Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-10-30
Gales ar.0 Sketrkes.
rHE COW WIDOW OF COLORADO.

Rare Colorado, Yonder she rests her
head of gold, pillowed on the Rocky
Mountains. her breast shield of silver.
her feet in the brown grass the boundlese
plains for play ground. She is set on a
hill before all the world. The air is very
clear, that you may see her we'll. She Is
naked as one new born; naked but not
ashamed.
Thrown together in the bar-room of the
only hotel, the mineres of Leadvilie gath
cred about their great leader. and looked
up to him on this evening as to an Alex
ander.
The COW widow had returned from
Paris. She would come down from her
rooms to see the boys. They knew it
we'll, for had not the local papers said
that she had returned dressed fresh from
the hands of Worth?
The great broad-shouldered, tall, and
altogether magnificent Colonel Bill Will
liams. the leader of all Leadville, loved
the COW widow. And. indeed, who of US
all did not love her?
With her cattle on thousand hills. her
believing herds of sleek brown steers,
her lowing spotted cows by every road
side. in every gulch and canon, branded
with cross on the fiank-and this is why
we came to call this wealthiest and best
OF all the brave good woman OF Colorado
the COW widow.
Perish the man who would speak OF
her with disrespect or dream that aught
but compliment is ment by this sketch. L
who have eaten her bread and drank her
milk many time as | rode up the Rocky
Mountains at her ranch, am the last man
now that she has retured again from
Paris and assumed the reins OF social
leadership for the fair of our land, to do
aught but honor her. And should this
sketch be translated and published in the
Revue des Deux Mondes, as others of my
sketches have been, | must beg Monsieur
to translate it with all consideration and
respect for this truly good lady, who really
was not to blame that we all loved her
well and wooed her ardently.
How Jealous Colonel Bill Williams was
OF her. He devoutly hoped and he hon.
estly believed that his suit would be sue
cessful. And indeed. each man OF us hoped.
in case he did not get her himself, that the
colonel would come in on the homestretch
the winner of the race. In fact. it was
really necessary that some such good for
tune should overtake him soon. He had
mines, it is true. He had a thousand
mines. rich mines, extensive mines, mar
veiously rich mines according to his ac-
count of them; but somehow he was in
debt head and ears, and could not sell the
richest mine for change of raiment.
What Colorado miner cannot testify to
the absolute and deplorable poverty of a
gentleman who has nothing in the world
but mine of solid gold and silverP
The noble colonel had partner in all
his enterprises, little, pinched, squeaky,
halfstarved doctor, who had pair of
greasy pill bags on his arm and enor-
nous spectacles over his nose. The ner-
vous and anxious little doctor was perhaps
the only one of us there who was not WOO
ing the widow on his account. But this
gave him double force to work tor his
partner. These two men, outside of
wooirg the widow, had each a purpose
of life. The colonel's other aim in life
was to sell somebody mine; make him
swallow his accounts of its marvellous
worth. The doctors purpose was to make
men swallow his medicine.
The Colonel was over well dress. 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
stranger or well-arrayed gentleman who
chanced to approach the presence of the
coverted cow widQw.
On this memorable night, as we waited
for her to descend to where we were all
gathered to receive her in what served as
barroom. parlor and hall. the moon hung
high and bright. and horses were champ
ing their bits at the rack outside as if
somebody was contemplating long, hard
drive.
Suddenly the door opened and there
timidly entered the most perfectly we'll
dressed young man that had ever as yet
set foot in Leadville.
But as the COW widow was expected to
descend from the stairs, no one was look
ing in the direction of the door, and the
tall, well-dressed. pale but anxious young
man stood there timidly soliloquizing to
himself:
go west and grow up with the coun-
try. Eve come west. and instead OF grow
ing up. if | don't get job or strike
something soon, I'll starve. grow down
with the country, But won't be bad
No, Why. before I'd lie like Colorado
miner. I'd die. In New York l had no
money. but had pride, the real old
Livingston pride; landed in Colorado last
week and have been hungry ever since.
Pride, yes, have pride. III not sink
down to rags and revolvers. nickname
and slouch hat. No! |, Richard Perci.
val Livingston. of the city of New York,
was born gentleman. bred a gentleman
and | believe a gentleman can be a
gentleman in Colorado as well as in New
York. No. I'll hold my own in Colorado. y
The doctor looked over his shoulder
and. winking to the boys, said:
"A tendertoot.'
The colonel at the first glimpse was
furiously jealous. but, concealing his dis
pleasure, said;
$50 it is. I'll sell him mine.' Their
approaching. continued to the stranger.
WANT to buy mine. stranger?"
The pale, hesitating, handsome young
man modestly answered:
"Yes. I-I-that is supposing the tran
saction be one of commercial amity in
Difference to-to financial embarrassments
SIR
Hey"
Il mean if you will sell me the mine or
fime.'