Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

0 ae Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser. A me } — are allus thirsty, why, what is a more natural eonsekence than that ++ hegre lubricate at my ar? See? Then, too, thar’ll be plenty o’ bettin’ ‘afoot, an’ ef Colonel Chauncey Tupper don’t take in his share o’ the stakes, ye kin call him a jack-nmule, case, ye see, he'll be bettin’ on a sure : ‘* Humph!” said Wildcat Bob, with a smile at the colonel’s enthusiasm. ‘‘Supposin’ I should knocked out of time by some fellow?’ “It will be to your own interest ter bu’st everything that comes in your way,” was the reply; ‘‘fer I shell hev et in ther barg’in thet every time ye let enny feller muss you over, thet you’re to fork me over one hundred gold lollars out o’ your salary. Now, then, w’at aVye think of it, an’ will ye accept or no? “T will accept!” responded Wildcat Bob, ajuickly, ‘* Your terms suit me, and, as I can put off other business for the present, I will ac- «ept; so draw aD papers and so forth. [ guppose I am to have my days to myself?” ‘Well, yes, though I would prefer to have ‘you within call, shed them fellers take inter their heads to come ‘back an’ give us a visit. ‘‘ You have reference to the Big Hank and his erowd?? **Yes. I believe that fellow means mischief fo this So peg heie At least it will be well enough to keep on your guard. As for me, I will not be far off when they come. Now, when do you propose to commence this little entertainment wot yours ” ‘ “ By to-morrow night. if I can hunt up a man %© put up ag’in’ you.’ * Until then I am free, I suppose?” ** Certainly.” The colonel then wrote up an agreement, which was duly read, signed, and witnessed, and re an hour had elapsed the handsome young pugilist was in possession of a check on the bank of San Franciseo for ten thousand dollars. He had no fears but what he could draw the money. Colonel Tupper had been a prominent cers MOR: once in California, and had made his millions. After the bargain was duly made, the crowd were called up and treated by the colonel, while ihe made known to them what a treat they ht expect. \ ildeat Bob then mounted his horse and rode away. In passing the forsaken “ Heifer She- bang,” he peered in, but could see no one visi- ble, so he kept on without stopping. After he gone out of speaking range, a female came to the door, regarded him a few moments, and then shook her clenched fist after him. It was Kitty Aymor—she whom the dying John Cameron had caused to swear enmity to the young pugilist. 2 Nothing of importance occurred in Pompeii’s gulch that night, aside from the customary quarrels that arose from disputes at the card and faro tables. In the morning that dawned bright and pleasant, all the miners sallied forth to their tive claims, to repair damages wrought by the storm, and to recommence their labor. Most all of the sluice-boxes kad been washed away, and it took a good half-day’s toil to properly replace them. Most of the claims were in the gulch bottom, a few hundred feet south of the two saloons, and extending along for a mile or more, termi- nated as abruptly as they had begun. It was strange, but no gold could be found be- ‘yond such a distance in either direction, as fre- ‘quent searches had attested. What of the precious metals was found, there- fore, was produced by ing out the rich ‘sands of the bottom: Each claim was worked Industriously, and the gold-yield well repaid the miners for their toilsome work. A “claim” consists of such an amount of ground. carefully staked out, which belon solely to the pure , and woe be to the greedy man who, on the sly, attempts to dig over into “Te | guv me another jag, | Another sample of the clothing was loose and much too short a battered “‘stove-pipe” of the most ancient pattern. d As he came trudging up, carrying in either and of | the coarsest material, while on his head he wore whi hand a heavy carpet-bag, a crowd of miners | left their work and gathered about him. He was the first to speak. **Gentlemen,” he said, in a softly modulated voice, ‘‘ allow me to introduce myself to you. I am Professor Philander C. Doerflinger, high crete in science and pharmacy at Yale Col- ege, and medical agent for the University of Pennsylvania. Allow me to exhibit before your gaze the triumph of the age—the medicinal wonder of the Nineteenth century!” By a deft movement he extracted from one of his carpet- bags a glass ftwo-ounce bottle, filled with a clear sparkling liquid, ‘**There!” ho continued, holding the vial up by the neck so all could see, “is the glorious suc- cess—the far-sought