The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-11-21
DoUBTING DIXON.

oomfortaole supper, In front OF the
Paxon House, Omaha. Mr.. Blakely had
been labeled Emigrant". because of
his intimate relations with the Land De-
partment of the Union Pacific Railway.
and his indefatigable exertions in pro-
viding Eastern colonies with new
homes on railroad land in the fresh and
adolescent West.
"No, believe not" replied. "You
told me some very interesting anecdotes
Of early days on the frontier. but /
don't think you referred to Doubling
Dixon"
"No, b'leive you. Wal; Doubling
Dixon come on from Massachusetts in
1852, I think, an all he had in the
world was about one hundred and fifty
dollars In cash an four-year-old kid.
He thought everything of that boy, an
Dixon couldn't very well go back on
him, neither, fur the lad was a perfect
image of himself-a regular epitome of
Doubling Dixon, only he war n
dummed sight llvelier. Dixon was
silent, taciturrn sort Of bean-eating
Yankee; didn't have much to say when
folks was around. an contrived to keep
hissef TO hisself in the best kind of
shape. He got the name of Doubling
Dixon because he seemed to believe in
nothing or nobody, and when anything
little out of the ordinary rut was told
to him, he always kinder threw cold
water upon the account an talked an
acted as II he didn't take no kind Of
stock in it. OF course such monkey
business as this rather conveyed the
idea to people who was telling him any
thing that Dixon considered them cool,
calm and unregenerate liars.
..Dixon staked claim fifteen miles
out from Denver, put up shanty, and
lived there alone with his kid. He
didn't come into town oftener than once
q week after some small stores, an
mighty small stores they was, too, tell
yer. The boys used to wonder what
him and the hid lived on. He general
ly come in Saturday nights. an after
hanging arounf the saloons, stores an
posf-ofice q while. he'd pile on TO his
mule an poke for his claim There
was smother little peculiarly about
Dixon, he never would drink anything
at the bar, an he edidn't ever carry home
anything in n jug. In consequence of
this little. eccentricity.' Doubling Dixon
was unpopular with the boys. an Dixon
hisself didn't appear to have any great
an overpowering affection for them. 1
t1L4 IUAl L4G W 2c AupOpu1ALs III NAlIn Z
seem to have many friends There was
one exception. That was q vicious
looking York State feller, q gambler,
and the boys all said q skin gambler at
that. He an Dixon were seen together
occasionally. conversing in low tones.
an everybody wondered why Pistol
Grip, as this York State chop was
called, an Doubling Dixon should be
50 thick when Dixon didn't gamble nor
drink either. One day this Doubling
Dixon struck it rich in his claim, an he
an the kid left the shanty an comeinto
town an commenced boardin' at the
hotel One Saturday afternoon Doubt
ing Dixon sat watching q game of
billiards in the Senate saloon, an Monte
Bill come in, an he says:
Dixon, there's lady outside in
kerridge as wants ter see YER
"sI don't know no ladies in Denver
said Doubling Dixon, tribe uneasy,
AN don't believe as any ladies wants
ter see me-
"sMebbe you think I'm a liar said
Monte Bill, carefully rubbing the nickel
plate on his revolver with his thumb.
No, won't say you're a liar. Bill
said Dixon. meek as a lamb, 'but
don't hardly reckon any lady wants to
see me. Who is sheP'
..I don't know who she is said
Monte Bill, sbut she's lady, an says
she's got some news from your wife
.Doubting Dixon started suddenly
from his chair, an then sat back again,
an his face was blue, just as though he
had been swimmin' in ice water for an
hour or so.
.'sI don't believe she has got any
news from my wife, said Dixon
asWell, come along out an see,
said Monte Bill Hit amt no use of
your sittin' here incoming an implying
as If everybody else but you was a liar.
Come along out an see for yourself.
"When Doubling Dixon got up out
of the chair. he weaved back and forth
q minute. as If he was going to fall, but
he braced up, an went out to the car
riage with Bill. There was a lady there,
sure enough, an right handsome one
at that, dressed up to kill, an diamonds
al over her where they would do the
most good.
us this Mr.. DixonP said the lady,
with q most fascinating smile.
ssYes. m M said Dixon, huskily.
.ssWell. your wife is down at the
Tallman House. an she would like TO
see YOU
"Dixon seized hold of the tire of the
carriage wheel to steady himself
80 She wants to take the kid away
from me, don't sheP' inquired Dixon,
with q terrible anxious look in his face.
40. no. guess not,' said the lady.
pleasantly.
".She's got a divorce an big
alimony, and the care of the boy. an
all that sort OF thing, 1 suppose Re
member, I've got the money an I'll
fight it; I'll fight it through every court
In the land
No, nothing of the kind, said the
lady, but she wants to see you an the
boy. She came here with me from
Boston, where she has been working.
"sWorkingr said Dixon, blankly.
"sYes, she has been living all alone
by herself, and working hard for heI
support Get into the carriage with
me, an well drive down to the hotel.
when they arrived. Dixon met his
wife with the coolest kind of reserve,
an she, poor woman, was almost heart
broken. The handsome lady and Dixon
had stopped on the way, an got the
lid, and Mrs. Dixon cried over the boy,
an hugped an kissed him. but Dixon,
he stood by as cold as an iron-clad, an
never cried drop, while the woman
washed the boys face with her tears.
Dixon spoke up. an said:
.s.Katie, where's the gamblerP'
e.What gamblerP' said Katie, look
ing suddenly up, an it seemed as II the
fire in her eyes had dried up all the
tears
"The gambler chap you took up
with an run away from home with.
"Its false, false said the woman.
aDoubting Dixon looked wonderfully
puzzled; - u.,;a,, +.