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FISHING.
BY A w. BELLAW.

“7e sat together by the stream,
The maid of all my wishing,

The laughter-loving Lou and I,
Both diligently fishing.

But all myfishing ran to love.
I said, " I am not watching,
Dear girl, to catch the finny fish—
’Tis you I would becatching.”

“ I’ve had an idea, sir,”sbe said, .
“ That that has been your wrsh, Slr,
But I would have you understand

You fish for the wrong fish, Sir.”

“ Well, anyway, to me you’re dear,
And dear your every look is;
My love’s firm founded on a_r0ck
As now you see my hook is!

“ Could I attach you to my line
’T would end all other trouble.”
Shejerked without a bite, and said,
“ At such bait I don’t nibble.”

“ I angle in the pool of love,
My love should be u soon book.”
She threw her line far out and said:
“ I bite not at a spoon hook.”

I said, “ You are the chubbiest chub
For which I ever angled;

I’m tangled in mv love for you
Just as my line’s now tangled.”

“ You seem to be o~fisb-us, sir!"
Said this dear girl of beauty;

“ Give your attention to your line,
And to your line of duty.”

She gave a jerk and missed the fish,
But in the sleeve she caught me.
“I’ve e’er been fast upon your book,”

I said, “ but now you’ve got me.”

“ well, well,” she said, with some disdain,
“ You’re giving me your slack:
If I have caught you, like a toad,
Why, then, I’llthrow you back.

“ I’ve many beaux upon my string,
As you have perch and pike, sir.
And then to have such fish as you
Upon it I’d not like, sir X”

My heart sunk down into despair
As if it had a sinker;

The antagonism of the poles
Set me to be a thinker.

But later with a dzjfierent fly,
I angled for the maiden;

\Vith rich securities in bank
And pocket-book well laden.

She bit, and then I married her
With whom I’d long been smitten.
She bit, but I am pained to say
That I’m the person bitten!

. Sparkler Sam,
THE GOLD-LACE SPORT;

on,

The Texas Samson’s Wide Swath.

BY JOS. E. BADGER, JR.,

. AUTHOR or “THE MAN FROM" DENVER,” ETC.

CHAPTER XXXI.
SPARKLER SAM’s BENEDICTION.

IT proved to be an almost bloodless victory
for the Texan Rangers, thanks to the com-
pleteness of their surprisc.

That is easily explained, for just as
Sparkler Sam knotted reins to keep them
out of the way when he tried to “shoot a
red lane ” through the force so unexpectedly
met in that narrow defile, a stern challenge
rung forth, unmistakably shaped by tongue
of American.

And a minute later the fugitives were in
the midst of Sparkler Sam’s own company
of Rangers, hurriedly giving thanks and re-
ceiving congratulations; and then, as the
haying of hounds sounded more plainly,
the story was told and an ambuscade forms
ed.

Retreating from the pass, the Rangers di-
vided, part lying in wait on either side. of
the mouth of the defile, the rest, including
the fugitives, .passing on several rods fur-
ther.

Then the bandits were fairly inclosed in
the net, and after that first deadly volley,
the Rangers closed in to show no more
mercy than they would have expected had
the situation been reversed.

It seemed little better than a massacre,
but only those who have experienced border
life in the days now happily gone by for-
ever, can even fairly imagine such intense
enmity as then existed between White Hawks
and Yellow Vultures!

For this reason, too, no one lifted hand to
hinder Sparkler Sam from making good his
vow of hanging, and when all was over, the
Gold-laced Sport received congratulations
rather than reproaches.

Sampson shook all this off, not yet suffi-

~Sciently calmed to speak of the matter in his

customary vein; and then he quickly broach-
ed another subject in which he succeeded in
wakening a strong interest.

In company with Austin Leonard. Sparkler
Sam told his chief of the events which had
taken place at Sandoval’s rendeZvous. and
while he was by no means positive that Edgar
\Vinklejohn had escaped death in that hot
skirmish, he asked permission to take apicked
squad over the back trail, not alone to find out
about the maiden’s cousin, but to perfect
their work by destroying the haunt of the
bandits.

