Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-23
NOT FOR LONC-NOSED NED.
Dad Thompson Lost All He Had at
Cards.
,Is DAUGHTER WAS THE STAKE.
a Brute Won Her, But She Es-
capped TO Marry and Reform
the Wild Hunter of
the Blue.
He's ,snLcrislntor Now.

FORT ROBINSON, Neb.. June 19.-
Especial to THE BEE. lin those days
Nebraska was not so we'll settled as now.
Indeed, few people lived far back from
the Missouri river and the Big Blue
was wholly unknown. In the spring, n
lew spirits bolder than the rest, pushed
down to the Blue, and sent back glow
ing accounts of the richness and beauty
Of the country. 1t was not, how
ever, until year or two later
that the Big Blue country
became generally known and the
people rushed in from Illinois, Ioa,w
Pennsylvania and Indiana to find homes
Tor their families. There was big
stampede all along the border, and fear
Ing for the safety of the settlements
Captains Spaulding and Mix, of my old
regiment, the Second United States
cavalry, were sent down with their
companies to guard the country. Be-
Atrice was a paper town aud nobody be-
lieved it would ever amount to much.
There were no settlers on the Blue
above Beatrice. There was good hunt
Ing then, on the Blue. aud bear, deer,
md many fur-bearing animals were
abundant. The Sioux and Pawnees
made night hideous with their whoops,
and had the upper Blue for their regu-
lar hunting and camping ground. One
white man, u young fellow, had pushed
up the Blue and built his cabin
near the head of the stream,
where he had laid out farm.
He did not farm much. and except
small garden patch beside the cabin,
seemed content to let the land lie idle
and hold the claim down. II trapped,
ished, and sang all day long, and SEEM
ingly was very happy to be left His
furs he took once year over to the
Platte and exchanged for flour, sugar,
he needed. After selling his furs he
would always, as he said, take "a little
needed recreation in drinking, fighting
and horse-racing." He would stay as
long as his means lasted, and then,
packing up his purchases, he would set
out for his ranch and lonely life on the
Blue. He seemed hardly nineteen, but
was really much older than he looked.
How so young man had ac-
mystery, for he kept his
own counsel and would not tell any
body who he was or where he came from.
He was fearless rider, brave hunter
and an expert with the rifle. Some said
he had been with frontiersmen ever
since he was a mere lad, ana that he
could, if he chose, tell where many of
the ponies and horses were that had
been stolen from the Overland Stage
company during the past few years.
Nearly every time horse was stolen his
name was mentioned, but as often as the
cabin was visited he was found at home
quietly attending to his own affairs. He
knew he was suspected and it worried
him. One day he said the next party
that came looking for him would get
fight, and then they left him alone. He
never visited the settlement
WITHOUT BEING HEAVILY ARMED
and sometimes when in liquor, was very
troublesome. He would mount his
horse, draw his pistols and ride through
the streets OF the little towns, whooping
and firing in every direction. When
pressed he would take to the hills and
go back to his ranch. When not on a
spree he was quiet, we'll behaved and a
most intelligent and agreeable compan-
ion. He was called desperate and
everyone came in time to shun him.
One day he went down the river to
look up some new hunting place and
trapping grounds, and when about thir-
teen miles from his cabin was surprised
to come upon "a good-sized house, barn,
farm
He hitched his horse to tree by the
door, and was surprised to see man
untying the horse and leading him
away almost before he had entered the
house.
''Hold on THERE" he cried, "what do
you want with that horse?"
''Be you the chap that lives up the
creekY" he was asked.
-. "Yes; what do you want to know for,
and what business is it of yours where
liver"
4 ''Yer are wanted over to the Platte,
and I'm goin' to take yer over thar"
said the farmer coolly. Had a bomb
she'll fallen at his feet and exploded,
he could not have been more astounded
than by the words of the farmer.
Was it possible he had struck man
tougher than himself? 1t looked that
way He rubbed his head and pulled
his ears to see If he was alive or awake
and had heard correctly.
"Yes," continued the farmer, coolly
eyeing him, 81 don't care to have yer in
this neighborhood while | live hyar,
and Pm just going to take yer over to
the Platte and put yer in Jail bit"
The young man started, and instinct
lively his hand sought the handle of his
revolver.
s'None o. thet, my fine buck, )" said the
farmer, smiling; Put down yer hand
Or Jake, who's just behind thet door
with double barrelled shotgun, will
scatter yer tarnal remains all over the
prairie.
The young man turned quickly and saw
the double barrel of gun leveled at
him from the door of the house.
Keep him there, Jake, said the far
mer, still put up the beast, and then
III take his crackers away from him."
The young man stood like one riveted
to the spot. He knew If he moved one
inch he would be filed with buckshot.
1t seemed to him an age until the
OLD MAN CAME BACK,
and walking quickly up to him, took
both his revolvers away from him.
snow, young feller, come in, and see
yer don't try none over monkey shines
with us, or we'll have to fill yer up
plump full o. lead"
The family consisted of the old man,
his wife, daughter, little son, another
old man and the hired man, Jake, who
he had seen manipulating the shot gun
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