Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-11-01
GaIts ana Sksiekes.
rHE COW WIDOW OF ooLeRADo.
Continued from yesterday

tude as Colonel Bill Williams delivered
the address of welcome.
welcome back from Parish Welcome
back to the sublime and auriferous regions
of Colorado. Welcome hack to your
cattle on thousand hills. Welcome
10 this, the club rooms of the honest
miners, of which / am the honored presi-
dent. Widow, you are welcome Gen
tlemen, this is the rose OF the mountain
and the lily OF the valley. She shall
never die. nor wither. nor grow fiat or
stale or improbable, Or but the shouts
OF welcome drown the eloquent address
as the miners crowd around.
But, say. widder," squeaks the doc
tor, a. ne leads forward Livingston, who
has crossed his hands low down: Il want
to present my very dear young friend, Mr..
Livingston, patient Of mine, wilder; a
gentleman and a patient of mine" The
widow answers merrily: 'Mr. Living
ston, | am glad 10 see you; glad to know
you; hope your WE'LL And here the
gorgeous widow shook his feeble hand so
heartily that it was with the utmost effort
he kept down the rebellion in his stomach.
Il set out TO night for long. lively
moonlight ride to my ranch. Colonel
Bill Williams here goes with me 1t is
one unbroken gradual slope in the Rocky
Mountains" cried the spirited widow !;
mot a tree, not stump. all as level as
the floor, and in this full yellow havest
moon as light and as lovely as paradise"
She pauses, approaches. lays hand on
his arm, and says. YOU will go.'
..She is beautiful" whispers the raw
ished youth to himself; land my fortune
is made ''Oh. thank you. madam!
thank you with all my heart" He grasps
her hand. he gags a little, but RECEIVERS
with effort, and cries fOndly: with all
my heart love the saddle
Then you shall have bold and spir-
tied horse" and again laying a hand on
his arm, and looking into his face, she
says close and foDdly, land if don't
find YOU at my side, always, TO the end of
the dash, even to my gates, good bye.
But if you are there! Ii you are at my
side to the end-Iia ha har' And her
sweet low laugh was more than mortal
could resist. MADAM, | thank you for
this opportunity to show how devoted
can be to you. At your side always
Madam, | will be at your side to the last
leap over the plains of Colorado, even to
your gates" Then, while the jealous
colonel glared with rage, he leaned his
pale face forward and whispered, "And,
madam, would tina: | might remain for
ever at your side. even down to the gates
of death"
I'VE will know each other better by
the tine we reach my ranch. through
twenty miles of moonlight" murmurs
the widow, while the colonel glares and
confers hastily aside with his partner.
The, tto
pulls at the sleeve of bis patient, who is
whispering sweet compliments to the
widow.
My fortune is made in Colorado, after
ALL says the tall, pale gentleman to
himself.
How he loves me at first sight" muir
murs the widow, as she turns to hide her
bushes.
And still the colonel glares, and the
little doctor tugs at the sleeve of the ha-
ted rival.
"All ready" roars a rough voice
through the half open door, through
which three splendid restless horses are
seen ehamping their bits and stamping
fretiuly as the man at the door holds
stoutly to the reins.
A moment more and the three are
mounted, the horses heads are turned to
the Rocky Mountains, and thew bound
away with the wind The air is sweet
and strong, full of lfelike wine The
moon has sOwn the road with silver.
Not word for the first five miles. Oh
the glory of ride like that Speech at
such time is profanity.
At last. latter nearly ten miles the horses
began TO slacken pace from exhaustion.
Colonel Bill had just set the rowels of his
great Spanish spurs in the broad cinch in
order to push his horse and his fortunes,
too. with the widow, when low, deep
rumbling sound was heard directly ahead
and the Colonel stood up in his stirrups
The plain was black before-a moving.
billowy, believing mass that was rolling
directly upon the doomed riders. He
alone saw ard understood the terrible
doom that was theirs. To the right? To
the left? Fly before this billowy sea OF
buffalo? You had as well attempt to
flank or fly before the Atlantic. He laid
his hand on the widows rein, checked her
horse. and pointed to the peril ahead
There was at first pang of bitterness.
then sense of grandeur as he refined
Livingston's horse at her side. As the
living sea rolled down to engulf them, he
babe them stand close and still together.
Then drawing pistol he spurred on in
front. aud springing to the ground. waited
there to die for her he loved.
He did not have to wait long. The
earth trembled. A moaning sound came
with the surging mass. He could hear
them breathe. An Impractical man
would have said he could see their black
eyes shine as they rolled down upon him.
But that which glistened in the vast tran
quill moon was the bright. crooked little
horns Of the hairy monsters; their eyes
were closed utterly; else they had been
blinded BY the dust The horses stood
trembling. paralyzed with terror at the
awful sight and sense of death. The man
dropped to his knee and brought his heavy
pistol to rest on his right arm as he felt
their breath in his face. A flash an
other, and another and then horse, man
moster. the three rolled in the dust to
gether an indistinguishable mass. But
the herd divided as against q rock, and
rolled away to the right and LEFT, mot even
touching the two that still sat on their
trembling horses.
The officers and soldiers in chase came
up soon after. aud compelling the widow
and her companion to dash ahead at once