Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-18

awhirl In the %sinuous, seductive
mazes OF the fandango, sufficed.
Whenever a "tightwad" came alons
whom all these temptations proved
incapable of separating from his buck
skin sack, the first traveller over the
chaparral-lined trail was likely to fine
his battered body where it had beer
: thrown, after having been stripped by
the thugs.
| But times were changing: some law
and a little order were coming in
Bigger and broader. If not better, mer
. owned the banks and ruled the
benches where b%espangled beauty sat
enthroned-men who realized that
they could safely rely on the springs
in their faro boxes, the carefully sand
papered fingertips Of their dealers
the class of their whiskey and the
smiles of the senoritas to keep bust
ness booming: that thug work was
crude, and, therefore, unworthy OF
them.
Thus it came about hat all the bet
ter houses regularly employed guards,
locally called %"bouncers," to deal with
the violent and to protect any one no
longer able to take a safe observation
Of his surroundings through the bot
tom of a glass.
At that time the leading hall OF
chance Of the town boasted two men
of the bouncer stamp who $ had never
lost a dollar or planted a straight
stiff-that is. who had permitted no
robbery Of patrons by violence. and
had killed none but bad" men. Their
names were Jack and Billiard both
sought to hide their physical identity,
as carefully as they guarded their sur
names. by dressing in the extreme or
the most highly admired Mexican
bandit fashion. They wore somhrer-
os loaded with gold thread embroidery
and rolls: tight-ftting trousers
spangled down the cutter seam with
silver conchas: embroidered jackets
short as a bull lighters; broad belts
set thick with great round silver con-
chas, fastened by enormously broad
buckles of the same metal.
Notwithstanding. it was we'll known
that each had repeatedly taken sacks
of gold dust from drunken patrons.
and had later returned them intact.
one forenoon a miner told Bill that
Jack had taken and kept his sack. and
that it was up to him to uprotect their
good name by making Jack produce
it.
Nor did Bill need any urging: the
charge was a stain on their record. So
he lost no time in searching out Jack
and demanding an explanation.
In reply. Jack vowed he was inno-
cent. insisted the man was drunk or
Bill fully credited him,
and so told him.
But all dav long il ranked in Jacks
mind that his old mate. Bill. had even
ventured to question him, until, night
come, he could restrain himself no
longer.
Fun and frolic was fast afoot in
the dance hall, Bill sitting talking to a
girl, when in front OF them stepped
Jack from a nearby door. covered Bill
with his pistol. and very softly Quer-
led:
William. have you the faintest
idea of the identity Of the distin-
guished individual whose honesty you
have been calling in question? Say to
him right now that you have lied
about him, or I will start you on the
road to the Eternal City"
Bill knew perfectly we'll he was in
for 2 death struggle, but. game to the
core. he answered.:
why. Jack. I always thought you
too brave to kill a man without
him 9 chance, even If you are a
and rose as he spoke.
He was scarcely on his feet before
Jack shot, but the ball struck the
great silver buckeye on Bills belt and
did no more harm than to knock him
back into his seat.
Then the lead began to fly fast and
the hall was quickly emptied
Of all but the two leading performers,
and a free stage left them.
1t was a free stage they surely
needed: for scarcely had the last of
the terror-blanched huddle of men and
disappeared through doors and
windows before Jack and Bill, their
pistols emptied and cast aside, were
crouched and c~ircling like panthers,
each playing for an opening FOR a
thrust. They fought in ap-
proved Mexican fashion-feet we'll
gathered under them. left foot slightly
great begilt scmbreros ex-
in the left hand and flashing
up and down, fairly effective shields
against the bowie knives that played
beneath them.
Neither finched. In and out they
darted, thrusting, Sitting. but weaken.
ing fast of their wounds. Time and
again the silver conchas on their belts
saved them. for. fighting beneath hat
shields. most thrusts that count land
low.
But as strength waned. guard weak
ened, until, torn by bullets and slit to
ribbons. they locked tight in a savage
stabbing contest that never broke I'M
til both fell lifeless.
The reputation" Of the house was
saved, but I am sure 1t
was many a day before it found
worthy successors of its dead boun-
GERS.
It was early in 1862 that the ad-
vance of the California column began,
the vanguard consisting of two COM
panies Of infantry, one troop of V
airy and two mountain howitzers. COM
manded by Captain w. P. Galloway.