St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-08-28

speeding. Inasmuch, then, as you ant
thousands of others escape the dire
perlls from which these faithful workers
guard you, do not fail to do them jus
tice, and honor them as true men, and
should your journey include such won
derful piece of dangerous road as the
''Mule-Shoe Curve be thankful that
the company found such good executives
as those on the overturned gravel car.
They all came originally from the East,
but had lived long enough in the far
West to imbibe the best of its spirits
and learn the best of its ways.
1t was a little dull at times in the
''new town. and if one had no liking
for drinking and gambling he might
find the evenings long. Should he
stroll, however, among the adobe build
ings of the older settlement, he might
detect signs of certain sociability.
From some of the houses came the tink-
ling of the rude harp of the country and
an occasional ripple of laughter; from
some doorways there emerged figures,
clad in mantilla and rebozo and escorted
by rather sorry cavaliers, who fastened
to the aforesaid houses, and at intervals
there was talk of grand bale or ball.
Between the average Mexican who
dwells under the American flag and
the average American pioneer there is
apt to be but little affection. There was
not a male inhabitant of the cold town"
whom Tom Lewis regarded with the
slightest complacency; but it was quite
different with little Mariquita, whom we
met at Alamosa on Christmas Day, and
who asked him to come and see her
when she returned. To be sure the ac-
quaintance was any thing but intimate,
and Mariquita would never cause Tom
to forget certain blue-eyed maiden in
Denver. But, as before said, it was
very dull in the town, and when he had
a might off," while they were repair
ing the big engine, and there was bale
the same evening, and Mariquita asked
him to come, of course he went-other-
wise this story could not have been
written.
"Wa'al, Tom said the roadmaster,
81 allow you'd better be mighty keer-
full. amt a sayin' the little gal amt
pooty, an good, too; but them greasers
is queer lot. seen that teller Jose
looking mighty black when you was a
dancing with Mariquita the other night,
an he's pard of that mean cuss Car
los that you fired out of the engine
house the other day.
Thank yer kindly, old man." said
Tom; "I'll try to take keer of myself;
but Mariquita's daisy little gal, ez you
say, an ez long ez she's willin' YOU
bet I'll dance with her in spite of all
the greasers from here down to Sonora.
Hello! there's the train Ten minutes
later he was on his engine and had be-
gun the ascent of the grade.
1t was any thing but dull Manitou,
at the foot of Pixies Peak, that season.
People had come thither from all parts
Of the country; and if the society re-
Dorters' were to be believed, there were
more pretty girls there than ever before.
For only one of them is there room in
his brief tale, and Nellie Stevens need
ID no 'local Endorsement, for she had
attracted attention even at Newport.
Clifford Stanley met her there, and for
rot every one else from that moment.
\ good fellow was Clifford, manly, up
light and well-to-do. He had enioved |
life thoroughly, but he convinced him
elf that it would be thenceforth blank
lnless Nellie smiled. He dropped every
hing and followed her to Colorado, as
le would have followed her to the end
# the earth. Had she smiledp All!
10 one knew. When they came down
rom Pixies Peak together certain
.ilded youth offered odds in the billiard
DOM that they were engaged; but he
ound no one to take him up, for the
nipple reason that the bet could not be
Lecided.
After while Manitou began to pail
little on the visitors. The great peak
ad been climbed; Glen Eyrie and the
'arden of the Gods visited; CHEYENNE
nd Williams canyons explored. They
ghed for new worlds to conquer, and
tanned a trip to the Grand Canyon Of
ae Arkansas, and then to Wagoa~aneel
zap. just as they were to start, adj
erse fate, in the shape of peremptory
elegram, called Stanley to Denver, and
orry enough was he to 60. When his
usiness was finished it was too late to
blow the party to their ultimate desti-
alton. Besides, he had written long
,tter to Nellie; as matter of fact, he
ad ''put his fate to the touch.' Per-
APPS little separation might help his
ause. So he went to a friends ranch
ear the ''old town." arriving the day
efore that on which this story opens.
e would join the party, he thought, as
ley passed the station on their return;
nd, as one Of the railway officials was
n the train, he would know when to
,ok out for them
Next day he strolled about the neigh
orhood. He was restless and uneasy,
nd, like most anxious lovers, spent
lucb time in arguing with himself
ellie could not really prefer that dude