Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-30
Stltttto sstorn.
The Wild Hunter.

II is ten years ago (said Mr.. Belden. J
and at that time the country back from
| the Missouri was not much settled.
The fame of the Big Blue lands had
/ spread far and wide, and every week
scores of farmers from Iowa. Illinois,
and Missouri came in and settled on
the rich bottoms, almost invariably
writing back 10 their friends in the
States that the land was one flowing
with milk and honey. and urging them
to come and take up farms. SO the
settlement prospered amazingly, and
Beatrice, Neb., which had only been a
town Ion paper" became a thriving
village in reality.
Among the farmers who came to
settle in this new country was a Mr.
Thompson and his family. They hal
formerly l.ved in Iowa, on the Big
Sioux River, six miles from Sioux
| City; but, not prosperiny there, they
sought 70 better their condition bv
moving to Nebraska, and selected the
Big Blue Is the place of their future
home. Mr.. Thompson's family con-
sisted of his wife, his daughter Mary,
a sweet girl of sixteen, and an old man
who had spent the best part OF his
life in the service of the family. and.
now that he was Old, was retained for
the good he had done, and that he
might have 4 home in his declining
years. At one time Mr.. L. had been
well of in the world. but unfortunate
specuiations in Western lands had
ruined him. and, at that time OF which
l speak. he had little left besides a
few horses, 4 wagon Or two, and a
dozen head of cattle.
Near TO where Mr.. Thompson had
settled on the Blue lived a wild youn.f
maine of 1.-The Wild Irapper oi tnG
Blue" lie lived all alone on the head
waters of "A liitle creek, and was rarely
seen except when he came, once III
every two or three months, 10 the
traders to exchange his furs and skins
for flour. tobacco, matches. coffee, ami
such other articles as he needed. Ga
these occasions, after having made his
purchases. he would lounge about the
traders for several days. drinking bad
whiskev, and quarrelling with every
one he could get 10 quarrel with hlm.
When under the influence OF whskeN, i
he would mount his horse, and. w:thi
two large navy revolyers III his peit
ride up and down the village, detyln-
every one to come out and hight hin
For the slightest offence, either real oiI
! imagined, he would fire at 4 man. aniI
/ if he had a grud5e against any onet
tnat persons cattle or horses were S1re'
| soon afterward to bc missing. IL was
more than hinted that he was tho
principal or accompice in many Of tine
thetts, and. if he were 30 minded,
could tell where most Of the valuab!,
horses stolen from time to time on tbs
Salt Lake stage road had gone. Yet
such was the reputation Of this yonn-
desperate for courage and wlckedness
that no one cared TO mcddle with hun
and wherever he went his society wa
tolerated rather than preferred. Ne
ten men could have been induced to g
to his rancho TO search for stolen stock
and SO the matter was allowed to res
every one blaming him with all sort
of crimes, but no one being able 1
swear the suspicious were correct.
One evening, just as Mr.. Thompsoi
and his family were sitting down !
their humble cabin TO a supper OF corn
| toll
mounted on wiry pony, rode up. III
was scarcely niIeteen years of az q
aud wore the inevitable ieggings am
long frock of the Western hunter;
fringed with buckskin. His face wa
brown as a nut, and, when he raise
the broad brim of his slouch hat. hi
countenance betrayed unmlstakabI
signs of dissipation.
Mr.. Thompson politely invited iIa
stranger to dismount and partake q
their frugal meal, and. springing froi
his horse. he made haste TO enter bd
when he saw Mary he drew bach
b!ushed, and would have mounte'
again. had not Mr.. Thompson insistd
| upon uio eloppiue iohS ChouSh W -
something. 1t was not long befos
Mr.. Thompson discovered from tt
q conversation that his guest was noi
other than the famous young desperad
of the Blue, and the discovery was az
: tended with considerable anxiety All
r alarm. The quick eye of the huntr
= detected in an instant the alarm h
, presence had created, and, rising fro
the table before he had finished IA
: supper, lie said, with dignified air n
n II am indeed the Wild Trapper 4
= the Blue, and, like every one else, Up
l. think me bad but l am not so bad e
they say. OH" he added, after nc
y ments pause, '.if some one in a
IL world would only believe me goo,N
y might become like other men," u
d Then, fixing his piercing eyes u
b. Mary, he gazed at her full a mint~
, and, turning on his heel, he left II
)" cabin without saying another woh
D. The family, through the open doorwsa
g saw him swing his 1.-THE body aclil
ID his pony, and ga'lop swiftly awayuse
the prairie towards his cabi3oth theil
- From this visit tk}er-, y who hae
:! augured bad luck Bostt her feelings
IN day and week :; S
fe they saw no, sch