They're
goin' to do 1t up In grand style. That
is, they hain't goin' TO shoot on sight.
but by regular agreement, In all these
| high-mucky-m affairs it seems they
must have doctor along to fix 'em up
IL 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 road
| crossing the one we were on, and he
! led the way into 1t. IL was singular
1 tee. xvyhs 80 hnr,fp q rtrnfaectnpaI
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 officiate professionally
to ask my conductor for the facts.
"Oh, it's about a gal Turner he
seen her at dance in barn and TUX
It 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
same gal, and they got into a dispute
about her, but before they came to q
draw a gambler from Georgia be said
it warn't respectable to fight about a
lady In a saloon nohow. He advised
'em IL 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 1t had ought to
be done, and he offered to manage 10
fer 'em. He allowed each man must
have a second, as he called it, and
there must be q surgeon on hand. So
a lot of us fellers who was curious 10 /
see how one of 'em fine feathered |
shootln' matches was done said we |
didn't mind helpin'. So the Georgia |
man sent MS off to hunt up a surgeon"
/ asked him II the lady had shown |
any preference TO either of the dispu.
tants, to which he replied:
she couldn't very we'll show any |
either OF 'em. leastaways to know em
agin. Sartin she hadn't never said
word to either of 'em."
And they are going to fight for
woman who doesn't even know them?"
''Sartin How would they decide the
matter without fightT
what matter?"
"Waal. I dunno bout that In this
we're territory we hain't so particular
what we fight about; it's the fghtin'
that counts"
In due time we reached hamlet
composed of four or FIVE cabins, where
we halted, and a man came out.
Have 20 got a surgeons" he
drawled.
This we're 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 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 aeeordin' to rule.
we must have a surgeon. Come In.
doctor, and take somep'n to git the
dust outen your throat"
/ dismounted. and when / was told
that the principals were only waiting ,
for a surgeon TO begin the fight, i de- :
Cilueu 10 get the QuSL OUT OI my \
since / might be needed, and {
liquor would not improve any skill ! 6
might possess All were very much {
to fnd a man who ever re.
fused 70 drink, but as my arrival had
been announced the parties concerned
were slipping out for the fracas. The !
Georgia man placed them back to Y
back. told them that on signal they 5
were TO march forward till he sung t
put Timer when they were to turn l
and open fire. They were about to 5
start on their march of death when !
he elatter of horses hoofs was heard
coming at a gallop. Eyes were turned
n the direction of the sound, and
when the conner was seen TO be wo-
man all hands waited. She refined up {
before the party.
II hearn." she said. that you fellers
was a-goin' to fight about me. ] don't
Zee no use fightin' about woman as !;
s married to a mighty good man and !
rot two kids" ,
That broke up the duel The w0-
nan took her two lovers home with |
Ter. where she said her husband was I
waiting for them with a demiJohn. q
There was great disappointment
lmong those who had expected to see !