Robert Parker - Gunman's Rhapsody

“Well, we know what you was doing, don’t we?” Sippy answered, and the miners laughed.

Morgan clucked at the team, and the wagon began to move. With the deputized gunmen riding on either side of it, the wagon picked up speed as it went down Allen Street. It turned right at Fourth Street and disappeared. Many of the miners watched it and then when it was gone began to drift away from in front of Vronan’s. The onlookers went back into the saloons, and after a time the street was empty. Virgil eased the hammers down on the shotgun and looked at his brother. Wyatt was still staring after the last miner, the shotgun still leveled.

“Well, that’s over,” Virgil said.

Wyatt looked startled, then he took a deep breath and let it out and slowly lowered the shotgun. He eased the hammers off cock. James spoke from the doorway.

“Vronan can afford a couple more on the house, I figure.”

“Whiskey sounds right,” Virgil said.

James said, “You want coffee, Wyatt?”

“Coffee’d be good.”

And the three brothers went in and stood together at the dimly lit bar in the empty bowling alley and drank and didn’t say much.

CHRONICLE

In New York City, James Garfield is shot and badly wounded by Charles Guiteau. The President dies of his wounds in September… In New Mexico, William Bonney is shot to death by Pat Garrett… In Canada, Sitting Bull surrenders… The Boston Symphony Orchestra performs its first concert… In Germany the first electric tramway begins operations… in Boston Walt Whitman’s publisher withdraws “Leaves of Grass,” after widespread charges that the poem is indecent.

PARNELL PROMISES IRELAND HELP FROM AMERICA

Dublin , October 25-

Mr. Parnell and Mr. O’Connor were entertained at a banquet in Galway today. Mr. Parnell, in speaking, said if Irishmen would call upon their brothers in America for help and would show they had a fair chance for success they would have America’s trained and organized assistance in breaking the yoke now encircling them.

AN OPEN REVOLT AGAINST THE WHITES AT NATAL

The Most Horrible Atrocities Committed by the Natives.

London , October 26-

Later advices from Cape Town confirm the alarming news received yesterday, announcing that other tribes have joined the Basutos in open revolt against the colonial government. The natives beyond Pieter Maritsberg, the capital of Natal, situated fifty miles from Port Natal, have made an attack on the white residents and such natives as remain faithful to the Cape government, burning buildings, pillaging, and outraging women. The most horrible atrocities are reported, and the insurgents are complete masters of the situation. The colonial authorities are in need of immediate assistance, and unless reinforcements can reach them at once, the situation of the little handful of men commanded by Colonel Clark is considered absolutely hopeless. A later dispatch sent by the Union Steamships Company’s Durban agent states that all communication between Durban and the Cape colony has been cut off, the Basutos having cut the wire.

LYDIA E. PINKHAM’S VEGETABLE COMPOUND

A Positive Cure

For All Female Complaints

This preparation, as the name signifies, consists of vegetable properties that are harmless to the most delicate invalid… it will cure entirely the worst form of Falling of the Uterus, Leucorrhoea, Irregular and Painful menstruation, all Ovarian Troubles, Inflammation and Ulceration, Floodings, all Displacements and the consequent spinal weakness, and is especially adapted to the Change of Life. It will dissolve and expel tumors from the uterus in an early stage of development. The tendency to Cancerous Humors there is checked very speedily by its use.

In fact, it has proved to be the greatest and best remedy that has ever been discovered. It permeates every portion of the system, and gives new life and vigor. It removes faintness, flatulency, destroys all craving for stimulants, and relieves weakness of the stomach.

It cures Bloating, Headaches, Nervous Prostration, General Debility, Sleeplessness, Depression and Indigestion. That feeling of bearing down, causing pain, weight and backache, is permanently cured by its use. It will at all times and under all circumstances, act in harmony with the law that governs the female system.

For kidney complaints of either sex this compound is unsurpassed.

EPPS COCOA

By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by careful application of the fine properties of well-selected Cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavored beverage which may save us many heavy doctors bills…

James Epps & Co.

London , Eng.

It was early March. Wyatt was dealing faro in the Oriental and drinking coffee and watching the room. He wasn’t looking for John Tyler. John Tyler had never come back into the Oriental, and Wyatt heard he had moved on. Wyatt was just watching the room, as he watched every room he was ever in. He looked at everything around him and had for as long as he could remember. He could see farther than most men, and even as a child he was aware of what was happening behind him, as much as he was of what went on in front. He saw Josie Marcus the moment she came into the saloon.

She stood a moment, until her eyes adjusted, then she looked around the room and saw Wyatt and smiled and started over.

“Game’s closed, gentlemen,” Wyatt said.

He paid off the winners, collected from the losers and was on his feet by the time Josie reached him. She had on a very pleasant cologne.

“Here you are,” Josie said.

The room was half full in the afternoon, and lively. The noise didn’t abate, but a lot of the men and all of the whores paused to look at Josie Marcus.

“Hello, Josie.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your game.”

“You can interrupt anytime,” he said. “Don’t see anyone like you in here very often.”

“A lady?” she said. “Like me?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh hell, Wyatt, I used to work in places like this.”

“I thought your daddy had money.”

“He does.”

Josie sat in one of the chairs vacated when the card game closed.

“So how come you were working in saloons?”

“May I have a drink?” Josie said.

Wyatt looked at her silently for a moment, then signaled to one of the bartenders.

“I’d like some whiskey,” Josie said when the bartender came over. “With water.”

The bartender looked at her, and then at Wyatt. Wyatt nodded, and the bartender went and got it.

“Am I shocking you?” Josie said to Wyatt after the bartender had left.

“You’re interesting me,” Wyatt said. “How come you worked in saloons?”

“Same reason I was an actress,” she said.

“Which was?”

“I thought it might be fun,” she said.

“And?”

“And it was for a little while.”

“Then Behan came along?” Wyatt said.

“Yes. And I thought he might be fun.”

“And?”

“And,” Josie said, “he was for a little while.”