The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-04-28

with an expression Of sad disappoint-
ment He he'd been pleadin' with her
to be his wife. an while she did not re-
fuse, she would not give her consent.
She he'd never told him tibet she loved
him. but her preference fer him showed
it, an it give him hope. No one he'd
ever stirred Their love in her heart afore.
an she struggled hard against yieldin'
to Their feelin'. In her soul she must
hev yearned ter be his. but she would
not let him see Their truth.
"She set on her boss CT silent an
motsonless ez statue. fer long time.
an ne looked at her besecchingly, an
with all his passionate love in his eyes.
Suddenly she seemed ter bo possessed
of a desire ter test his love. an ter see
how much power she he'd over i'm To
think war ter act with her, and turnin'
her beautiful face mp to his. she says:
"'Do yer really love me, dear LukeP'
"Her words an her tones made him
wild with love fer her.
81 swear by Their heavens above. ]
worship your no cried. catchin' her
arm an devourin' her with his love-lit
eyes.
~ arm goin' ter test yer Affection
she says:
I'll die fer you, Nancy he replied.
Only tell me how kin prove my love-
''She didn't withdraw her arm, but
looked i'm straight in Their face.
"'You hev boosted tibet you ride one
of the best bosses in Their Territory
she says; ride i'm across Purgatory,
bring me tibet little bunch of yeller-
jackets over thar. an will kiss you
an name the day
HE was a ridin' finc boss. one me
was more'n proud of. He only waited
ter give her long look, and then he
spurred his boss for'ard.
"Mebbe she he'd thought g wouldn't
try it, er tibet Their animal wouldn't
jump over; but she war mistaken if she
he'd. Ez he neared Their edge she
seemed ter realize what she war dom
--sendin' Their man she loved more'n
any bein' on earth inter horrible dan
ger-an' she called him ter come back.
20. Luke! don't go!'
''But it was too late. The boss from
Golden Ranch was no common one.
but one of the fiery. fearless kind, and
when he felt the cruel spurs sink inter
his sides he give wild snors of pain
and sprung inter Their air a.fyin' over
Purgatory, safe to Their other side.
Luke plucked ther yellow-jackets,
kissed 'cm an waved 'em to her. an
then remountin' he again urged his
steed ter leap Their terrible chasm. Hoss
an rider hung fer a mint in Their air.
It was awful-it was awful! You kin
hev no idea of what it war, Felix Their
boss failed to clear the chasm this time.
His forefeet struck the edge. an fer
mint he struggled ter gain a footin'
then his hoofs slipped off Their rocks.
an, with a cry that was almost human,
he fell breakdown. down. down, car
ryin' his rider into the dark an terrible
depths below!
..Poor Nancy! Fer long weeks she
laid on her bed with rackin' fever,
ravin' in delirium, an livin' over an
over again tibet fearful scene. She
never was conscious long enough ter
be made ter understand tibet her lover
still lived-thet by falling on Their
body of his boss he he'd escaped
alive. though he was terribly
wounded. He never was able ter
leave his bed ter see Nancy. an she
wouldn't hev knowed i'm eff he he'd. 1t
was long months afore Their fever left
her. an then she he'd lost her reason
forever. But Their good Lord took
mercy on her, an afore Their warm
breezes war BLOWN again she he'd been
laid hyer ter rest Thet's her grave,
Felix.
"Thcy call me Old Hopeless an
say I'm crazy. They're not fer wrong.
You've guessed it, Felix-Pm Luke
Golden. l rode q fine boss down to
death at Their bottom of Purgatory, fer
Nancy's love. / couldn't set up fer
over a year after Their terrible fall. an
you see how hev been ever since-a
hunchback, Felix. one of the wust
lookin' critters on Their face of Their
earth.
I've never been back to Their ranch.
They give me some money fer it /
don't know how much, an / hev
stayed around hyer whar' she used ter
be. III die before long. Felix. an they
win bury me hyer at Purgatory, beside
Nancy. Poor Nancyr'-Arthur G. Girls
som, in Yankee Blade