The Tupelo journal., 1915-07-23
How a Desperate
Was Eliminated
By OSCAR cox

congregation Of toughs. both for men
and women. in that wild and woolly
west, which may be said to have
passed out with the nineteenth century.
The Devil part Of the name came from
the number of crimes committed in the
place. The parlor was intended to be
ironical.
With the gradual rolling westward
of civilization even Devils parlor I'M
derwent a change. Some of the men
married respectable women who In
time caused the exit Of those who were
not respectable. The cabins took on a
more reputable appearance, white cur
tains appearing at the windows n
flowers in the front yard. A court was
established for the trial Of offenders
and there was ever talk Of a church.
All good citizens were interested in
the reform. and those who were not
made no counter effort.
This does not mean that all the bad
characters were at once eliminated
from Devils parlor. Nevertheless there
came a time when but one man of the
original devils was left. Bill Tomkins
had killed more adversaries than any
other man at the place and he seemed
bent on keeping up his xscord. The
court that had been established could
not handle his case. for no sheriff
could be found who dare attempt to ar
rest him. The men held a meeting and
offered a reward to any one who would
eliminate him either by arrest or death.
but no one seemed willing to try for
the prize.
The men having failed to carry out
their design the women took hold.
They Were all by this time respectable.
except one of the old stock called Red
head Kate. and she was as bad for a
woman as Bill Tomkins was for a man.
Ladies'" said Mrs. Rogers. Its my
opinion that if you wan to get rid Of
Bill Tomkins you'd better hire Red
head Kate to do the job. | propose
that we offer her the reward subscrib-
ed by our husbands to circumvent Bill
and fix him SOS he can't do no more
damage to this ycre community. Red
head Kate isn't bad lookin' when she's
well dressed. and bein' about my size
| don't keer If | lend her some O. my
toggery to set her off"
The suggestion was approved. Red
head Kate was sounded. and the re-
ward having been raised from $500 10
$500. she agreed to eliminate Mr.. Tom
kins. She was arrayed in Mrs. Rogers
best dress and a hat SO magnificent
that it would have been envied by a
drum major of IA band. When asked
il she would need a revolver she said
she would not need any SIGH noisy
,hing." Ii she wanted to do Bill Tom
kins she'd mix a little p'isen in his
liquor"
Redhead Kate was paid $3.50 down.
the balance to be handed her upon her
satisfying the ladies that Bill Tomkins
would not trouble the own any more.
though by this time its name had been
changed to Angelus. Kate waited till
Mr.. Tomkins had gone off on an ex-
petition for the purpose Of plumber,
when she also disappeared. Nothing
vas heard Of her for two weeks. when
she returned to Angelus. and with her,
looking like a lamb led to the slaugh-
ter. was Bill Tomkins. Immediately
on her retu she asked for an inter
view with the ladies of Angelus. and
on their coming together nus address
ed them:
"Ledies. there's no need for me to
tell you how | managed this case. for
you've doubtless all practiced what
I've lone on your husbands. l played
soft on Bill Tomkins. lettin' on he
was the apple o my eye. givin' him
ready TO marry me. A ~jestice o the
peace done the business, and as soon
as Id got Bill where the law give me
all the privileges and him none Of EN-
| jist came down on him with both
feet. He took it hard at fust. then
tried fight. ] met his fight with nag.
and ii didn't take no time to bring him
under. But I'm bound to confess that
| was obliged on var'us occasions to
use sarcumspection. Onct lifted one
of his eyes from its socket with my
thumb: onct | bit a piece off his nose,
and met | made him sick with diluted
ratsbane. But | wishes to say to those
Of you who's lookin' for methods to
manage husbands that | found Study
talkin' the most wearin' on him. | just
talked and talked and talked. The
finality of it was he said, oh. gimme a
rest and I'll come down.
And now | wants to tell you ledieS
that | really believes there's the max
in of a man in Bill Tomkins. | lone
with him what We have to do with the
bronchos. | got him under. then he
was easy to the bit. III pledge my
word that he won't trouble DevifS-I
mean Angesus-any more. but will live
here with ME rs Il respectable citizen
Inl wiltin' to leave the balance o the