The captain listened in grave silence until
Sparkler Sam ceased speaking, then gave his
decision.

“ You can make the trip, Sam, if you like,
but no burning. \Vc’rc a long ways from
our own side of the river, and with the lady
to think of, can’t afford to blaze our trail too
mighty clear!”

He could well afford to advise prudence,
this grim old veteran, for never another name
on the long roll of Texan Rangers was more
gallantly distinguished than that borne by his
mother’s son!

After all, the Gold-lace Sport had carried
his main point, and without giving chance
for a change of mind. he quickly selected a
few choice spirits on whom he could wholly
depend, no matter what the odds facing
them.

As a matter of course, Austin Leonard
asked to be included, but only to be refused
by his pard; as the only one with whom Miss
\Vinklejohn was acquainted, he surely ought
to stay in her company!

That return trip was made in good shape,
and Sparkler Sam found no opposition to his
taking full possession of the little valley.

As stated. all able-bodied bandits had ac-
companied Diego Sandoval. and those wound -
ed in the fight with Edgar Winklejohn, crept

 

out of sight and hearing as quickly as pos-
sible, thankful not to be chasod and slain.

A surprise met the Gold laco Sport as he
reached the brush but to which the wounded
prisoner had been earned after his recap-
ture.

Pablo Zarate lay near W'inklejohn’s feet,
stabbed to the heart with his own knife,
after having cruelly cut the prisoner!

Life still lingered, yet past albdoubting
Edgar Winklejohn was dying, rapidly!

Still, he managed to whisper that the
Mexican had tried to butcher him through
revenge for his own hurts. and after a terri-
ble fight had been slain with his own
weapon. .

He begged Sparkler Sam to tell Georgia
he was sorry for his sins against her. and
begging her forgiveness, he gave a spasmodic

as .
g Hpis throat filled with blood, and after a
brief struggle, he died!

Although his sins had been many, Sparkler
Sam insisted on giving the remains a fairly
decent burial.

“At worst, he was an American! We’ll
not leave him here for the yellow dogs to
mock and make merry over!”

It was fairly dawn when Sparkler Sam led
his little squad safely back to the Ranger
camp, and after a hasty meal, the entire
party took up their journcyhomeward.’ '

Knowing only too well that if their in-
vasion should be discovered, those hills and
plains would fairly swarm with armed foc-
men eager to wipe out the entire party,
swift retreat was the word, and mile after
mile was placed behind the company in
rapid succession. '

During that ride to the Rio Grande, Geor-
gia \Vinklejohn, now happy in the presence
5f her lover and the blessed assuranCe of his
adoration, could no longer keep the barrier
between them, briefly but clearly explaining
the important business which had induced
her to visit that wild portion of the southern
border -

Sparkler Sam had made a fairly shrewd
guess as to past events. for Julian \Vinkle-
john had separated from his wife in life, not
by death! "

He alone of all who still bore the name of
\Vinklcjohn kncwthat both wife and a ydun-
gcr daughter were living, or had been alive
only two or there years prior to his writing
that Secret confession.

He declared that at the time of separating,
when he gave out that his wife was dead, he
thought he had good and sufficient grounds
for informally divorcing her; but of late years
he had become convinced to the[contrary, plain-
ly declaring his belief that his wife had been
cruelly maligned by an enemy whom he had
thought his best and truest friend.

'He begged Georgia to seek her mother,
and if still living, to convey his prayer for
forgiveness, as well as to share her fortune
witn mother and sister, should both be found,
alive.

“ In closing. father warned me against
placing too implicit trust in his brother, Unclc
Julius,” the maiden concluded. her voice
lowering. and her great brown eyes glistening
moistly by the firclight as she sat with hands
tightly clasped in her lap. , 7

" Right there’s where ‘ his head was leirel,
anywa ." blurted out Sparkler Sam, unable
to ho! in longer.

