The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-17
the COW WIDOW or COLORADO.

| hNuu vi spIu pllIoNtu ou tIlt NDcky nlOuuIHlnH,
her breast II shield OF silver. her feet in tho
brown grass the boundlcss plains for az play
| ground. Sho is set on a hill before all the
| world Tho air is very clear. that you may SEQ
| her well. She Is naked rs one new born naked
| but not ashamed.
| Thrown together In the barroom OF the only
| hotel, tho minors Of Lendville gathered about
their great leader and looked up to him on this
evening as to an Alexander.
| Tho COW widow had returned from Paris
| She would come down from her rooms to see
| the boys They knew 1t we'll for had not the
local papers said that she had returned. dressed
fresh from the hands Of Worth?
The great broad-shouldercd. tall. and"ato
| gether magnificent Col. Bill Williams. the leader
| of all Leadville. loved the COW widow. And in
| deed. who Of us all did not love hcr2
With hcr cattle on n thousand hills her bel
| lowing herds of sleek brown steers. her lowing
| spotted cows by every roadside in every gulch
and canon branded with cross on the flank
| and this is why we came to call this wealth.
| lost and best of all tho brave good women OF
| Colorado the cow widow.
| Perish the man who would speak OF her with
disrespcct or dream that aught butt compi-
ment is meant by this sketch. l. who have
| eaten her bread and drank milk many
! time as rode up the Rocky Mountains at her
|
| turned again TO Paris and assumed the rcins of
social leadership for tho fair of our land to do
| aught but honor her. And should this sketch
| DO translated and published in thu Rerue DIES
| Dear Mondes. as others OF my sketches have
| b .en l must beg Monsieur to translate 1t with
| all consideration and respect for this truly
| good lady; who really was not to blame that
| We all loved her we'll and wooed her ardently.
! How jealous Col. Bill Williams was Of her.
I
| that his suit would be successful. And indeed.
each man of us there hoped. in case he did not
| get her himself that the Colonel would come in
on tho homestretch the winner of
| tho race. In fact it was really nee
| essary that some like good fortune should
Cvertake him soon He had Mines 1t is true.
| He had a thousand mines. rich mines extern
| sivo mines. marvellousiy rich mines. according
| to his own account OF Them but somehow he
was in debt head and ears and could not sell
| even his richest mine for change Of raiment.
What Colorado miner cannot testify to the
| absolute and most deplorable poverty of a
gentleman who has nothing in the world but a
mine OF solid gold and silver?
| The noble Colonel had a partner in all his en-
| terprises. a little. pinched. slueaky. half
starved doctor. who had pair OF greasy pill
| bags on his arm and enormous spectaces over
his nose. The nervous and anxious little Doc
| tor was perhaps the only one OF us there who
was not wooing the widow on his own account.
| But this gave him a double force to work for
| his partner. These two men, outside of WOO
! ing the widow. had each a purpose in life. The
| Colonies other sole aim in life was to sell some
| body mine: make him swallow his accounts
| of lis marvellous worth. The Doctors purpose
was to make men swallow his medicine.
The Colonel was not over well dressed. And
who of US was at that early day Perhaps it was
| this want of the wedding garment that made
| him so madly jealous Of every strange or we'll
arrayed gentleman who CHANGED to approach
| the presence of the coveted COW widow.
On this memorable night. as we waited for
| her to descend to where we were NIL gathered to
| receive her in what served as barroom. paror,
! and hall. the moon hung high and bright. and
| horses were chamring their bits at the rack
outside rs II somebody was contemplating u
| long. hard drive.
Suddenly the door opened and there timidly
| entered the most perfectly well-dressed young
| man that had ever as yet set foot in Lcadvilie.
But the widow expected to
| descend from tho stairs. no ono was looking in
| the direction of the door. and the tall we'll
| dressed. but pulc and anxious young man
stood there timidy soliloluizing to himself
| Go West and grow up with the country. I've
coma West. and. instead of growing up. If
| upN I sNt u JDp VI SlIihc SpIlctulHs spoH, i u
starve. grow down with the country. But /
won't be bad. mol Why, before I'd lie like a
Colorado miner. I'd die. In New York had no
money. but had pride the real old Livingston
| pride: landed in Colorado last week and have
| been hungry ever since. Pride. yes l have
| pride! I'll not sink down to rags and revolv-
| ers. nickname and SLOUGH hat. No! l. Rich
| ard Pcrciva Livingston of the city of New York
was born gentleman. bred gentleman and
| believe II gentleman can be "a gentleman in Col
orado AS well in New York. mol III hold
my own in Colorado"
The Doctor looked over his shoulder and
winking to the boys merely said:
| A tondorfoot."
| The Colonel at the first glimpse was furlously
| jealous. but conccalng his dsplcasure. snid:
so ii is. I'll sell him mine !" Then ap-
proaching. continued to the stranger Want
| to buy mine. strunger?'
| The pale heSltatng handsome young.man
modcstly answered:
| Yes. I-I-that is surprising tho'transaction
| be one Of commercial amity in Difference toto
| financial embarassnents. SIR"
Hey -
" mean il you will sell me the minc on time"
go imel Boys. he wants time. Time! Why
we've got time enough for the whole universe
! in Colorado! Bout the only thing We have got.
| oh boys No. sir We want the pepper sauce
| right down. and don't YOU fail to record it,"
We'll. no harm done. l hope. You offer to
| s,ll mine. | Offer my terms. You decline
| No harm. sir"
Not n bit. stranger and there's my hand
! I'm Col Bill Williams the strangers friend"
| and here he raised hand to the side of his
| mouth. and said aside: If can sell him a
| mine. This is Mr. Ginger tho friend of the In
| dian Agent, the Hon Mr. Snagly. This is DR.
| Bags. my Pard and the friend of the COW wild
| dor. the Richest woman in Colorado. He'll
doctor you, or got you II job to herd sheep. He's
| got II powerful influence with tho widdcr"
| The tall. tmid stranger stood full an inch
! taller HIS ho walked aside and said to himself
| Tho richest woman in Colorado, And u
widow. Widows will marry. Now hero is II
wealthy widow. This wealthy widow must and
| will marry. she will choose among those who
| surround her, Well. as between these mon and
| myself" and hore he looked at his clothes
| tho chances are for you Mr.. Richard Porcival
| Livingston. For. whatever happens. III be II
NJ LII.