Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-01-19


you ever do, just you notice this: You've
got, say, dozen young cocks pecking
about, and as happy as can be-smart
and lively, and inherent as chickens
should be. Now, just you 60 drop a
pretty young pullet in among 'em, and
see if there won't be "a row. Why, afore
night there'll be combs bleeding, eyes
knockad out, feathers torn and ragged
"a reg lar pepper-box and bowie set-to,
and all 'acause of that little smooth,
brown pullet, that locks on so quiet
and gentle, as if wondering who made
the row. Now, that's what was the
matter with us: for who should come
into the Gulch one day but an old store
keeper sort of fellow, with as pretty a
daughter as ever stepped, and from that
moment it was all over between Hez
and me.
He'd got a way with him, you see, as
hadn't, and they always made him
welkim at thar store, when it was only
"How do you do?" and "Good morn
ing" TO me. / don't know what love
is, strangers: but if Jael Burn had told
me TO 90 and cut one of my hands off to
please her, I'd ha' done it. I'd ha' gone
through fire and water for her, God
bless heri and if she's tied one of her
long, yaller hairs round my neck, she
might have led me about like q bear,
rough as l am.
But it wouldn't do. soon see which
way the wind blew. She was the only
woman in camp, and could have have
the pick, and she picked Hez.
= i was bout startin' mad first time |
met them two together--she hanging
on his arm, and looking up in his face,
worshiping him like some of them wom-
en- can worship a great, big, strong he;
and as soon as they war got by j swore
big oath as Hez should never have her,
and 4 plugged my six-shooter, give my
bowie whetting, and lay in wait for
him coming back.
1t was nice time that, as / sol there,
seeing in fancy him kissin' her sweet lit
tie face, and she hanging on him. If l
was most mad afore, l was ten times
worse now; and when l heered Hez
comm, stood there on shelf of rock,
where the track came along, meaning to
put half a dozen plugs in him, and then
pitch him over into the Gulch. But l
was that mad that when he came up
CHEEKY and singing, l forgot all about
my shooting and bowie, and went
at him like bar, hugging and wrastling
him, till we fell together close to the
edge Of the Guleh, and l had only to
give him shove and down he'd ha'
gone kelch on the hard rocks ninety feet
below.
"Now, Her," / SAYS, show about |
your darling now? You'll cut in afore
q better man again, will you?"
"Yes, if Ilivei" he says, sto,it-like, |
so as | couldn't help liking the grit he |
"That's right" he says;
''pitch me over, and then go and tell
little Jael what you've done. She'll be
fine and proud of yer then, Abinadab |
Scalesi''
He said that as I'd got him hanging
over the rocks, and he looked me full in
the face, full of grit, though he was as
helpless as a baby; but didn't see his
face then, for what seen was the face
of Jael, wild and passionate like, ask.
ing me what I'd done with her love, and
my heart swelled so that l gave sob
like a woman, as l swung Hez round
into safety, and taking his place like,
g Shove me over" l says, "and put me
out of my misery" r' a. ~ -
Poor old Hez! hated him like py-
son but he wasn't that sort. Stead Of
sending me over, now he had the chance,
he claps his hand on my shoulder, and
he says, says he, "Dab, old man." he
says, give it name, and let's go and
have drink on this. We can't all find
the big nuggets, old hoss; and if I'm in
luck, don't be hard on yer mate" I
Then he held out his fist, but couldn't
take it, but turning off, ran hard down
among the rocks Till | dropped, bruised
and bleeding, and didn't go back to my
ent that night L
l got bit wilder arter that. Hez and