“ I know. I never fully trusted uncle,
but I couldn’t even guess that he would
prove so—so utterly vile! Unless—do you
think it is true, Austin? Mightn’t that San.
doval be lying when he said—"

The two pards interchanged swift glances,
then Leonard nodded, and reaching out to
clasp one little hand in his great paw, the
Golddacc Sport gravely, gently spoke a of
what they had found on his return to the
bandit camp.

“The young fellow wasn’t all bad, you
see," he added, softly, as the maiden bowed
head in hands and wept silently over her
cousin’s fate. “ He must have repented at
the last, else he’d never sent a prayer for
pardon to you. little woman! And—well,
here‘s hoping Edgar \Vinklejohn may fare
better in the world he’s gone to, than ever
he did down here!”

With that brief benediction, Sparkler Sam
dropped the gloomy subject, rattling on in
his jovial way until Georgia dried her tears
and fell to laughing instead to weeping.

Austin Leonard took chance to ask his
pard why he refrained from saying anght
about the wonderful resemblance he had
found in Rhoda Maynard; but a broad palm
crossed his lips, and the Sport with mock
fierCencss tabooed that subject.

“ Wait until I get a, good ready, old boy!
When the proper time comes you can wager
all your old socks I’ll be on deck with my
budget of marvels; until then—hold your
hush or I’ll wade in and cut you right where
you live!”

“ Regardless of the Little Kid i" malicious—
ly whispered Leonard.

By way of answer, the giant caught Aus-
tini around his middle, giving him a dizzy
swing and whirl, then tossing him high into
a scrubby-topped tree, from whence he had
to roll rather than climb down.

By the time he touched earth‘ again,
Sparkler was off, laughing in boyish glee at
the success of his little trick.

CHAPTER XXXII.
SPARKLER sxu’s REVELATION.

Norriixo further was said on that particu-
lar point by either of the two pards until
their perilous journey was nearing its com
pletion, and the bright waters of the Rio
Grande wore almost within sight.

So far nothing had happened to give the
company trouble. For once it seemed as
though all enemies had been transported
from those regions, and the more belligerent
anion the rough riders began to fear they
woul' strike no more “ fun ” on Mexican soil
that trip.

For a wonder, Sparkler Sam took no part
in these grave laments.

The nearer they drew to American soil, the
gayer, livelier, more enthusiastic grew the
Gold-lace Sport, until he seemed wildly fever--
ish. even to those who knew him best.

Austin Leonard tried to snub him by more
or less pointed allusions to “ the Little Kid,”
but that title had lost its terror for the Giant
Ranger, now, and back would come some
lively retort which never failed to change the
subject, if only to spare Georgia’s blushes.

Night caught the little company when still
a few miles south of the great water-course,
and having seen nothing to cause them un-
easiness, the Ranger Chief calleda bait, and
camp-fires were soon cheerin ablaze and pre-
paratious for the evening meal under way.

Not until then did Sparkler Sam make
known the deductions he had drawn from the
story told by Georgia Winklejohn concerning

 

the sacred trust bequeathed her by Julian
Winkle john. .

Drawing the loyers far enough apart from
the main company to insure their privacy,
Parker Sampson told how his curiosity had
first been awakened by the strange resem-
blance his "Little Kid ” bore to the Winkle-

v john beauty; and then he gave in detail the

various experiments he had tried, particular-
ly upon the Widow Maynard.

While all these taken separately might
not have amounted to much, combined as
the Gold-lace Sport had. mentally arranged
them during their homeward ride, the whole
produced almost certain conviction in the
mind of Georgia Winklejohn, who betrayed
strong agitation as she listened. .

If anything was lacking, she felt the link
was forged when Sparkler Sam spoke that
name: for Julian Winklcjohn had married a
Miss Maynard!

As a matter of course the maiden had
many eager questions to ask, all or which
were answered by the Gold~lacc Sport to the
best of his ability; but then he took the
lead once more, and with deeper gravity
spoke: 

“ If you consider that I have been of ser-
vice to you, Miss—”

“Of service?" echoed Georgia, brown
eyes glistening with tears, but with joy
showing in her charming face. “ Iknew
that—stun! mother had once lived in Texas,
near the Rio Grandc, but that was my only
clue!

