Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-02-18
GIANT JACK.

It was in the year 1860, while l was
STAYING few days in a Missouri village,
that first saw Giant Jack. Twas seated
on the piazza of the only hotel that the
place could boast of, when | saw a large,
handsome man, accompanied by very
pretty woman, passing down the street.
He was over six feet in height, with
broad shoulders, 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 80 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. ivy, that's
John Norval. Me N him has allus ben
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' Their 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 |, who've known him ever
sence he wuz knee high ter err grass
hopper, ken swar ter it. He owns ther
big grocery store thar ercrost ther street,
an Their dry goods store jest beyond 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 wuz new arrival at the CAMPER
man named Horton, an his daughter,
When Giant Jack see Their 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 err blind. He
wuz professional gambler; an before
he had ben at Their camp ten DAYS, he
had fleeced no less'n 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 er 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 wa VS. 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
tallln' in love with Clara Horton SO sud-
den; fer ten days from Their time he had
tust seen her, he axed her ter be his wife.
~ like yer better'n any other man |
ever see, she told him, AN would be
glad ter leave my father, whom I can
neither love nor respect; but, on her dvin'
bed, my mother made me promise never
ter leave my father, without his consent
III he don't object, an you aren't ashamed
ter marry er gamblers daughter, | will
be your wife, but l can't break the
promise made ter my dyin' mother
Horton not only objected, but told
Giant Jack he'd put er bullet tbrouob
INN eff he caught him hangin' round
after Clara any more. No one short nv
er miilloner, he said, could have his
daughter.
Giant Jack drew his pistol from his
belt thought erwhile, an then mt il
bach erg'in.
If yer want Clara's father. said he
ia let daylight through yer
Then he went back ter Clara. an
'r'eu ter coax her ter marry him without
'er fathers consent, He told her that
ler mother wouldn't blame her. eff she
Knew what er blackleg her father wuz
IN that 1t wuz foolish fer her ter make
Ter own life miserable, an his'n. too
Jest tur ther SAX NV keepin' er promise
but all his argyin didn't do no good
lara, though she cried when he WV,
pieadin with her. refused ter break her
promise ''e'
fur three ur four days afterwards
''aht Jack went 'rourd lookin' suller'p
II ihao onll; then one evenin' he got me-
NJ three other fellers 10 go up to Hor-
on's cabin.
Let's shake, he said ter Horton who,
We got thar; and ter show I've rot nothin,
'rg IN yer I'll play err game NV keerds
With yer 'e0'us
Horton shook hands with him heart
~ but he looked er little s'prised fr-
liant Jack had allus refused for nlar
with him before. pay
Wv course I'll have err game with
YER sad he, awful clipper; fur no
thought he'd got er new victim $50,