Life and adventures of Frank and Jesse James, the noted western outlawsDacus, J. A. (Joseph A.)
History
Life and adventures of Frank and Jesse James, the noted western outlaws
Dacus, J. A. (Joseph A.)
Brigands and robbers; James, Frank, 1844-1915; James, Jesse, 1847-1882
In a letter written to the author, subsequent to that visit, he
gave a most interesting account of his reception and sojourn
with the outlawed brothers on their own ranche. We have obtained
his permission to use that portion of the letter relating to the
Jameses, which we herewith present to our readers:
"It was a lovely afternoon. The grass was brown and sere. A few
late autumn flowers relieved the otherwise monotonous landscape.
The country through which I was passing was high, undulating
prairie. Here and there, from the tops of the long swells in the
surface, the course of streams far away to the right and the left,
were well defined by dark lines of trees from which the foliage had
not yet been cast. The journey had become lonely and irksome. I had
lost interest in the landscape. The faded grass and the golden-hued
flowers no longer possessed charms for me. The limpid brooks and
darting minnows in their clear waters even failed to awaken the
slightest interest. The truth is, I was worn out by the excessive
fatigue of the long journey.
"I had just crossed a small stream, skirted by some wind-twisted
trees, and was ascending a long slope. Looking toward the crest of
the ridge, I saw two horsemen, splendidly mounted, riding rapidly
directly toward me. They wore low-crowned, broad-brimmed felt hats,
looped up at the side. I could see at a glance that they were
heavily armed. A repeating-rifle was swung behind the shoulder
of each, and a holster was attached at the saddle-bow. When the
horsemen had approached within seventy-five yards of me, they
suddenly halted, and each drew a heavy pistol, and simultaneously
presented them at me, calling out at the same time for me to raise
my hands. I confess that I felt a little shaky about that time. I
readily complied with their command, and held up both hands as high
over my head as possible. The horrible thought occurred to me that
I was to be shot, and left out there to make a feast for voracious
vultures and ferocious wolves. A cold shudder thrilled through my
veins. I had dropped the reins, and my horse stopped still. It was
a dreadful moment. There were the two men, grim in features and
steady of hand, with their horrible, yawning repeaters pointed at
my heart. I felt sure they were murderous highwaymen. Strange that
I never once thought of the renowned outlaws! I know not how long
I looked at those dreadful pistols; it seemed half an age. I was
aroused by the voice of one of the men calling out,
"'Why don't you come on?'
"I did go on. Once I let my hands droop slightly, as I advanced up
the slope.
"'Up with your hands, I say!' exclaimed one of them.
"You may readily suppose that I threw up my hands without further
admonition.
"When I had arrived within fifteen paces of the spot where the men
were sitting on their horses, the thought that these were no other
than the men whom I was seeking, flashed through my brain.
"'What are you doing here?' asked the larger one of the two.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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