La Junta tribune., 1915-02-13
WILD AND wOoLLY IN TExAs
Touring With Minstrel Hhow Thir-
y Years AgO-8Ome lntessstlng
Reminiscences.

| the south some thirty years ago thu
music OF the 6-sho0ter was q rathe
familiar sound. In 1882 was man
ager OF Hayerly's Minstrels and de
voted four weeks to the then wild
and extremely wooily state OF Tex
as. Al San Antonio ! met my OLE
friend Henry Ward Beecher. whs
was on a lecturing tour. and at thu
hotel Mr.. Beecher. his manager
Jim Pond. and myself occupied seat
at the same table during meals ant
debated our prospects for the even
Ing.
My show held forth at the opera
house. while MIR. Beecher delivered
his address at the hall around tbs
corner. About o'clock raT
around TO the hall and was amaz
ed to find less than three hundred
people In attendance. while had
turned away hundreds Ia spite 0i
the fact that | Ind tilted the price
OF seats to 81 each. After the per.
formance we sat at luncheon. when
MIR. Beecher turned TO me and said.
Clarke, think they like your
show better than mine down here.
replied that II ne felt like ter
minating his tour | might offer him
position as end man or perhaps
that of interlocutor. ! laid before
him the box office statement of my
receipts, s2.250. when he remarked:
Just ten times more than mine.
After luncheon We started to In.
spect the sights and strolled into
the Fashion. the swellcst among the
wide open palaces OF fortune, run BY
sport named Harris.
We noted the operations OF the
artistic swindling game of roulette
were more interested In the extreme
tough looking greasers at the table
where Spanish monte was dispensed
and then came 10 d dainty little
game of faro. Here l purchased q
stack OF blue chips for $50 merely
to show Henry Ward how nice the
old thing worked and possibly to
show myself how quickly my little
fifty would flee or something like
that
But II moved the other way this
time and at the end OF the deal !
cashed In for $3.50 and we left the
place. Al the door Mr. Harris. who
had discovered the identity OF his
distinguished visitor. very politely
wished us good night. adding the
hope that We had found our visit
pleasant and interesting. Fifteen
minutes later he was murdered.
Some weeks later We gave a per-
torrance nj Mark Twain's old home.
Hannibal. Missouri. and while
stood at the entrance taking tickets
q gentleman undertook TO walk by
me In rather don't care euss''
sort of manner.
Tickets. please" l suggested In
my always polite and refined man
n.r.
"Thats my ticket quietly repli.
ed the gentleman. and l reached for
my ticket. but quick as I saw II
didnt want II. for II was a stout 6.
shooter he was fondling ia n very
sassy manner.
That's good" I said. and he
passed In.
Shortly af,erward an unassum.
ming little man came up 10 me and
rather modcstiy inquired II I would
extend the courtesy of free sdmls
sion To the sheriff.
Yes" ] answered. "of coursr.' :
and then ! related the Incident ol
the revolver 70 him.
"where's the msn:" he asked.
pointed him out aad the sheriff sx
claimed. "what. him!" and In sbou
two seconds The aforementioned 6
shooter With lts owsse flew past n,
like . streak. bound Tor the bouie
ward With the fins right fist Of q,
sheriff securely attached % The baei
Of the suaaaa's aeek. and vhsa ~
flse let 90 ~. Naa was in The out
| 10 the middle Of the wuddlpna saRno
you ever saw.
II thoss days shs mud Of u,
ssssets Of naaaibal was saoeus fe'
10 stehaess aad deosh anA a1hsslv'
esslisies.-- cissks ID Nee Yssi