Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-11-02
GaIts an0 Sketfbes.
fHE COW WIDOW OF COLORADO.
Continued from yesterday.

lCOntInuued from yesterday
"Ah. guess it is sighed Colonel Bill, as
he shuffied his erutches together and again
fell to thinking how Livingston was hav-
ing it all his own way with the COW
widow.
Suddenly one morning the whole coun-
try came pouring into the post. The In
dians, it was reported, had broken out,
and settlers were fleeing for their lives.
Livingston was among the first to fly
from his mountain of silver for protection
He entered the stockade putting and
blowing. loaded down with pistols. over
Swallowed BY an immense siouch hat,
without band or crown, and the raggedest
man in the mines
..Indian war;" he said to bimself
Driven at last from nv mine of immense
wealth. Everybody rushing into the
stockade to escape the Indians. Why,
hello. Nadge. Glad to see you. Going
back To the reservation. hear. | hope
You'll try and bit in to the reservation.
That's best, you see. No use a bucking
against it, See what was when | came
To Colorado. I've melted down; fitted in
like square peg in round hole. All.
If nv Jerusba in New York could see me
now. am rich. now. Madge. | try to
conceal it, so that | might not be robbed.
But | am rich.-immensely rich ~ and
he spread his hands over his patches.
why. Mr. Livingston" cried the mer-
~ widow. entering the stockade as Madge
lett it. Il thought you were up in the
mountains at work in your great mine. "
"Widow. you may well say great mine.
For great mine it il. And am rich, very
-very-very rich"
80. I'm so glad of it. You will be so
happy now. I congratulate you with
all my heart, With youth and health and
wealth. how can you hcl p but be happy ?"
.Happy? No | will never be happy
again. never, never, never be happy again
unles>-unless-''
why Mr.. Livingston. unless what ?"
"Ah, madam, while toiling away up
there in my great mine. there in my noun
tain of wealth. that flashes its silver sheen
in the shining moon, that knocks its he'll
met against the morning star"
IAN, Mr. Livingstone"
Yes, madame, while toiling up there
nv heart was here. At last | could en-
dure it no longer. and to-day l dropped
my pick while prying off a brick of silver,
and came to throw myself at your feet.
1 tlltT you III. tudl Wcditil, All. uC
whole mountain don't want it,"
"Oh, Mr.. Livingstone.
BE mine :" And, holding his patches.
he fell upon his knees. "This is my first
love" Then he moaned aside: what
Il liar I've got to be in Colorado! Ii Je-
rush could see me now! This is my first,
nv last, my only love. Be mi1e!'
Merrilv the little woman laughed as
the ragged man arose from before her
and boy entered with message.
From her, From the woman love
and ought to have received it a week
ago." And Livingstone read eagerly:
Dear Richard: Come back at once.
Father is in Europe and mother is willing
Money is no object. Come. Yours
JERUsTIA.
'Struck it at last in Colorado Stop,
boy. There must be an answer. Got any
paper boy ? Well, lend me your pencil
then" And tearing off 4 paper cuff, he
wrote very rapidly:
Nv Dear .Jerushia: Yours finds me
deep in my silver mine. "Jerushia."
Am running IA cross tunnel to tap the sill
yer level, where we hope to find the sill
yer in running state flowing through all
its dips and spurs and angles. At pres
ept we are in solid silver, and find it hard
to work. My dear. dear Jerushia. how
constant have been to you, heaven and
the shining stars of Colorado only know
Take that boy. Take it and fly !!
Stop, must add postscript" And
again he wrote:
Ms Dear. Dear Jerushia: Telegraph
me $500 to the City Bank of Denver.
This silver is so hard to cut off that may
be- delayed an hour or two. and | would
not spare one sweet moment from you.
Go. Pay at other end. / follow with
the next soldiers for Denver
The doctor came forth from the bar.
racks. polishing his specs on corner OF
his coat tail, and cordially welcomed the
widow.
but Colonel Bill; how is he ?"
Better, better. All the time better.
But broken up. Why. he's got more Joints
in his legs than LOBSTER
And does he-tell me-does he ever
speak of me?
Speak OF you? Why. when we first
brought him in here-well, he didn't
speak of anything else. But he was out
OF his head then; didn't know what he
was about, you see"
"But now Don't he speak of me nowP'
mot now. widder. You see when be
got up on his crutches and got good
look at himself. and seed how he was
smashed up-well, alter that he didn't
never speak of you any more"
Didn't speak of me any more after he
saw how he was broken up?"
Never anv more"
"He ought to know that | want him to
to know-that | am grateful. grateful.
That IL want him to come to the
ranch and look after my cows"
The doctor stopped polishing the glass
es with the corner of his coat and gave a
long. low whistle to himself. Then he
turned straight about, went into the bar
racks. and brought out his partner on his
crutches. muttering TO him AS they came ::
Now. old pard. don't put it that way. Ii
she loves you-if she loves you-why,
why, she loves you, smashed up or no
smashed up"
But I'm all gone to pieces. and in
this little time my heads got rs white as
the snow up yonder."
"Well, what of that?"
What of that? Why, won't blight
her sunny life with the few chilly DAYS
II l~G -. L