Beadle's Half Dime Library, Vol. XIV, No. 351 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—a« 8 EEL PORE FLL EI PR ET LT RIT DEO LSS CIT OE: LTE LL CRIS TE ee ee eee ee ee ee in patent-leathers, his hands in laven- der kids, and he carried a dainty gold-headed cane. The veriest Broadway dude could scarce have surpassed him in style, and it is little won- der that he instantly attracted attention. The bat, in itself, was sufficient to have “ nail- ed ” him, without ceremony; but to-night the men of Nowhere camp seemed bent on having all the fun they could possibly scare up. So the master of ceremonies that evening made no delay in inaugurating the festivities at the ex- pense of that ‘‘ pilgrim.’ This leader of the al stood over six feet in his top-boots, and was brawny of limb and broad of chest—a very giant, good for tow hundred and erg pounds, and possessed of tre- wendous strengt His hair | bristling beard were of two Shs but he was not an unhandsome man in ace He was, however, an evident lover of a free fight, and did not care how soon one com- menced. ‘*Some Pumpkins” was the name he had introduc:d himself by, to the citizens of the camp that afternoon, and it seemed to fit him well, so far as concerned his size. He had been “‘hoisting p’izen ” at the bar, at the time of the entrance of the young stran- ger, in company with a crowd of miners. He ‘‘ downed” the beverage with suddenness, however, at sight of the dude, and drawing a revolver, trotted up to him, with a broad grin of delight. ** Hello!. Haow d’ye do, pardner? W’at’ll ye take fer the dicer?” ‘I do not wish to sell it, sir!” the dude re- plied, uneasily. “Ob! ye don’t, jhey? Waal, now, I wanter buy it jest fer fun.” ‘ But, I tell you, Ido not wish to sell it, Must I repeat it?—I do not wish to sell it!” Some Pumpkins stared; then gave vent toa prolonged whistle, as he glared around at the crowd, comically. 4. What s asc ges sonny?” he asked. » my man?” The du Fe e's i xs ar eee wer stein iy"name - on anaan, an’ I’m on the tite, ho re you Fs Well, wh Pr you are Spo 4 pene to know, Iam St. George Atwood, and I hail from New York. What can I do for you?” ‘‘ Give me that hat!” ‘What for?” ‘To shute.” “You are ptertas J sir. I ama gentleman and mind my own business. Did you never learn that aatuaipltabnient!” “I reckon not. J’m a bustler, I am, an’I live on horns an’ taller. I want that aire hat an’ that aire b’iled shirt. Hey, me lads?” There was an affirmative murmur from the audience, while a number perpetrated that original Westernism— ‘* You bet!” **T give you my hab, sir, and my shirt? Why, what do you take me for?” “A taller candle wi’out a wick in—a dude!” snorted Some Pumpkins. “ What say—do I hey ’em?” ** Most assuredly not! You are highly impu- dent and insuiting. I cannot understand why you thus attempt to create a quarrel with me, when I never did any ything to harm you,” ‘‘ Never did ary thing to harm us? Oh! Lordy! Why, me stick o’ lemon candy, ye bey nigh *bout throw’d us inter insulted spasms! Reckon ye don’t know our rules o’ etterket, hey?” ‘*{ do not.” Waal, as a gin’ral thing, we shoot a man on ther spot who simply sports a dicer.” ** You do?” *‘ You bet! When a man dares ter insult our rules o’ etterket by wearin’a b’iled shirt, we plants him alive.” ** Indeed !”’ Considerin’ thet ye warn’t fetched up wi’ good breedin’, I let ye off easy by jest axin’ ye to pony up the offensive articles.” ‘‘ And I, like a gentleman’s son, refuse to do so!” "Ye do?” “Most assuredly.” Some Pumpkins regarded young Atwood for a moment as if he could not believe the evi- Bead of his senses; then he raised his revolver, and leveled it at the plucky dude. “Off with the hat, or I’ll shute it!’ he com- manded, with a savage oath, “ Blage away!” was the cool answer, At this invitation the click! click! of two Deadwood Dick Sentenced. score revoivers was heard ‘caulbnante and > volley of bullets sped likewise at the offending at. It was blown from the head of young At- wood, and fell to the floor, literally shot into fragments. ‘* Now then, off wi’ ther shirt or die!” Some Pumpkins cried fiercely. Atwood was now pale with affright. He had evidently regarded the giant’s threat before as a joke. With nervous haste he began to remove bis outer garments, First came a coat, then a vest; then, lo! and behold! a corset of pink satin met the gaze of the astonished audience, A roar of laughter escaped the crowd, while Some Pumpkins actually seemed too astounded to speak for the moment. ** Corsets!” he finally gasped. ‘‘ Boyees, this aire too much fer mortal man toendure. Fetch @ rope, some one; quick, afore it escapes!” A yell of assent burst from a score of throats, and several men sprung away in quest of the desired rope with which to lynch the man who had dared to insult the town by appearing in it wearing a corset. But, just then, and ere the required rope was produced, a man steeped forward from a neigh- oring card-table, where he had been engaged, both in watching the game and this Canaan giant, **See here, my friend!” he said, confronting the latter, ‘‘ this little circus of yours bas gone about far ‘enough. You let the stranger. one, or vou will most likely get hurt.” Some Pumpkins glared upon the speaker in astonishment, while” the crowd gave muttered utterances to their surprise, ‘““Tll git hurt, hey?” he ejaculated, ‘‘Ill git all broke up of a sudden, like I was no good for anything g?” * Without the slightest doubt!” Then turning to young Atwood, the stranger continued: * As for you, young fellow, if you value your a aie ua er slo duh tesken he sdeant od ortun ude nee no secon - B ,mucvoeted in g his escape e the stranger once more ecenadt "hie. Bick on to the giant, who had as yet not recovered sufficiently from his surprise ussume a.warlike