“Father never knew under What name
she was passing, nor just where she had
located. All the clue he could furnish Was
just that: less than three years before he
died, mother was alive, and somewhere in
Texas!"

“A faint clue indeed!" observed Leonard,
who showed hardly less interest in the mat-
ter than his sweetheart. “How chanced it
you came to this place, Georgia?”

A shadow came over the maiden’s face at
that question, but then she made reply:

“ Uncle Julius influenced me, as I know
now. Until I discovered his wickedness,l
never suspected the fact; but I know it
was through his covert wishes that I came
here.” ,

“Bless Uncle Julius for so much, any-
way!" briskly exclaimed Sparkler Sam.
“ Only for your coming here, I’d never have
stopped long enough to find my—to play the
fool after the fashion I did! And that brings
me around to the favor I wished to beg of
you. both i”

“ You can ask nothing I would hesitate to
grant, my good friend,” the maiden said,
her little hand going out to meet his great

aw. ‘

“ch11, I don’t know about that! If I
should ask you to give up what you'd only
lately found? If 1 should— Steady, boy!
Don’t run over your own heels, Samuel!”

“If it is about the Little Kid—”

A broad palm closed the young Ranger's
mouth, and the Gold-lace Sport quickly
added:

“What I ask is just this, good people:
keep your fingers out of my pic! I made
such a blessed idiot of myself tryin to bring
you two hot-heads together - Vi?! '
jn'st look at than":    p -

Sparkler Sam flung rifp both hands in wide;
eyed amaze as Austin olded Georgia to his
breast, kissing her red lips ardently.

“ She is my promised bride, Sam, and you
call it playing the fool!" exclaimed tlic Ran-
ger, his eyes moistened through strong emo-
tion. “ Only for you I'd never know what
happiness or contentment meant again in
this world!"

“Glory to Moses—amen!" cried Sparkler
Sam, winding arms around his own body
and ecstatically hugging himself. “ I’m go-
ing to have some of that same medicine, or
break my blessed neck trying! And so—‘
good-night to you both! I’m off for—

“ \Vhither, Sam?"

“ To find my delicious Little Kid and—
tell her you’re coming, of course!" cried the
happy Sport-as he hurried away, to prepare
his good steed for the road once more.

And so it all came about!

'IVhen the company of Rangers rode into
town the next forenoon, the Gold-lace Sport
met them just outside, a bright smile lighting
pp his face and merry words crossing his
.ps.

All had prospered finely, and Georgia
might expect a cordial if rather damp greeting
from her mother and younger sister. ‘

“ And—am I to congratulate Rhoda, dear
friend?" asked the young woman, with a
touch of mischief finding way through her
happy tears.

“ For your life, no! Leave me time—let
me gradually accustom her to my awkward
bigness, or—blamed if I don’t carry Ans. off
and turn him over to the tender mercies of
that other woman he’s so ‘dead in love'
with!”

There is little necessity for giving that in-
terview in detail, since enough has already
been said to give the reader a fair idea of the
story.

All was not bliss, nor was that reunion of
mgtlfier and daughter without its strain of

r e .

g Mrs. Winklcjohn had never ceased to love
her husband, though treated so harshly on
mere suspicion which had now been proven
without foundation in fact; but licrpride had
been too deeply wounded for her to ever seek
a reconciliation, even while she strove to keep
posted as to the career of husband and oldest
daughter. ' V,

This was the trust she placed in Morgan
Gwynne, the unfortunate lawyer whose ill-
tinied death Sparkler Sam re ported. She had
lost all trace of Julian Winklcjohn, and be-
sought Gwynne to learn for her what had
happened.

Julius \Vinklcjohn was visited by the two
pards, who reported the fate which had
overtaken his son; and this, together with
the discovery of his own black scheming,
completely broke the old man up, and that
same night he disappeared, no one could say
how or whither!

Austin Leonard resigned from the Ran gcrs
and took Georgia Winkle john for his wife.

Sparkler Sam and Rhoda “ stood up with
them,” and the Gold-lace Sport not only
kissed the fair bride, but the fairer brides—
maid as well!

