The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-06
JOE, THE WOLF.
BY MARINER j. KENT.

JOE, THE WOLF.
BY MARINER j. KENT.
The Arxonaut.
Battle Mountain, nearly the center
Of the desert State of Nevada, is no
particularly attractive village. A
railroad Office and freight depot, {
row of business houses and saloons
and a cluster of unpretentious dwell.
ings, comprise its extent. At the time
of which I write, some five years ago,
1t was lively burg, however, and 6
rough one. A small army of team
sters and miners, and q coterie OF
tbree-card monte men who made il
their headquarters, kept the otherwise
peaceful village in q ferment. of excite
ment. The course of these reckless
denizens was marked by periodical
shooting sorapee, frequent fstic en-.
counters and continuous drunken
bouts. -
Half-dozing one day In a saloon,
/ was aroused by the remark most en-
phatically delivered, 'It's fourteen
inches between my eyes. and I smell
like wolff The speaker, a large,
magnificently proportioned ruffian,
supplemented the peculiar description
Of himself with, tPards, come and
drink With the exception of myself
every man in the room gathered
around the bar, addressing the power
full stander of treats as Joe. The glass.
es were filed and tipped, when he
noticed me. l saw the quick, wicked
flash OF. anger in his syes. After q
momentary survey he broke silence,
and this terse dialogue followed;
Yer from the city, amt yer?
lam .....
fYer don't know me, do yer?
Il DON'T
'Take drink and get acquainted,
then.'
sDon't drink
'SmOke, them
Don't smoke
DO yer shoot2'
Not worth q CONTINENTAL
My years of assurance acquired as
q correspondent, and my knowledge
of aggressive characters did not pre-.
vent me from feeling some uneasiness
IS 1 observed my interrogator's dex.
trous fingers slide to his belt and grasp
The hilt of his whistler An unpleas-
ant termination of the conversation
was avoided by the strange appear
ance of a woman, who stepped from
he overland train, just then arrived,
md directed her steps towards the
'aloon. She was rather q comely
ooking female of thirty -elght or more
md evidently i'll and suffering from
he effects of an extended debauch.
Zoe stared at her as one looks at the
risen dead for a moment, and then
walked quietly to the door, threw
himself into the saddle and rode away.
As he passed the woman she lifted her
lsnd imploringly toward him and fell
o the earth unconscious. She was
'orne TO the hotel and the kind wo.
nen Of the village did what they could
or her. She spoke no word when re-
severed from her swoon, but lay qui.
tly unmindful of her life fast ebbing |
way.
During the day inquired of Bro.
Charley, who knew every.
'ody and everything about the place,
the man Joe. Charley said
hat little was known of him, except |
hat he mined some, gambled some,
frank like mad, and altogether was
'sd lot, He had killed two or three
nen, and had been shot and cut sew
raj times. He invariably preceded On
invitation to imbibe, or the shooting
# man, by the expression: 'Ifs
ourteen inches between my eyes, and
smell like q wolff From this idi-
'syncrasy and his blood-thirsty dis.
'osition he was known and dreaded as
The Wolff Prudent people, how.
yer, addressed him as Joe.
The Wolf returned to town the next
lay, and on entering the saloon from
vhIch he had made his hurried exit,
Luietly asked:
HAS that ar woman goue?'
He was told that she was sick and
ould live but VI Try short time. A
reat change came over his face the
ard furrows of dissipation and crime
we're transformed to the pitiable lines
f sorrow. Not noticing the draw
roffered by the barkeeper, he hasten
d to the hotel and made his way TO
he bedside of the dying woman. Alb.
uptly he questioned
sWas yer following him?,
mo, Joe; was hunting him.
'Sure2'
SO help me God!'
The poor, white face, SCARED and
eep scanned by eXcesses and sin, grew
adiant with gladness as Joe kneeled
own and kissed her. With a seal of
with the pressure of his
ips but half returned, she sank back
Iead.
Through the service at the simple
'urial the following day Joe stood
With uncovered head, but his bronze
nd immovable features betrayed no
motion, nor vouchsafed any clue to
be mystery that enshrouded the cof-