Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-02-19
FOR LIFE OR DEATH.

you'll not do it and get in, young
chap, with hair on your head, I'll tell ye
that ; and, mark ye, tis no town bred
greenhorn who says it, but old Joe Bur
ton, that has fought Injuns and hunted
buffier on the plains afore you left your
mothers side, / calculate. 'Tain't to be
done"
But, colonel" I put in, smiling. yet
not quite so much at my ease as I de-
sired to appear for this tough old
frontiersman, who remembered the
foundation of the settlement, was no
light authority as to the practicability
of such an enterprise as that which I
had, perhaps rashly, undertaken.
GA clear throwing away of life, tLat's
all, d" gruffiy reioined the veteran, as he
stopped. to pat the hound that jumped
up, whimpering, to receive his masters
caress. "He that rides the line to the
headwaters of the Gila now has only
to thank his own folly if his scalp dries
in some pesky wigwam on the prairie
But there; I'm wasting words. A will
full lad, like half broke mustang, amt
easy to hold back. Anyway, Master
Harry Lyndham, I wish you we'll out of
the ugly scrape you have got into"
Colonel Burton was by no means the
only friend who strove to dissuade me
from my project, but my word was
pledged, my mind made up, and it only
remained to complete the preparations
for my hurried and perilous journey. I,
Harry Lyndham, one of the many young
Englishmen whom the hopes of growing
rich had drawn to the far West of
America, was then resident of Tucson
City, and. a clerk in the employment of
Curtis Brothers. The firm consisted of
two old and somewhat eccentric men
old bachelor brOthers-whose names
were known aud respected through all
that wild region that comprises Arizona,
Montana, and the northern counties of
Texas.
Mine were no sedentary duties and
was more often in the saddle than at a
desk; for Messrs. Curtis were specula-
tors and general jobbers, dealing in
maize and wine and hides, in tobacco,
quicksilver, gunpowder and Lotions ;
and, above all, live cattle, the great
staple of the far Southwest.
1t was not for hire alone that toiled
as l did. My great stimulus was that I
was in love with pretty, charming
Rosamond Gray, the daughter of old
MIR. Gray, the banker at Cristobal, q
town lying to the eastward of the MIN
bres, and famous as a market for the
agricultural produce of the vast districts
bordering on Mexico. In one sense I
was happy, for my love was returned
but in another l had met with what was
almost q repulse, since Mr.. and Mrs.
Gray, although entertaining no personal
objection to me as son-in-law, were
unwilling to bestow their daughter on
any but a wealthy suitor.
" etrich, Mr.. Lyndham, the banker
had said good-naturedly, "and see nc
reason why Rosamond and you should
not be happy according to your OWL
fancy. But neither her mother nor ]
can sanction an unconditional engage.
ment."
And now to explain the present posi-
tlon OF the firm, and the reasons for nv
undertaking journey fraught, accord
ing to the rugged old militia colonel's
dlctum, with almost certain disaster
Curtis Brothers, who, by long course
OF judicious operations, had raised them
selves from poverty to aff1uence, had q
that time on hand a speculation of un
usual Importance. They had made
chiefly in Texas, very large purchases
of horned cattle, sheep, and swine, des
tined to feed the swarming population
of the sterile mining districts, wher,
provisions, and meat in special, com
manded high prices. The investmen
seemed the more likely to be proftabl,
since the twin plaques of New Mexico
drought and iocusts, had occasioned
notable mortality among the cattle o
Arizona and the adjoining territories
and great pecuniary returns were antici
pated.
All these calculations seemed likely t.
be upset by the sudden outbreak of tina
smoldering Indian war which never quit
comes to an end in that dangerous re
gion. The Apaches, the irreclaimabl
foes OF all white men, were on the wal
path, leagued, as was reported, wit
sundry other tribes, the Kiowas, th
Navajoes, and the dreaded Comanches
and already hideous tales Of India