The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-11-12
JOE, THE WOLF.
A Tragic Episode Of the Sage Brush.
Ely MARINER J. KENT.


the desert State of Nevada, Is not par
tlcularly attractive village. A railroad
office and a trei ght depot, row of bust
ness houses and saloons, anda cluster of
unpretentious dwellings, comprise its ex-
tent. At the time of which I write, some
FIVE years ago, it was lively burg, how
ever, and a rough one. A small army of
teamsters and miners, and a coterie of
three-card monte men, who made it their
headquarters, kept tho otherwise peace
full village in a fcrmcnt Of wild excite
ment. The course Of these reckless deni-
zens was marked by periodical shooting
scrapes, frequent fstic encounters, and
continuous drunken bouts.
Half doing, one day, in saloon, I was
aroused by the remark, most emphat1cal-
II delivered, "lt's fourteen inches be-
tween my eyes, and smell like wolff"
The speaker, large, magnihcently pro
portioned rutian, supplemented the pc
culiar description of hlmself with, 'Pards,
come an drink?" With the exception of
myself, every man in the room gathered
around the bar, addressing the powerful
stander OF treats as Joe. The glasses
were filed and tipped, when he turned
and noticed me. l saw the quick, wick
ed flash of anger in his eyes. After a
momentary survey, he broke silence, and
this tcrse dialogue followed:
Eyer from the city, amt yer?''
II am"
''Yer don't know me, do vera
Il don't''
"Take drink an gitacquainted, tIen.''
:'Don't drink"
''Smokc, them
"Don't smoke
$40 yer shoot9'
"Not worth continental.
My years of assurance acquired as a
cores pondent, ana my knowledge of az
gressive characters, did not prevent me
of feeling some uneasiness as observed
my interrosater's dextrous fingers slide
to his belt and grasp the hilt of his whis-
tier. An unpleasant termination of the
conversation was avoided by the appear
ance of woman, who stepped from the
overland train, just then arrived, and d.
rected her steps toward the saloon. She
was rather comely looking female of
thirty eight OF more, and evidently ill
and suffering from the effects of an ex-
tended debauch. Joe stared at her, as
one Looks at the arisen dead for moment.
and then walked quickly to the, door
threw himself into the saddle, and rode
away. As he passed the woman, she lift
ed her hands impleringly toward him
and fell to the earth UNCONSCIOUS. She
was borne to the hotel, and the kind wo-
men of the village did what they could
for her. She spoke no word when re-.
covered from her swoon, but lay quietly.
unmindful of Ter life fast ebbing away
During the Gay I inquired of Broken
nosed Charley, who knew everything and
everybody about the farm. regarding the
man Joe. Charley said that little was
known Of him except that he mined some,
gambled some, drank like mad and was
altogether bad lot. he had killed two
OF three men, and had been shot and cut
himself several times. He invariably
preceded an invitation to imbibe, or the
shooting OF man, by the expression, s.It's
fourteen inches between my eyes, and I
smell like WOLF From this idiosyn-
cracy and his blood-thirsty disposition,
he was known and dreaded as "The
Wolf" Prudent people however, address
cd him as Joe. r
The Wolf returned to town the next
day, and, On entering the saloon from
which he had made his hurried exit, qui-
city asked:
HAS that tar woman gomez" ..s
He;was told that she was sick and
could live but very short time. A great
change came over his face; the hard fur
rows of dissipation and crime were trans
formed to tie pitiable lines of sorrow.
Not noticing the dram profered by the
bar-keeper, he fastened to the hotel and
made his way to the bedside of the dying
woman. Abruptly he questioned:
"Was yer followering him?"
'sNo, Joe; I was hunting him" ~
ssSure2'' s -
$50 help me Godl" -..-
The poor white face, SCARED and deep
scanned by excuses and sin, grew radiant
with gladness as Joe kneeled down and
kissed her. With a seal of forgiveness,
with the pressure of his lips but half re-
turned, she sank back dead.
Through the service at the simple
burial the following day Joe stood with
uncovered head, but hif bronzed and i'm
movable features betrayed no emotion,
nor vouchsafed any clue to the mystery
that enshrouded tho confined outcast
and himself.
The evening Of the funeral the Wolf
called on me at my rooms. Seating him.
self, without preface he said:
Gas man of sense an no coward, vel
kin look at brave mans agony in the
right way. The past I've hidden TO,
twenty years, fur l amt the kind to car
~ my heart on my sleeve fur davis tc
peck at. But thar's a feeling as though
lfchoke if didn't talk to some one
The woman buried to-day var nv wife
Here's some letters the wimin folks found
on her an give to me. Yer look them
over while I chin fur I'm slow on thu
J read. We war married in the States