but never-before-attained elixir of life! the remedy that causes the mortal body to know no pain, no suffering, no sorrow. Why, sirs, it is the most astounding benefactor of the public ever known, “It will cure asthma, coughs, spitting of blood, whooping-cough, seven-year's itch, hoarse- ness, consumption and inflammatory rheu- matism; it will eradicate corns, bunions, warts, and restore frozen feet to their natural state; it will produce new hair on bald heads, and effec- tually obliterate and extract the stain from lin- en, outer-garments, and the character of man- kind; it will free you men from the gripes after a hard supper, and cause you to have a cheerful disposition: it will save men from depression of spirits and bankraptcy, and the ladies from the epidemic of high-heeled shoes and chignons; it will cause you to cease mourning for your de- funct motber-in-law, and last, but not essential- ly Jeast, it will put money in your individual pocket. **“Now, gentlemen, having a few bottles of | this Elixir of Sodom left, I propose to close | them out at ten cents each, or ten for a dollar, which is dog-cheap considering the efficacy of | the wonderful remedy. “* Who will try a bottle, now? Who is afflict- ed with the ills that the human flesh is heir to? Only ten cents, recollect, for the panacea that makes a man twice a man!” None of the miners appeared to be out of health, and therefore needed not the tender- ed medicine. “Buy it! buy it!” expostulated Professor Doerflinger, flinging himself about in true John B. Gough style, ** bay the great specific medi- cine that exterminates alike both bed-bugs and the disease of the human race. ere, sir,”— to a grisly old knight of the ‘cradle ”—here, sir! 5 ust take this little bottle in your hand, / and look at it, smell of it, and its triumphal powers will assert itself to you!” The miner took the bottle with a curious grin, and raised it to the end of his nose. Then he ‘Course it ar’,” all “It's ther best y I've had since leavin’ the States.” That explained it. The ‘* medicine” of Professor Doerflinger was nothing more or less than a glass of the purest liquor put in a bottle, and sold for the remark- | ble cheap price of ten cents a swig. In those days, at most any shop west of the Missouri, the same amount of an article much at ga would have cost twenty-five cents, at e The arrivals that day at the mines filled to overflowing both the ‘‘Spread-Eagle” and ‘Heifer Shebang” saloons, and made business very lively. About sunset Wildcat Bob put in ana ance, and was heartily welcomed b Colonel Tupper, for the speculative colonel been somewhat doubtful, lest the young pugiliss should not return to play his engagement. But he did return, looking strong and cheer- ful, and the colonel at once felt confident of suc- ‘“‘Thar’s your man fer to-night!” he whisper- ed, pointing toward the back end of the - room, to where a large, strapping fellow was standing, engaged at an enormous pipe. “That’s Chucky White from ’Cisco, and I’ve engaged him to lick youto-night. So look well to your fists.” “Is he used to fist-slingin’?” asked Bob, eying his man from head to foot. ‘“Is het Well, now, my dear sir, I jest reckon he is. Thar’s them as say as he kin fell a buf- falo wi’ his fist!” ‘Bah! that is an exaggeration,” was the de- cisive reply. ‘Tbe man does not live that can do that little job. How is trade—picking up a little, eh?” ‘Exactly! exactly! Couldn’t expect it bet- ter, sir, couldn’t expect it.” “Tam glad to hear of it. Now, I think of it, do you know of a man about these diggings named Cameron—John Cameron?” ** No, I b’l’eve not, or, at least, do not remem- | ber of having heard the name.” ‘“*T rather expected to find him here,” said the pugilist, carelessly; then he turned away, and went down to where the miners were at workin the gulch. They received him with nods of approval, for ° | the bruiser had won a place in their hearts m the hour they had seen him “lay out” Big Hank, About dusk the miners ceased work, and A with the rest returned to the “Spread cag e,” n the steps he met Chucky White, the bruis- er from California, He wasa powerfully-buils man of about thirty years, oa had evidently been under late training, for his muscles stood out prominently, and he was not incumbered with superfluous flesh, Some one had probably told him who was to | be hisadversary in the coming contest, for he tap- uncorked it, and raised it to his nose again. | Then he lowered it, and at it for the space of a moment, asif in doubt. But that doubt in- stantly vanished, and the next moment the contents of the little vial