Of course he had his ears soundly boxed
by the “ Little Kid” as penalty; but,
nothing daunted, the happy fellow declared
he would take the entire invoice a the same
figures!

And did be?

Well, that would be a safe bet to make,
as any of his old comrades mighthave told
you; for the Gold-lace Sport certainly had
a peculiar way of getting whatever he went
after!

THE END.

 

Frnm Bound-up In Stock-yards.

A Story of the Texas Cattle Trail.
BY JOHN H. WHITSON.

i V.

COWBOY SURGERY—LOCO—TBOUBLE WITH
SETTLERS—ON TO DODGE.

SEEING the soldiers approaching, the
rustlers abandoned the cattle and scudded
for the hills. Once. there, aided by the ap-
proaching darkness, it was eas ’ to escape.
How the wounded leader fare was never
known. He may have died among the lone.
1y canyons, 'or he may have recovered to
take part in many another raid.

When Tobe looked at his good right arm,
hanging limp and nervelcss, and realized
that his present usefulness was endedhhe
did not indulge in the lurid profanity With
which he usually ornamented his speech.
The ball that had lodged in his shoulder
was a heavy one and had been driven with
all the power of a 45-75 Winchester. True,
its force had been greatly weakened by con
tact with the pistol, but it struck hard
enough to deadcn the arm and shoulder and
produce in the bold Texan a womanish and
unaccountable weakness.

Notwithstanding this, he got down from
his pony and picked up the revolver from
the grass where it had fallen. He noted
with satisfaction that it had not been serious-
ly injured, reloaded and placed it in the
holster. and then climbed heavily back into
the saddle.

Seeing that his shirt was becoming
saturated with blood, he rode to the place
where Speed had been left. The latter had
shot the pony and was trudging toward the
ford with the accoutcrmcnts slung to his
back.

He stopped, with a questioning look, as
Tobe came up.

“ Got my shoulder broke, I reckon," said
Orton, interpreting the look. “Leastways.
they’s a ball in it, an’if it ain’t broke it feels
like it.”

“ Where’s the rest of the boys?" questioned
Speed. -

“ Gone on after the steers,” replied Tobe;
“ but I has my doubts ef they’ll ever git ’em.
with night so clost. Of course they’ll pick
up some—~mebbc half, mchbe two thirds; it’s
plaguy hard to tell.”

As he said this he slid out of the saddle.
Speed stopped questioning and turned his
attention to the wounded shoulder. He had
a sort of rude knowlédge of surgery. as
almost all plainsmcn have. and probed
the wound with the small blade of a pocket-
knife.

“ It ain’t in very deep,” he said, on corn-
pleting the examination. “ It’s lodged
ag‘in’ a bone, but I don’t think the home’s
broke. Must have been it spent hall.”

Tobe gave an account of how the wound
was reccivcd. Then Speed opened a larger
blade of the knife and deliberately pried the
ball out, Tobe breathing very hard and
grinding his teeth during the _operation.
This accomplished, he ’lug ed th We ad

it carefully with-strips torn from t a  - ‘p

kcrcbiofs. As a result of the treatment, or
from the rccupcrativc powers of Tobe's
strong constitution, the wound healed rapid-
ly, and before Dodge City was reached, the
little man was able to handle his favorite
weapon with all of his old-time acouracy.

Even after the rustlers had abandoned the
cattle, it was the work of hours to collect
them together and quiet them.

The troops were a detachment from Fort
Reno, and the lieutenant in command rode
up to Cave and demanded what he wastdoing
there, off the main trail.

Cave could lie when necessary. He bold—
ly asserted that he had been following the

trail and that his cattle had been “ rustled ”.

the night before. He claimed he had been
in pursuit of the thieves all day and intended
to return to the trail as soon as his herd was
fit to travel.

This plausible story satisfied the officer,
and the troopers rode away, to Cavc’sin-
tense relief.

By morning Cave had the herd again at
the ford of the Canadian. The soldiers had
disappeared, and he allowed the cattle to
graze in the adjacent valley, while he spent
the greater part of the day in getting the
wagon out of the quicksands.

