The Osceola times., 1880-03-27
AkANSAS SKETCH.
saturday Night in a Cattle Iown--Ihe iypi-
cal CoM-t tsOy.
Uenry King in Scribner Tor March.

Henry King in scribner for March.
The dullness which had 50 weighed
upon US during the long uneventful after
noon was but lull, we soon learned,
and not a stagnaiion. With the first ap-
proach OF darkness the lethargic town
rubbed its eyes, so to speak, and leaped
10 its ieet-and in a twinkling, ii seem
ed like an incan.ation, Eastman S;ld),
Grand avenue was a carnival OF hght
and motion. and music. The broad
boari sidewalk was crowded with prom
enaders. smiling groups passed IN and
ont of me gambling saloons and drink
ing-places. In every quarter glasses
clinked and dice ratified lis there an
other sound in the world like shaken
dice?l; violins flutes and cornets sent
out inviting strains of waltz or polka
from q sore OF more establishments,
and bl band was playing patriotic
airs in front Of the theater, where, oddly
enough. the crude morality Of Ten
Nights in a Bar-rOom" was about to be
presented. with the full strength of the
company in the cast Everywhere the
COWBOYS made themselves manifest,
clad now in the soiled and dingy jeans
Of the trail, then in suit Of many-but-
toned corduroy, and again IN aiiiuenco
of brnadcloth, silk hat, gloves, cane, and
sometimes a white necktie. And every
where. also. stared and shone the Lone
Star of Texas; for the cowboy, wherever
he may wander, and however he may
change, never fOrgets 10 be Texan, and
never spends his money or lends his
presence 10 a concern that does not in
some way recognize the emblem of his
native State; 50 you will see IN towns
like New Sharon q general pandering 10
this sentiment, and lone stars abound, OF
all sizes anu hues, from the big disGzur-
I ing white one painted on the hotel front
to the little pink one stitched in silk on
/ the COW BOYS handkerchief Barring
| these star, the rich lights and the mu-
/ sic, we missed sight Of any special efforts
| 10 beguile or enlrap paSsers-by by--pcrnap-
! because We were not looking for them,
nor was there for some hours q sound 10
reveal the spirit OF coiled and utter vile
/ ness which the cheerful outside - wei.
| belied. Ii was in the main the kind OF
a scene one would be apt to conjecture
/ for an Oriental holiday. But n the night
| sped on the festivities deepened and the
/ iOvial aspect of the picture began 10 be
/ touched and tainted with a subtle, re-
buking something, which gradually dis
closed the passion, the crime, the de
| pravity. that really viyitied and swaped
II all and made it Internal The saloons
| became clamorous with profanity and
rihald songs and laughter. There were
no longer any promenaders on the side
| walks, save once in a while a single
bleared and staggering fellow. with q
difficulty in his clumsy lips over som,
! such thing a. The girl ! ieit behind
me-" An inhamed and guiyering tiere-
ness crept into the busy music. The
lights paled fiiskered, and here and
there went out. Doors were s,ealthily
closed. window-shutterS slammed Il
with angry creaks And at length, a,
| we looked and listened, the sharp, sig
niticant report Of a pistol, with a Shrek
behind it, was borne toward us from q
turbulent dancing hall to certify its tale
Of combat and probable homicide. and
to be- succeeded by close but brief halt
in the noisy quadrile-prr,umably fol
the removal OF the victim.