were gurgling down the old man’s throat. The other miners looked on with astonishment depicted on their rugged faces, and Professor | Philander Doerflinger with a knowing smile: ‘*There!” he exclaimed, as the ‘ patient ” handed back the empty bottle—‘ there, now, is that not the most exquisite remedy you ever tasted?” “Waal, y-e-s,” replied Jack Carner, smacking | his lips with appreciative gusto; “‘ thet ar’ bove | anythin’ I ever slipped down my gullet. Went | down slick as a whistle. Recker ye mought stranger?” produced, and ** downed ” in the same suspicious manner; then the miner forked over the re- | quisite cash, and tru away to his work. Elixir of Sodom was | ped the Boss Bruiser familiarly on the shoulder, “You are Wildcat Bob!” he said, his tone more positive than ee | ‘* Well, yes, I am called that,” was the pleas- ant reply, and the Boss Bruiser from Denver ex- tended his hand, which the other shook. ‘‘ You, iI suppose, are Chucky White of San Fran- ; ' | and have broken the n cisco? “That's me, young man, that’s me. I'm Chucky White, ‘the champion of the golden State of California. The host in heer me as ye're the huckleberry as is goin’ to try to stand up before me, to-night. How about it; is that so?” ** No,” said Wildcat Bob, quickly. ‘* lam not roing to try to stand up before you. Oh! no. m going to do it!” The Californian laughed, sarcastically. “Bah!” he reto snapping his thumb and finger together, in en t, ‘you are “ san- guine, youngster, entirely sanguine. sir, 1 am the Champion Bruiser of Calif Aq of more men than his neighbor’s sand. The intrusion is erally | But his companions hovered doubtfully about | you ever fought, all put together.” gottled with pistols. ne 7 | the professor, standing first on onefootandthen | ‘‘ Your assertion y too broad to be easil I have known several deaths to occur in a on the other; while they wrestled with them- | credited,” laughed Bob, Vaan his splendid day, in the Golden City mines, just from this | selves as to whether they had better invest or | teeth, and surveyin from top te ‘same cause, One miner, thinking to dip over not. What the secret was they could not imag- | toe. “Had you told me that you had been and test his neighbor's sand, was shot through ~~ and the ‘‘medical agent” refused to ex- | demi ot by that many men, perhaps I might | plain. | have believed you. ae heart, the next moment, and instantly ee At night as well as by day do miners have to keep an eye on their ‘ By nO eve ivan woking nicely in the ‘Pompeii claims. It isa strange and busy scene to behold a hundred or :nore miners, belonging to all classes and grades, to be found between the pore. Mag Peg and wash phepetatrid Boy he h man ; dy lest his neighbor eal ee out more of She precions metal than himse During the day, the stage b down an- other swarm of fortune-seekers to Pom ss om one out of the lot tac iis way divectly among : the bottom. He was cer- ee an odd- en ee : sao Tay six and ®-half feet in high be imagined. was red, his oyes lus, and oe aolcrardighity cobateoes ie | Finally, one bolder than . ste up Chuc | and purchased a bottle, uncorked and seeied cr | denly fetohi the rest | it, and then allowed the contents to disappear | within the precincts of his stomach. | Another and another, and still another follow- | | ed his example, and then the intelligent and a | preciative winks that began to come from vest capital in the wonderful up his h Wildcat Bob’s head. tleman was on his low—which was a tremendous one—wi left arm, he put in a “settler” between the fist, made a at But, that overouientar and the e | champion’seyes with the fist of the right, quicker setting sun, at work sifting | eyes of those initiated ones, caused others to in- | than a flash of lightni . Mr. Chucky ite tumibled to the ground all panacea. Inside of ten moments Professor Philander C. | in a heap, and lay quite senseless where he had Doerftinger had nothing but empty bottles in | ahi pete and aiso hada round little sum | a in his pocket, while the miners di to their work with satisfied grins on their faces. ** Good ‘ medicine,’ ” said one. rs ed another. grunted a third. “Yes, a davécd svat ” ventured a “ ” 2." Tip-top, you bet!” respond Rep. Pe db ingen off of old Tupper!’ = It's bettern I one see'd up im thes | fallen. ** Hello!” cried Colonel op coven — at the door. a tri. deuce the matter?” ‘* Nothing much!” the coolly. ‘* fellow thet te eat one in ahead of him: S Let him here and cool off: it'll do goed.” him up, ‘And as Mr. White had no pals he was loft to recover an ‘< Half € grew red in the face, and sud- — his - nicboo