The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-10-09

Rocky MOUNTAIN SKETCHES.
The Wild Hunter Of the Blue.

liulhi uluoutnstt
The Wild Hunter of the Blue.
tdtn. james 8. Brisbln, In Chicago Ttibuae)
listen years ago [sald Mr.. Beldenl
and at that lime the country back from
the Missouri was not much settled. line
fame Of the Big Blue lands had spread lar
and wide; and, every week scores OF lar
mers from Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri
cana in and settled on the rich bottoms,
slmCs, invariably writing back 10 their
friends IN the States that the land was
one flowing with milk and honey, and
urpiup them to come and take up farms,
So tho settlement prospered Amazingly,
and Beatrice, Neb, which had at first
only been town "on paper" became q
thriving village In reality.
Among the farmers who came to settle
in this new country was Mr.. Thompson
and his family. They had formerly
lived in Iowa, on the Big Sioux River q
miles from Sioux City; but, not prosper
Ing there, they sought % better their CON
dillon by moving to Nebraska, and Sc
IeC,Cd the Big Blue as the place OF their
future home. AIr. Thompson's; family
consisted Of his wife, his daughter Mary,
a sweet ,girl Of 10; and an old man
who had spent the best partof his HE In
the serviceol the family, and, now thai
he was old, was retained Tor the good he
had done, and that he might have home
In his dec1ining years. At one time MIR.
Il. had been wellsoft In the world, but un'
fortunate speclladons- In Western lands
had ruined him, and, al tho time OF which
[ sneak, he had little LETT besides u few
horses, a wagon or two, and adozen head
OF cattle. ll Ns..a
Near to where Mr.. Thompson had set
lied on the Blue, lived wild young man
who had won for himself the name Of
"lhe Wild Trapper oil the Blue" He lived
all alone on the headwaters Of little
creek, and was rarely seen except when
he came, once in every two or three
months, 10 the traders TO exchange his
lurs and skins for flour, tobacco, matches,
cUiFte, and such other articles as he neei'
ed, On these occasions, alter having
made his purchases, he would lounge
about The traders for several days, drink
lug bad whisky, and qnsrrslipg Win
every one he could get to. quarrel win
hin. When under the Influence Of wins
ky he would mount his horse, and, with
Two large navy.revolYers in his belt, ride
10 and down The village, delying every
one 10 come out aud fight him. For the
sligh,es, oitensc, either real or imagined,
he would fire at a man, and, II he had u
grudge against any one, thatperson's cat
liz or horses were sure soon afterwards "a
be missing. Itwss more than limited tina,
he was the principal or accomplish II
many of the ,he.ts, and, II he were SC
minded, could tell where most OF the val
liable horses stolen from time to time or
the Salt Lake stage road had gone. Yel
such was the reputation Of this young des
perado for courage and wickedness thai
no one cared to NEEDLE with him, and
wherever he went, his society was toler
a,ed rather than preferred. No ten .mer
could have been induced to go to bis
rancho 10 search for stolen stock, and sc
tho matter was allowed 10 st,-every
one blaming. him with all sorts OF crimes
but no one being able to swear the suspi-
cions were correct. .e7-- -. ..s.
One evening, just as Mr.. Thompson
and his family were sitting down, In thei
humble cabin, to supper Of corn breat
and yenison, q tall young man, MOUNTED
on wiry pony, rode up. he was scarcel..
10 years OF age, and wore the ineyitsbl
leggiugs and long trock of the Western
hunters, fringed with buckskin. His fac,
was brown as nut, aud, when he raiset
the broad brim OF his SLOUGH hat, hi
cOunteuance betrayed unmistakable sign
Of dissipation.
Mr. Thompson politely invited th'
stranger TO dismount and partake OF thei
frugal meal, and, springing from bis horse
he made haste 10 enter; but, when hesav
Mary, he drew back, blushed, and woult
have mounted again had not Mr.. Thomp
sou insisted upon hisstopplng long enougl
10 eat something II was not long beior'
Mr. Thompson discovered from the con-
yessation that his guest was none othc
than the famous young desperate OF tn
Blue, aud the discovery was attended will
considerable anxiety and alarm. TIT
quick eye OF the hunter detected In amin
slant the alarm his presence had created
auu, rising from the table before he hat
finished his supper, he said, with digni'
tied air; ..,, s.,,, g...-rr o. r.i.,5.
a am indeed ihe Wild Trapper OF tn
Blue, and, like every one else, you thinl
me bid; but am not so bad as they say
OH be added, alter q moments pause
vi some one In the world would only be
lievc me good, might become like othe
men" ~ 'A1s A"Y 80
Then, fixing his piercing eyes on Mary
hegazed ut her a full minute, and, turnin
on hts heel, he let the cabin without say
log another word. The family, througI
the open doorway, saw him swing hi
1.-THE body across his pony, and gallo
swiftly away over the prairie toward hi
cabin. ..-I .-.r~ +,rz lat5R AID
From this visit MIR. Thompson augure
bad luck; but, as day after day and wee
Giler week passed and they saw no NOR
Of him, they began to think they hal
done the young man an injustice. True
they often heard Of him In the village
where he continued his drinking and fight
log; but, although the nearest way woul
have led him, by Mr. Thompson's hous,
both in going and coming, he Away
crossed the prairie some miles above, an
never came near the place.
Mr. Thompson, who had once been
kind husband, On indulgent father, and
man Of good habits, disappointed by re
peated failures In business, and vexed
poverty, had, OF late years, taken TO dtinl
and now was little better than o commo
drunkard His wife and daughter ha
persuaded him TO move from Iowa, hopinI
When his old associations were broken q
he would do better In Nebraska, IN
make their new home a happy one. X
alime their most sanguine wishes SCENE
about TO be realized. The farm they ha
eken up was good one, The crops wei
abundant, and all seemed 10 promise,
huppy future. Nj. Thompson had left q
drtnking entirely, and was again tho lin
aud afectionate husband aud father |