Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-03-15

he gave me every opportunity to do
80. After a very long probation his wife
became n member of my church. Not
only was she a regular attendant, but
she brought her husband with her. On
prayer-meeting nights, when it was too
cold or the rain was falling in torrents,
whoever else was absent it was not Col.
Coyote Clark nor his wife. Every child
was in the Sunday school. During SER
mons the Colonel gave me his, if not
deyout, at least undivided attention. I
met cordial reception when ] visited
at his house. / was little surprised
when, on calling one hot August even-
ing, two or three OF his youngest child
rem raced in and out OF the parlor as
naked as the hour they yers born, but
they were very beautiful children, and
we're soon hustled off to bed; and the
father sat listening for an hour after
and with sympathetic eyes, to all I
could urge upon him as TO q change of
life.
As ] knew at the outset, cannot con-
dense into limits so brief tenth of what
would like to say of my friend. For,
Notwithstanding everything, liked
him; yes, and I like him to this hour |
recall the picnic dinner he gave to the
Sunday school in the woods on bright
October day, the profuse generosity Of
the man, then as always, who for some
occult reason wore a ruff1ed shirt and
was apparently the ideal of refined
gentleman. We had to repress and re-
fuse his pecuniary gifts to the church.
believe ne would have built us new
edifice had we allowed it.
"And you still think you can make a
Christian of him?" The question was
continually dashed upon me like cold
water, and from, it seemed to me, every
quarter. 81 can but tryp always
said so, but it was with sinking heart.
My friend seemed to belong to a wholly
different species somehow, always 80
cordial, so attentive, so open to con-
viction, SO frankly boyish and bright
faced, yet all along, as l could but
know, the same uumitigated reprobate.
Disasters befell him in quick succession.
His house was burned down, but he
tracked the incendiary, killed him, and
was as cheerful as ever. His favorite
son was blown up and burned to crisp
in his Christmas pyrotechnics. Another
son, handsome fellow, accidentally
shot and killed young negro with
whom he was playing. A daughter not
10 was assisted out Of back window
one night by lad not much older, and
eloped to be married by me some weeks
after to her abductor. A third son not
10 years old had his clothes hidden
while bathing in the river, and searched
and found them only TO take a small re-
volver out of the pockets, run, still
naked, after his mischievous companion
and dangerously wound him. Through
everything Col. Coyote Clark remained,
as far as 1 could see, the same pleasant
faced, sincere-spoken, innocent-man-
nered and hopelessly wicked desperate.
"Now, is there anything can do for
you?" he reined in his horse at my gate
one morning to ask, looking the picture
Of a cavalier, for he was Captain Of tho
Rangers, and was off on scout after the
Indians. / made request, but forgot
all about it until, months after, he
stopped on his return at my gate to give
me the ox-hide quiver full of arrows, the
medicine bag and bow of Comanche.
"He was a big chief" he said, land I
picfed him OFF on purpose for YOU
One morning, not long after, Isaw him
on the roof Of burning house helping
to put out the flames at the peril Of his
life. The next day l heard the rapid
cracking of revolvers down street. 1t
was little difficulty" he was having,
and hastened past his dead enemy to
find him dying on the sidewalk. His
face frightened like that of child
when he saw me, and he gave me the
same cordial and sympathetic attention
as of old to all had to say. / see his
boyish and innocent-seeming face this
moment, as smilingly unconscious of
what concerned him most as squirrel,
without the faculty to care. anyhow,
/ fetched him |" he laughed-and was
dead.
But why is it that 1 liked him SO
much, SO very much, more than dopeo-