, 1873-10-05
SKETCHES.
Tho wild Hunter Of the Blue.
ny GEN. JAMES 8. nNtatlIM.

ny GEN. JAMES 4. pRlsnIN.
II is ten years ago (snid Mr.. Doldcn], and nt
that tino tho country back from tho Missouri
was not much settiol. Tho faino Of tho Dig
Due linda had spread far md wide; md. overy
weols, ecoros OF turner's from Iowa, illinois, and
Missouri cnmo In and settlod Oil tho rich bot
toms, almost invariably writing back to tho1r
friends III tho States that tho land was ono flow
Ing with milk md honey, aud urging them to
como md tako up fnrnlB. So tho settlement
prosporod amazingly, md Beatrce, Mob, Which
Ind at first ouly boon town "on papor." be-
came thriving village ln reality.
Among tho farmers who camo to sets1c III this
now country was Mr.. Thompson and his fam
lily. They had formerly ltvod in Iowa, on the
Dig Sioux Rtyor, miles from Sioux City; but,
not prosporng thore, they sought to batter their
condition by moving to NobrnBka, aud selected
tho Dig Dlue rs tho place Of their future home
Mr.. Thompson's family conHisted or
bis wife; luis daughter Mnry, sweet
girl OF 49,; and All old man who had
spout the bcat part Of hts life In the service OF
tie famtly and, now tint ho was old, was ro-
taiuod for tie good ho Ind done, and that ho
might have homo III Ills declining years. At
one time Mr. T. had boon we'll OF in tho world,
but unfortunate speculationB In Western lands
lad ruuod him, and, at tho timo of which I
spoal, he Ind little left besileH few horses, d
wagon or two, mud dozon head Of cattlo.
Noar to whore Mr.. Thompson had settled on
tho Blue, lived d wild young man WHO had won
for hlmsclf the name Of "tho Wild Trappor OF
Me Diuo." Ho ltvod all alone on tho head-
waters Of little crock, aud WAS rarely aeen OK
cept when ho came, ouco In every two or thrco
mouths, to tho traders to exchange Lis furs and
skins for flour, tobncco, matches, coifeo, and
such other nrticea as ho needed. On these oc-
CARTONS, after having made his purchases, ho
would lounge about tic traders for soyeral days,
drinking bnl whisky, md quarroling With evory
ono .lo could get to quarrel with him. Whon
uuder tho influence OF whisky, lo would mount
bis horse, nrd, with two 1argo navy-reyolvors In
his bolt, rido UP and down the village, dofying
slightest offense, eitlor roal or imagined, ho
would fro at a man, and, If be had a grudgo
Rgatnatany Que, tlatpersoh' cattlo or horsosworo
sure soon aftorwards to DO missing. It was more
plice IN many Of tho thcfts. and, II he wore 50
minded, could tell whore most of tho vasuablo
horses stolen from time to tilne on the Suit LIKE
stage.road had gone. Yet such waB tic rcl'uta-
wickedncas that no one cared to meddfo with
him, mud, whorovor le went, his Boci-
ETY. was tolerated rather than pro-
fcrred No ten mon could huyo
stolen stock, aud 10 tho matter was allowed to
rcst,--overy one blaming him with all sorts Of
crimes, but ITO ono boing ablc 10 Bwear tho aus-
picionB were correct.
Ono oveniug, just as MIR. Thompson and his
family were aitting down, in their humble cabiu
to aBuppor Of corubread and yenison, a tall young
mau, mounted on Il wiry pony, rodo up. Ho was
Bcarcoly 10 yenrs Of age, nnd wore tho inevitablo
!cgeings and long frock Of tho Western
brown as q nut, and. whom he raised tle broad
brim Of bis slouch hat his oountenalce be-
trayed unmistnkablo signs Of dissipation.
Mr.. Thompson politely invited tue stranger to
spriuging from lis horse, ho made haste to GU
ter; but, when lie saw Mary, he drow
back, blushed, aud would lave mounted
again had not Mr: Thompson iuslstod
sometl,ing. some t It Vas not lung boioro Mr. Thomp-
sou discovered from tho conversation that lis
guest was mono other than tho famous young
leBporado Of tho Blue. mud Tho discovery vas
attended with considerable anxiety md alarm.
The quick eye Of tho huater detected in an in
stant tho alarm his presence had created, and,
rising from tho table before ho had finished his
supper, lie said, with digniied mir:
and like ike e every ono no. else. yon tkink mo bud; but
after a moments pause. III some ono in the
world would only bcievo me good, might bo-
come like other rnan."
gazcd ut hor . full minute, aud. turning on his
heel, lie left tho cabiu Without saying another
word. The family, through tho open doorway,
saw him ewing bis little botly across his pony,
aud gaallop swiftly away over the prairie toward
From this Writ Mr. Thompson aug,red bud
luck; but, o. day after day and week. after week
passed and they Haw no moro Of him, they bogan
to think they had done tho young man an injua-
tice. True, thoy often heard of him in the vii
lage where he continued llis drinking mud fight
ing but, although tho nearest way would have
led him by Mr.. Thompson'B house, both in going
and cunning, he always crossed tho prairie some
miles aboyo, aud never camo near tho place.
MIR. Thompson, wno had once been kind
husband, al indulgant fathor, and 4 man ol
good habits, disappointed by repeated failuref
ycnrs, ,aKun to ds.uk, and now WAS little better
than common drunkard. Lis wife and daugh-
ter Ind persuaded lin to move from Iowa, hop
lug, when Ills old associations wore broken up
be would do betsor in Nobraska and make theil
now home happy one. For timo tleir mos
Banguine wishes seemed about to bo rcalizod
Tho farm tlley hnd tahen up was good ono, tht
crops were abundant, and all seemed to promise
Happy future. Mr. Thompson had left OF
drinking entirely, and was agaiu the kind ant
afeclionate husband and father Of former years
Tho hqppineHs Of this little family. waa unbound
ed, when, in an evil hour, q cloud darkone{
and finally burst III destroying storm
or hotel, near Alr. Thompsons; aud bctwcc,
thia man and the farmer there soon snbsiatet
tho warmcst friendship. Night aftor night Mr
Thompson would go to Couk's, aad sit III the SO
cioty of bad men until tho sIai! hours Of th
morning. Tho wife and daughter, a!armed 10
bus safety, reaoubled their etlorts to make hi
homo attractive, and iesnrted to every wonanl
device to keep him with them; but, despite thci
exertlonB, ho spout moro than half hs time u
Cooks.
For a long time he resisted overy temptation
to drink but Mt longtll tho evil of keoping Lat
company bocamo apparent, al,l ono night Mr
Thompaon came home to Ills fanily recl!n,
dunk. His downward course was now rapid
ho wis drunk every day T; a,ld to The vice o
drinking ho soon added that Of gambling, III
land on which le lived waH homestead, au'
tho title could not be perfected for five years
80 ho could not ganable it away !; but, Quo =,
one, the horsos cattle. and farming imr!emont
wero put up aud lost, until at last all tint wax
loft were two horses, q wagon, nnl lRrnoas
Among tho porBQrle who visited Cooks was