attitude, “There!” the intruder exclaimed. ‘“ Your victim is gone. Now, what have you got to say abont it?” ‘*What hevI got to say?” the giant muttered, rubbing his hand across bis lat as if to make sure that he saw aright. ’ He didn’t finish the iatarion He remained standing in an awkward sort of position, and stared into vacancy, “Come!” the stranger called out; “I thought hae was On your muscle, Ain’t you going to ‘nock me down, or bite off my ear?” No answer. The rough crowd stared first at the giant and then at the stranger in undisguised wonder- ment, What was the matter with Some Pumpkins was more than they were capable of compre- heLding. The stranger regarded him intently for sev- eral seconds, as if waiting for him to speak; oo with a dry laugh, he pointed toward the 00 = "Phis Sierra bear will show you how to waltz, grizzly feshion!” he said. And Some Pumpkins did that very thing! He got down on all-fours, and proceeded to perform an impromptu series of whirls and twists and evolutions that were ridiculously un- couth and ludicrous. ‘*Good enough!” the stranger said. ‘‘ By the way, gents, let me introduce myself. am known best as Fakir Fred, from the fact that I am always faking up some kind of a racket for the edification of those mortals who appreciate a bit of fun. Lo! and behold, the raging and gigantic epidemic, that a bit ago threatened to uproot this town is now as race as a lamb, and twice as natural, To show you that Some Pumpkins is really an obliging gentleman, even at the expense of personal pain, I’ll ask bim to place his back up against yonder wall, while I give you a few tricks of my trade.” The giant slowly arose, and as slowly backed up, to the wall. “Good! Now shift your. head, so that your left ear rests flat against that projecting stud- ps ae Fakir Fred said, calmly. e giant obeyed. He still gazed into vacancy; his face was strangely set; he seemed to be worked by some invisible mechanism. Not knowing whether to laugh, or not, the crowd of spectators looked on, their counten- ances furnishing wide contrasts in their expres- sions, ‘Now, then,” Fakir Fred went on, ‘you have witnessed how ready the fellow is to obey my slightest wish, which all goes to prove, con- clusively, that he knows bis master when he meets him; so, to amuse you, Ill just prick his ear with a knife -blade, and you will see how serenely he takes it. 1 de really believe he will laugh,’ Drawing a knife from the top of his boot, the fakir suddenly raised his arm, and the blade went whizzing through the air. Acry of astonishment went up, as the keen point just touched Some Pumpkins’s ear, and was imbedded in the wood. Did the giant cry out with pain, or fright? Far from it! A smile mantled his features as he reached up, pulled out the knife and tossed it back to the fakir, ‘* There’ 5 rit for you!” that individual cried, blandly. ur overgrown friend would make a brave jee if he only had the proper coach- ing. Now, the next act on our programme, will be something else. To illustrate one of the uncertainties of life, will some one loan my friend a cigar that is nearly smoked up but has ashes on the end of it!” The cigar was handed to the giant. It was about an inch and a half long, a quar- ter of an inch of it being reduced to ashes. ‘‘Now place the right end between your teeth, ae turn your face sideways!” Fakir Fred ordered. Some Pumpkins ohere his face wearing a look of stolid composur Fakir Fred then a8 the tip of the knife be- tween his thumb and forefinger, and then it went, with a whiz through the air, and when the blade clippee off the end of the cigar, close to the giant’s lips, a thunder of applause made the building tremble. iat Set aa of satisfaction from the Fakir— eNom th he ents wr th te restored things te ainin eyo U 80 ong. Ou Eten ip an “alee a drink, at my expense, while Mr. So kins is performing a few feats of crariaanlieat? There was an immediate rush to the bar, a for several minutes Missouri Mag was vent busy in serving out the beverages, , In the mean time, the giant had suddenly de- veloped himself into a gymnast of no mean ability and was tarakag somersets, and do- other bits of circus ‘‘biz” much to the de- The and wonderment of the gaping crowd. n the midst of this fun it was that a peeuly: vailed woman, dressed in black, stepped up Fakir Fred, and tapped him on the s oulder, “You area mesmerist and a magician, Mr, Fakir!” she said, in a soft, significant voice, ‘“‘Are you so much of a magician with the pasteboards that you would dare to venture all your money ona ‘game of draw?” He started, a trifle, and gazed at her, a mo. ment, curiously, as if trying to see the face, so closely hidden behind the vail. “With you?” he asked, dryly. “ Exactly—with me.” ‘Well, I don’t know that I should be so im- polite as to refuse to accommodate you. My exehequer is rather ag to-night, however. A hundred would be my limit.” ‘Enough! Comealong. Even men of magic oe beret iN beaten;” and turning, she led the toward a card-table. © Pam peta, zon can g° and stand up in Pot bok der corner until I want you!” Fakir F marked, commandingly; then he joined his un- known challenger, at the table. CHAPTER X, LADYSLIPPER. Some ,PUMPKINS promptly obeyed Fakir Fred’s order, and iooked as docile and resigned as a person could well look, under the most agreeable circumstances, Little attention was paid to bim, bowever, for allinterest was centered u on the card du between Fakir Fred, and the Vailed Lady, whom nobody appeared to wena The game between the Vailed Lady and the Fakir paodiiied to be of more than usual interest, especially as the former bad been the challenger. A large number of those present did not un- derstand the meaning ist ” and ‘*m onr Pque Lady’s refer {6 OM x Cc @XGy of the terms ‘* mm P excitement,