The next day, fearing the soldiers might
return, he pointed his herd in the direction
of the Neutral Strip or No Man’s Land, and
hurried as rapidly as possible toward the
Kansas boundary. , .

After crossing the Cimmarron River, in
Southwestern Kansas, they encountered
large numbers of “locoed ” cattle that had
been dropped from passing herds because no
longer able to travel.

Loco is the pest of stockmeu. It is a
grayish-green plant, bearing a beautiful
blossom with a blended tint of purple. blue
and pink. \Vhen eaten by cattle its effects
are deadly. It retains its fresh and attractive
appearance long after the grass is withered.
Usually cattle will not eat it until forced to
by hunger; but the habit formed, they will
travel long distances to get it and refuse
other kinds of food. A continuance of the
habit results in rcat prostration, dizziness
and ultimate deati.

While still in the breaks of the Cimmar-
ron they wore overtaken by a terrific hail—
storm. It came on in the night. Vasquez
was guarding the cattle, but at the first be].
low of the thunder all hands were ordered
out.

Notwithstanding this, the herd, peltcd to
madness, broke away. It. was pitchv dark
cxccpt when the white glare of the light—
ning burned across the trcclcss expanse, rc-
lvclzliling the muddy hollows and the drenched
n 8.

Although the cattle wcrc invisible most of
the time, and the bowling of the storm
drowned the mighty trampling of their
hoofs, Cave and his cowboys had no trouble
in following them—for cattle always run
with the wind.

Once clear of the breaks and on the high
uplands, called “flats,” the riders acercd to
one side and forced the cattle to "mill."
When stampeded, cattle will run until ex-
hausted and often scatter over the entire
country, requiring days, and sometimes
weeks, to hunt them up. If they can be
made to “mill,” they will run in a circle
and can be held.

The storm raged for two hours with al~
most rcsistless fury. Then it drifted by,
the fstars came out and the wind ceased.
But it brought no rest to the chilled and
weary cowboys. The czittlcwerc still fright~
ened and uneasy and had to be held there
until morning. _

 

They struck the Dodge City trail near the .
center of Clark count , far to the westward t;
of Medicine Lodge. '
against Texas cattle was not as’rlgidly em
forced then as it is now; but they expert
enced unexpected trouble from the venture; '
some settlers, who, since (Java’s last drive,
had pushed out from the tried lands of H
per and Sumner counties into what had a
ways been regarded as the f‘ Great Americafi, g-
Dcsert.” »  I "

Cave's hatred of “ grangers" led him to
regard these settlers with a lofty contempt,
and in his occasional conversation with them
he took great delight in pro hcsying d'roug
and all manner of evil. he “ granger .
only laughed, shook their heads wisely, and ‘
announced that they were prepared for.
drought. ‘ ' l

They certainly had not much to lose. The!
houses were either " dug-outs " or made of
sod. All their belongings had been brou bi:
therein their “prairie schooners.” Usua ly _
each family had a good team of horses and 
a cow, but these could be readily driven
away should the crops fail. .

The cowboys, sharing Cavc’s dislike of the
settlers, did not watch the herd as closely as }
they should have done; and the consequence 

was that some of the cattle strayed futon,"

twenty-acre field of sod-corn and literally '
devoured it.

When within about thirty-five miles of ,
Dodge City a terrible plains fire broke out to f
the northward. It was now early fall and
the grass was commencing to “cure.” The
fire slartod in the night and Speed. who was
on guard, noticed that it shot up almost. sim—
ultaneously over a long line.

Be rode around to the camp and awoke 

Cave, directing his attention to the fire,

which by that time was raging furiously and ,l 

extending over many miles.

“ What made it spread so fast?” asked 

Cave, in some astonishment. “I was upa ,
little while ago and there wasn’t a spark 
anywhere."

.' 
“It’s the work of grangcrs, I think!"

Speed answered. “They’re maddcr'n hor:
nets and are trying to make us trouble by
burning the range.”

