Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-05-23
CHUCK-A COLORADO ROMANCE,

If you stand upon a certain bluff on
the south side of the Arkansas river, q
few miles above the mouth of the Pur-
gatoire, you will be the spectator of
scene not easily forgotten in future
wanderings. Eastward stretches dimly
away the winding, sedgy valley of the
dreariest river of the West-treeless,
sandy, desolate. All around you are
the endless undulations of the wilder
ness. Beneath you are the yet silent
camps of those who are here to-day and
gone tomorrow. Westward is some
thing you anticipate rather than see;
vague and misty forms lying upon the
horizon. But while the world is yet
dark below and around you, and there
is scarce the faintest tinge of gray in
the east, if you chance to look north
ward you will see something crimson
high up against the sky. At first it is a
roseate glow, shapeless and underlined.
Then it becomes cloud castle, battle
mented and inaccessible, draped in
mist and hung about with lowering
curtain of changing purple. But as it
grows winter and clearer the vague out
lines of a mighty shape appear below it,
stretching downward toward the earth.
What you see is the lofty pinnacle
which has cleaned first in the flying
darkness, sun-kissed and glorifed in
the rosy mornings of all the centuries.
1t is Pixies peak, sixty miles away.
Years ago, victim of the nomadic
instinct named Lemuel Sims, man
who had forsaken his home in the Mis-
souri, bottoms for a gold-hunting jour-
ney to California, and who, after many
changes, had again started eastward,
was finally stranded upon the banks of
the Arkansas, within the magic circle
of protection around old Fort Lyon. Sims
had grown middle-aged in wandering,
and had consumed almost the last re-
mains of that dogged energy in uigra-
ton which is the characteristic of his
class, by the time he reached spot
than which it would have been hard
to find any more utterly wanting in at
fractions. But he was not alone, for he
had wife who had been his companion
in his journeys, and three daughters,
who had irregularly come in upon his
vicissitudes. In sending those guests
which are always unwelcome and never
turned away, the old mans fates had
not been kind. What he needed was
boys-boys of whom hereafter should
be made the ranchers, the Indian
fighters, the hunters and the poker
players who should diligently follow in
the footsteps of their wild predecessors,
and live hard and die suddenly. When
Sims came to his last residence, the or
der of march was as follows First,
Sims, a hundred yards in advance, gun
in hand secondly, two mules and an
old wagon, Mrs. Sims at the helm :;
thirdly, three COWS, four sheep, four
dogs, and behind all, two freckled,
brawny, moccasiued girls. The third
and youngest, the darling of the family
too young, indeed, for service-occu-
pied a coZy nest among the household
goods, and peeped out from beneath
the tattered cover, plump, saucy, and
childishly content. She had acquired
the name of Chuck, abbreviated from
chicqsita- little one"-and amid all
the changes which befell her thereaf-
ter, the name clung to her as part of
herself.
The Sims +" outfit" was only an inte-
gral portion of a cavalcade of such,
strong enough for all purposes of mu-
passed since the family began this last
move. The long summer days had
passed, and the nipping nights and
scanty pasturage were the cause of the
premature ending of the journ y. Hav-
ing stopped only for a right, they had
concluded TO stay until spring, or some
other time when a spasm of the migra.
tory disease should seize them. But
the rough house Of cottonwood logs
Sims made with the help of his family
was sheltered nook which soon be
came home-like. There was game in
abundance, and what was not immedi
ately consumed the old man exchanged
for groceries at the poet. What was
still more fortunate, Sims house was
near the route of travel, and he could
indulge his love of gossip, as well as fur
nish an occasional meal to travellers
When spring came the stock had grown
fat, and, save the mules, had increased
in numbers hundred fold. Impellec
by the force of circumstances, a little
garden was inclosed, and it came about
that fy June the frontiersman and hi
family found themselves prospering be
yond anything in their past history
The shanty took upon itself the dignity
of a ranch; and in truthfulness it j
necessary to state that the commodit,
which met the readiest and most profit
able sale was fluid which, chemical,
speaking, it was slanderous to cal
whisky. Sims's" became known ia
and wide, and the proprietor began t
think himself gaining upon the world
both in money and fame-two thing
which, in the unfortunate constitution