St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-07
THE LOVE OF A COWBOY.
Two Fatal Bullets and n Broken
Heart Tell the story.
Bill Phidian's Checkered Life--The
Woman He Loved.

The San Antonio river Is a small, clear
stream running through the city of that
name. Several years ago, on Its banks
some miles below the city. stood an old
mission church. gradually falling to pieces
from decay. In the shadow of the church,
in a house built of adobe, dwelt an aged
Mexican. GiulanO Juarez, and his two
daughters. Pepita and Chiquita- The house
was comfortable. Juarez owned cattle
ranch eighty miles from the Rio Grande
river, and was always present at the annual
''round-ups" where the ownership of stray
cattle is determined. / was cowboy then,
trying to build up a constitution by a
rough life. and was somewhat under the
protection of Bill Phidian, who was known
as the cavalier ranchman. Bill had long
hair falling over his shoulders,
eagle eyes and a splendid ply
sique. He could throw lariat with more
certainty, play better game of poker or
monte. and had truer aim with pistol or
rifle than nine-tenths of the frontiersmen.
Ny boyish dream then was to get him TO
organize company Of cowboys and In
dams and give exhibitions similar to those
now given by Buffalo Bill and DR.. Carver.
Subsequent events changed our lives so that
the plan tell through. At the last round
up we attended, old Giulano Juarez was
there. Phidian did not like the old Mexi-
can. on general principles he had an idea
that all MexicaaS would cheat at cards and
steal cattle. The true reason, one that Bill
never told, was that several ounces Of lead
were put in his body by Greasers- In di-
viding the cattle dispute arose between
Juarez and a young ranchman as TO the
ownership. The ranchman struck Juarez
in the face with the butt end OF his revolver.
The old Mexican fell. The Infatuated
ranchman was just about to stamp upon
him when Bill Phidian said, in his blunt
way:
Eyer can't do that to an old man while 1
am here-I reckon not"
In a second Bills pistol was pointed in
the face of the ranchman.
Fair play p was shouted By all the cow
boys present. Those words meant an ex-
change Of shots, either on horseback or on
the ground. Horses were selected. In a
minute the two combatants were astride Of
two powerful horses, galloping within a
circle OF twenty feet. They held six shoot
ers in their right hands, waiting for the
word to fire. The only person excited was
the old Mexican. who was afraid that his
protector would be killed He crossed him
SSll III prayer lOI us Qcle4iucE , SucctSS. anu
shut his eyes when the word Fire - was
shouted. Two shots, three, and the fourth
were exchanged in rapid succession, when
the ranohman's pistol slipped from his hand,
and he died without a grOan. Phidian
checked his horse. rode up to us and dis
mounted. Juarez said: THANK the saints
he is safe Scarcely had he uttered
the words before the cavalier cow
boy reeled and fell. He was badly wounded
but apparently not fatally. We car
ried him TO ranch and sent forty miles for
doctor. Old Juarez took charge of the
patient and dressed his wound In day
and half the doctor came and said it was
best 10 take Bill to San Antonio, aud if not
carried there he would probably die. Old
Juarez seemed delighted, and declared his
friend should stop at no other house but
his, few miles from the city. In less than
q week Bill was carried to the adobe house.
near the old mission church. and waited
upon by the old man and his two pretty
daughters / went down every day or two
from the city to see the wounded hero and
became acquainted with the two girls
ChIquita was 10, and Pepita two years
younger. The former was tall and graceful
In her movements with large. expressive
black eyes, and the latter was gay. merry
lass, with pretty face. laughing eyes and
a sweet voice that was always singing a
Spanish ditty. They were all well edu-
Gated. frequently 1 found old Juarez
lowering faithfully around the bed. gazing
In deep sympathy at the pale face of the
man who risked his life for him.
Better. senior, BETTER" were the words
with which he usually greeted me, Bill
then repeated in echo the words, Better,
yes better"
knew the reason that he was better.
Chiquita was in the habit Of frequently
coming in with Pepita and bathing his
feverish brow and talking to him. She
would sit near his couch and watch the
patient as If trying to read In his face
whether he suffered main Bill Would shake