The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-31
GIANT JACK.

1T was in Tx -.car 1860, while 1 was
staying few days in Missouri village,
that first saw Giant Jack. Twas seated
on the piazza of the only hotel that the
place could boast of, when saw large,
handsome man, accompanied by very
pretty woman. passing down the street.
He was over six feet in height, with
broad shoulders, a deep. full chest,
muscular and well formed limbs, glossy
chestnut hair, and a huge beard of the
same color, which hung nearly to his
waist. He was about 35 years of age,
and his companion appeared to be about
twelve years his junior. They were
seated in handsome carriage, drawn by
pair of beautiful, blooded horses; and
it was evident that they belonged to a
wealthy class of people.
''That ere big feller?" said mine host
in reply to my inquiry. "W'y, that's
John Norval. Me n him has allus be-
chums ever sence we wuz boys When
Their gold fever broke out in 40, we went
ter Californy tergether. 1t wuz while he
wuz thar that he got Their nickname Nv
Giant Jack-an' ther name jest fits him.
John is er giant in size, and his heart is
big in proportion ter his body. Err better
Teller than John never stood in two
shoes; an 1, who've known him ever
sence he wuz knee high ter er grass
hopper, ken swar ter it. He owns Their
big grocery store thar ercrost ther street.
an Their dry goods store jest hey ond this
hotel; and Their big house yer passed jest
before yer entered this village, is his'n.
Men John didn't make our fortin'
diggin' Californy gold, ez some did,"
continued the landlord. "Arter we'd
ben thar erbout five years, we got kinder
homesick; an. ez we'd made er big
enough pile ter start us in business here
in our native village, we concluded ter
pull out fur home
'But jest before we got ready ter start,
thar WIZ new arrival at the camper
man named Horton, an his daughter.
When Giant Jack see ther gal he decided
ter stay erwhile longer, an, Nv course.
ez didn't want ter start fur home with
out him, stayed, too. Giant Jack had
fell in love with Clara Horton, almost at
fust sight, an | couldn't blame him fur
it; fur she wuz purtier'n any picter
ever see.
Horton pretended that he had come
ter dig gold, but we found out after
wards that that wuz only er blind He
wuz a professional gambler; an before
he had ben at ther camp ten days, he
had fleeced no lessn half err dozen miners.
Such scoundrels wuz very common in
Their California gold regions in them
days
Giant Jack disliked Horton from the
fust, but he made friends with him so he
could git 'quainted with his daughter;
an before Clara Horton had BEN err week
at the camp, she an Giant Jack wuz Their
best Nv friends.
''Giant Jack had pitied Their girl on
Their day when he had fust seen her
when Their stage had brought her an
her father up from Their city; fur she
seemed er lady, with her quiet ways an
her wistful eyes, an not a tall fitted fur
Their wild, rovin' life, which it wuz plain
her father wuz leadin' her.
"Pity is akin ter love, they say; an
mebbe it wuz Their cause Nv Giant Jacks
fallin' in love with Clara Horton so sud-
den: fer ten days from ther time he had
fust seen her. he axed her ter be his wife.
81 like yer better'n any other man I
ever see, she told him, AN would be
glad ter leave my father, whom l can
neither love nor respect; but, on her dyin'
bed, my mother made me promise never
ter leave my father, without his consent.
Eff he don't object, an you aren't ashamed
ter marry er gamblers daughter, will
be your wife: but can't break the
promise l made ter my dyin' mother
"Horton not only objected, but told
Giant Jack he'd put er bullet through
him eff he caught him hangin' round
arter Clara any more. No one short Nv
err millioner, he said, could have his
daughter.
"Giant Jack drew his pistol from his
belt, thought erwhile, an then put it
bach erg'in.
If yer want Clara's father, said he.
I'd let daylight through yer
''Then he went back ter Clara, an
tried ter coax her ter marry him without
her fathers consent. He told her that
her mother wouldn't blame her. eff she
knew what er blackleg her father wuz,
an that it wuz foolish fer her ter make
her own life miserable, an his'n, too.
jest fur Their SAX Nv keepin' er promise.
But all his argyin didn't do no good.
Clara, though she cried when he wuz
pleadin' with her, refused ter break her
promise
EUR three ur four days afterwards
Giant Jack went 'rourd lookin' suller'D
er mad bull: then one evenin' he got me
an three other fellers to go up to Hor.
toms cabin.
"'Let's shake, he said ter Horton when
We got thar: and ter show I've got nothin
ergin yer I'll play er game Nv keerds
with yer
Horton shook hands with him heart
Ky, but he looked er little sprised, fur
Giant Jack had allus refused ter play
with him before.
Nv course I'll have er game with
yer. said he, awful clipper; fur he
thought he'd got er new victim. Set