Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-10

@isfellattepns.
CHUCK.
A COLORADO ROMANCE.

YOU StauQ upon u CefIaln dun Oh the
south side of the Arkansas river, few
miles above the mouth Of the Purgatorie.
you will be the spectator of scene not
easily forgotten in future wanderings.
Eastward stretches dimly away the wind.
ing. sedgy valley OF. the dreariest river OF
the West,-treeless, sandy. desolate. All
around you are the endless undulations Of
the wilderness. Beneath you are the vet
silent camps of those who are here to-day
and gone Tomorrow. Westward il some
thing you anticipate rather than see, vague
and misty forms lying upon the horizon.
But while the world IS vet dark below and
around you, and there Is scarce the faint
est tinge OF gray in the east, if you chance
to look northward you will see something
crimson high up against the sky. At first
it is roseate glow, shapeless and unde-
fined. Then it becomes cloud-castle,
battlemented and inaccessible, draped in
mist and hung about with a lowering cur
tain OF changing purple. But as it grows
whittier and clearer, the vague outlines of
mighty shape appear below it, stretch
ing downward toward the earth. What
you see is the lofty pinnacle which has
cleaned first in the flying darkness, sun
kissed and glorified in the rosy mornings
Of all the centuries. 1t is Pixies peak, SO
miitS away. IN
Years ago, victim OF the nomadic in
stinct named Lemuel Sims, man who had
forsaken his home in the Missouri bottoms
for a gold-hunting journey to California.
and who, after many changes, had again
started eastward, was finally stranded
upon the banks of Arkansas, within tho
magic circle of protection around old Fort
Lyon. Sims had grown middle-aged in
wandering, and had consumed almost the
last remains of that dogged energy in mi
grafton which is the Characteristic of his
class, by the time he had reached a
spot than, which it would have been hard
to hnd any more utterly wanting in at
fractions. But he was not alone. for
he had wife who had been his COM
panion in all 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 man Q fate had
not been kind. What he needed was boys
boys of whom hereafter should be made
the ranchers, the Indian fighters, the
hunters and poker-players who should
diligently follow in the footsteps of
their predecessor and live hard and
die suddenly. When Sims came to his
residence, the order of march was as fol-
lows: First, Sims, a hundred yards in ad-
vance, 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,
moccasined girls. The third and young
est, the darling of the family.-too young
indeed for service,-occupied cozy nest
among the household goods, and peeped
out from beneath the tattered cover, plump.
A<~ls l. 1,~ L.xI
quired the name of "Chuck," abbreviated
from chicquita. .-.'little one."-and amid
all the changes which befell her thereafter,
the name clung tosher as part of herself.
| The Sims ''outfit'' was only an integral
portion Of cavalcade of such, strong
enough for all purposes Of mutual society
and defense. Months had passed since
the family began this last move. The long
summer days had passed, and henipping
nights and scanty pasturage We're thecause
OF the premature ending Of the journey.
Having stopped only for the night, they
had concluded to stay until spring, or
some other time when a spasm OF the mi
gratory disease should seize them. But
the rough house of cottonwood logs Sims
made with the help of his family was
sheltered nook which soon became home
like. There was game in abundance, and
what was not Immediately consumed the
old man exchanged for groceries at the
post. What was still more fortunate,
Sin's house was near the route of travel.
and he could indulge his love of gossip, as
well as furnish an occasional meal to trav-
ellers. When spring came, the stock had
grown fat, and, save the mules, had in
creased in numbers a hundred fold. I'M
PEELED by the force OF circumstances,
small garden was inclosed. and it came
about that by June the frontiers man and
his family found themselves prospering
beyond anything in their past history. The
shanty took upon itself the dignity of
ranch and in truthfulness it is necessary
to state that the commodity which met
the readest and most profitable sale was
fluid which, chemically speaking, it
were slanderous to call whiskey. "Sims'sH
became known far and wide, and the pro-
prietor began to think himself gaining up
on the world, both in money and fame.
two things which, in the unfortunate con-
stitution of society, are not sufficiently
distributed. But this new era of prosper
ity was not due to Sims's management. 1t
grew solely out of the fact that he had
three daughters. The unfortunate consti-
tuition of the family was the direct cause
of its unwonted thrift. Any white woman
in such place is an enticement not to be
resisted by the average plainsm:n. and
''Sims's gals" were celebrities over an ex-
tent of country as large as the State OF
New York.
But as time passed and the small herds
increased the females became objects OF
still greater interest. They were spoken
OF as heiressess. Nevertheless, at tne
pinch no amount of money could have
married either of the two eldest daugh-
ters. They were tall. gaunrs "a and GO coarse; ns;
They were as ignorant as Eve, and had
performed the duiies 9 ,hem o, mSs. was nearly %
n,a;eb for a cinnamon bear. Not SO with
the Youngest. The most courtly and pol
;shed danes in the land have seldom dis
played as much in the way of personal
endowments rs this one rose among the
thistles. Fair-skinned and blue-eyed,
strong and graceful, petted from infancy
~ ,,rrtnrad in aryo ra pa tiva 90 en- haalth-