The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-07
JOE, THE WOLF.
= TRAGIC EPISODE OF rnEsAGEBRUs


Battle Mountain. nearly The centre Of
the desert State Of Nevada is not a paT-
ticularly attractive village 4 railroad
office and a freight depot, = row of busi-
ness houses and saloons. and q cluster
OF unPTeteutlous dwellings comprised its
extent. At The time Of which / write.
some five years ago, it was a lively
bUrgh, however, and 4 rough one A
small army of teamSters and miners. and
a cOterie of three card monte men who
made it their headquarters, kept the
otherwise peaceful village in a ferment
Of wild excitement. The course Of these
reckless denIzCns was marked by period
ICal shooting scTapc&- frequent tiStic en-
counters, and continuous drunken bouts.
Han doing one day in saloon. [
was aroused by the remark most en-
phati,aliy delivered Its fourteen
inches between my eyes, and | smell
like a wolf - The speaker. q large,
m .gnilicently pr0pOTyioned rullian, sup
piemented the peculiar description of
himself with ''PaTds, come an drink -
With the exception OF myself every man
in the room gathered around the bar, adj
dressing the powerful stauder Of treats
as Joe. The glasses were filled and
tipped, when he noticed me. l saw the
quick, wicked flash OF anger III his eyes.
After Il momentary survey he broke
siienee, and this terse dialogue followed :
Ter from the city, amt yer :"
i am.
Ger don't know me, do yer ?''
Il don't"
Take a drink and git acquainted
then. -
Don't drink"
"SmOke then"
Don't smoke"
DO yer shoot ~
Not worth a continental" "
Ny years OF assurance acquired az a
correspondent. and my knowledge OF
aggressive characters, did not prevent
me from feeling some uHtasineSS as l
observed my uteTTOgator' deXtroUs fin
gers slide to his belt and grasp the hilt
of his whistler" An unpleasant ter
1niuation OF the conversation was avoid
ed by The strange appearance OF Il wo-
man, who stepped from the overland
train, just then arrived, and directed
her steps toward the saloon. She was
rather a cOmely looking female OF thlr-
ty-cight or more, and evidently i'll and
suffering from the effects OF an extended
debauch. Joe stared at her as one looks
at the arisen dead, for moment. aud
/ then walked quickly to the door, threw
+ himself into the saddle, and rode away
As he passed the woman she lifted her
hands implOrlngIy toward him and fell
. TO the earth unconscious. She WAS
borne 10 the hotel, and the kind women
of the village did what they could for
I her. She spoke no word when recover
ed from her swoon, but lay quietly, un-
mindful of her life fast ehbing away.
During the day inquired of Broken
nOsed Charley, who knew everybody and
/ everything about the farm, regarding
! the man joe. Charley said that little
/ was known of him except that he mined
some. gambied some, drank like mad,
and altogether was bad lot. He had
Killed two or three men, aI,G had been
/ shot and cut himself several times. lie
invariably preceded an invitation to inn
bibe, or The shooting of d man. by the
. expression: Its fourteen inches be
tween my eyes, and l smell like wolf. =
! From this ldiOsyncraSy and his blood
thirsty disposition lie was known anC
dreaded as The Wolf Prudent peO
pie. however, addressed him as Joe.
The Wof returned to town the mex
day. and on entering the saloon from
which he had made his hurried exit
quietly asked
Has that IT woman gone !!
lie was told that she was sick anC
could live but short time. y grea
change came over his face the hare
burrows of dissipation and crime wer
transformed TO the pitiable lines Of sor
row. Not noticing the dram proffere,
by the barkeeper, he FASTENED to tn
hotel and made his way to the bedsid
of the dying woman. Abruptly he ques
TONED
''Was yer follering him -
"No, Joe; l WAS hunting you
Sure -
80 help me God -
, The poor, white face, SCARED an
deep-seamed by excesses and sin, gre'
, radiant with gladness as Joe kneele
down and kissed her. With the seal {
forgiveness. with the pressure of his liz
but half returned. she sank back dead.
' Through the service at the simp
burial the following day Joe stood wit
uncovered head, but his bron0ed sn