Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-06-05
AN ADVENTURE.
How 10 Majors Frustrated the
Evil Designs Of a Criminal.

How 10 Majors Frustrated the
Evil Designs Of Criminal.
One evening 1.-THE and muscular farmer
boy entered hotel in Kansas City and reg
! lstered his name and address at the clerks
| desk In q clear, running hand, which showed
that he was not unfamiliar with the use of
/ a pen.
| As he turned away to be shown to his
room the clerk glanced at the inscription
'Jo Majors, Lone Jack, Missouri" the en-
try read.
10 was an interesting youth. He was
nothing more than n country lad, yet his ex-
traordinary intelligence and business quail
ties endowed him with distinction due to
/ few boys of his years.
Although the days since his sixteenth
birthday could be numbered by the fingers
Of his two hands, he had come to the city to
attend TO an important transaction which
required tact and sharp insight into busi-
ness, and involved u large sum Of money.
JOS father was the owner of a large
stock farm, and every fall he shipped car
loads of fine cattle to the great packing
houses of Kansas City 10 kept his IA
theirs books, and, thoroughly understanding
the business, he came to be intrusted with
some of its most important features
This occasion was the first on which he
had come to deal, single-handed, with the
cattle magnates; but his father had sent
him without any uneasiness, for he had
great confidence in the boys discretion and
| Judgment
His duty consisted of selling the beeves
in his charge at the very highest price it
|. was possible TO obtain. The dealing was
with the shrewd buyers of the millionaire
packers, who were never 10th to take ad-
vantage of "greenness' or business inca
pacity, and therefore his commission was
no sinecure or child's play.
10 had succeeded better than he had
dared TO hope. He had received from Fow-
ler's house cent more per pound than his
father had received for fifty head two
weeks before, and the money-two thou
sand dollars in bills-reposed in his coat
pocket.
he had intended to deposit the money in
bank, and return home that evening; but
so late in the afternoon was it when his
contract was made that he found the bank
doors closed, and he resolved to remain
over in the city until the following day.
he did not consider it worth while to
leave the sum with the hotel clerk for safe
keeping, for the reason that no one would
suspect him, country boy, soberly
dressed, Of having any large amount of
money, and, besides, he did not intend
leaving the friendly warmth and light of
the hotel that night.
He ate his supper with an appetite born of
consciousness of duty well done and then
passed an hour in the reading room AS he
laid aside his paper he was addressed by
blonde young man, who smiled on him
like brother.
'Isn't this Jo Majorsl" he was asked.
eyes. You seem to know me-" replied
Jo. "You have the advantage, n6weyer.n
''Shake hands" said the young man, as he
drew up a chair and seated himself beside
the boy. "Know you? OF course / know
you; Do you remember young fellow who
stayed all night at your house, near Lone
Jack, two or three years ago. Pm that
chap Do you remembeII'
"No, l don't know that ! do,T 10 re-
sponded, thoughtfuily. "a good many fel- |
lows have stayed there, first and last with
father or some of the hands"
swell, no matter. You were considerably
younger then, and WASH Z there long enough
to impress myself on your mind. But 1 rec
ognized you the nAoinept ! saw you. So
you are in the city for timel I'm glad
YOU are at this hotel; we can be together ,
some. I've been here for week and haven't
made the acquaintance of anybody hardly,
and I'm glad to see familiar face"
The blonde young man chatted amiably,
and as 10 could see no harm in him, the two
were soon on quite friendly terms.
Now, the bey was up TO the usual games of !
confidence men, and had the stranger pro-
duced freight bill, or cards, OF a certified /
check, or asked a loan he would have bid. /
den him ''good-evening'' at once But when |
the topic OF conversation continued TO be I
any thing but money, any suspicious hemay /
have cherished gradually vanished.
no nN~nff Ar rr,asar 80
that was being presented at of the opera
houses, and it proved fascinating subject /
oJo, who w-s FOND of such amusements.
He laughed heartily as the coulioal situations
were pictured to him.
Finally the young man felt in his pocket /
and hshed out a five-dollar bill.
Hey, JoI' he exclaimed, holding it nm. |
'let's take in that showl We've nothing /
else TO do, and owe you nights expense |
for keeping me three years ago at your !
house. What do you sayln
Jo accepted the proposal at once The ex
perience of attending theater was a very 4
rare one with him, and for that reason was I
all the more welcome.
How far is the opera-house from herelH /
he inquired, as they went out the door.
mot over block and a half'' answered /
his friend. "Its just down the street here.n I
In anticipating the treat in store, 10 for /
got the money in his pocket until he was |
half a square from the hotel.
lie WA ga sAs point of turning back and 4
deposithig it with the clerk, when he
changed his mind and walked on, thinking /
the idea foolish, as the theater was so near
and the route on such prominent street.
The young man continued his interesting
recital OF the plays merits, arousing more I
ana more the boys curiosity anG eagerness.
50 that ne did not notice that they turned I
into side street, which was not so wei /
lighted or SO much travelled as the one ON /
which the hotel was situated
All at once the young man stopped Ia /
front Of dark alleyway, glanced hastilyur |
and down the street, to see il he was OBJ i
served, and, satisfied that he was not. /
seized the boy stock-dealer and hurled him
headlong into the dark passage, at the same 1
moment aiming heavy blow OF his head !