He then related how he had seen the fire

spring up in many different places at almost ‘  ;

the same moment.

This was an unexpected mode of retalia _ 
tion and it worried Cave not a little. IIe‘?"
fumed and fretted and swore; then took his 

Winchester, leaped on .a pony—which he "
always kept saddled and lariatcd—and rode
out toward the line of light.

In his savage rage he tried to force the
broncho through the flames and thus gain ,-
the opposite Side of. the fire: but the little .-
hcast wisely refused to go. Had Cave suc- 
ceeded in the attcmpt he could have done
nothing toward checking the long line of

flame, fanned as it was by the fierce south " ' 5

wind. j- I
Once he thought he saw a figure stealing.  '
through the semi-darkness and rushed in that
direction, determined to shoot the " prairie
burner,”but he could find no trace of any

‘  ’ 1 LI ' v v
ing the fire 0 irride the istaut‘mud-hll ii. ‘
presenting a s cctacle of strange grandeur, 'i
the next day t burned to the Arkansas
River.

- As there was now no grass for his cattle,
except the occasional patches found around
basins containing water, Cave hurried them
forward with all possible spccd, scarcely
allowing thorn to halt until the river was
reached.

Here he was met by an olllcer with a writ
of attachment. .

“ What in thundcr’s that fur?" (‘ave
growled. His recent troubles had made him"
exceedingly irritable.

“ A settler from Clark county has brought
suit against you for damages,"explained the
officer bluntly. “ He claims that your cattle
destroyed his corn, and I will have to hold
some of them until the case is scttlcd.”

Thus brought to bay, Cave compromised
the mattgr by the payment of a hundred dol—'
lars. Th :n be relieved his feelings by call-
ing down dreadful maledictions on the beads
of all “grangers,” denouncing them as a set
of thieves, and proclaiming his belief that
the officers were in league with them for ,
purposes of extortion.

After grazing in the Valley for a few weeks ‘
the cattle were driven to the stock-yards of

the Santa Fe Railway and shipped to Kansas ‘ "

City and Chicago

Cave never again drove over the Dodge
City trail. The lands surrounding it are now
in the hands of settlers and grass is springing
into life over the dusty route so recently
trodden hard by the hoofs of countless Ion -
horns. The glory of Dodge City, as a catt e
town, has passed away, and it now bids
eagerly for the support of that " granger”
element, which it once affected to despise.

As for Cavc’s cowboys, many of them are ;-
still on the range. 01’ those we have intl- ' 
matcly known, Dunham and fnjuu Bill alone - '
remain faithful to their old employer. Tobe
Orton and Mexico have drifted into Arizona.
Charley Connor is runnin a restaurant in
West Texas, and Jim Spcei , the old reliable,

\has turned land-agent and town "boomer"

and is said to be making “stacks” of money.

m

TRAVELER (inquiring at famous castle,-—-
“ Can 1 see the antiquities today i" Servant
—“ lam afraid not, sir. My lady and daugh~
tcrs have gone to town."

Tun antique Roman who fell on his sword

made. a much better historical figure than the , Li I

modcrn militlninan who tripped with the 
same Wcupoli twisted between his legs.

“ Murmur)!" sighed the elderly friend.
“ Married, and with no provision for the fu-
ture.” “No,” smilineg chirped the young
hridc, “then- are no provisions for the fit-

tiirc in the liousc. lie jtist. dctcsts canned
goods.”

THE older “’0 grow the more suspicious
we get. \thn “'c are young and the look"
ing-glass says we are pictlywc believe it im-
plicitly, but. later along we incline to think
that the glass is losing its reputation for ac-
curacy. '

Siiiim“ Before we were married you used '

to think the world of me; but now you do ,
not care for me at all.” lie—“But you

should remember that. we are now one, and
self—love, you know, is distinctly bad form."

“ Minn,” said I’lodding Pete, who had
been reading from a stray scrap of paper.
“what docs ‘dcrnicr ressort’ mean “I” Meow
audering Mike looked at him with the. super-

cilious contempt of superior knowledge and  . 3"

replied, ” Work."