The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-20

~ aslant the cac.
tus growth and chapparal on the red
soil of the mesa.
From the saloon within came the
rattle of dice, the chinlS of glass, the
rattle of coin and the murmur of deep,
hoarso male voices. The Rough Dia-
1nond was a most lucrative and flour
ishing institution in the littlo railroad
town of Picture Canyon, on the line of
the Union Pacific. 1t was one of those
places which ut that time sprang up
in a night and were deserted in n day
along the line of the great road. In
deed, they followed the track, and
wherever track laying ended tempo
rarily, there a town was certain to
spring up-almost as if by magic.
There were thousands of laborcrs, rail-
road men, engineers and spectators.
With them came peddlers, storekeep-
ers and, last but not least the. great
army of gamblers aud saloon men.
Some of these towns were located in
advantageous situations, and finally
took on solid growth and prospered;
others, having nothing to justify their
existence save the presence OF the
army of railroad employees, vanished
utterly when that army advanced
further and further on it's mission of
conquering space and time and bind
ing east and west together with bands
of steel.
Herries was attached to the en-
ginecr corps of the road and had been
for some time stationed at Picture
Canyon, a city of some five thousand
nhabitants-mostly malcs-and which
was nearly 4 month old. So antique,
indeed, that an election for n mayor
and common council was being agitat-
ed by the moro cnterprising members
of the community.
Harvard bred, dclicatcly nnrturcd.
accustomed to all the refnements of
life which wealth, guided by correct
taste, may give in an old and settled
community, the rude surroundings of
his present life had at first disheartened
Herries. But being, at bottom, a man
of good sense md pluck and possessing
n splendid constitution, 4 magnificent
biceps, standing six feet and over in
his boots, the man who had been Yales
especial terror as fright tackle" ana
who had filed his seat in the varsity
eight with moro than credit when the
blues crossed tho line ahead of the
crimson on Lake Quinsiganond,
would hardly finch ut the hardships
which other men bore without com
plant, even il ct times his soul grew
weary of oaths and liquor, maddcncd
men and brawls. and bacon and muddy
coffee and hard tack. Indeed, he grew
at last to like the wild freedom of his
life, as all men will do in time. and he
was fast taking on the exterior of
genuine fronticrsman when he
When he met Chiquita!
Chiquita was sprtc. She was the
true daughter of rocky canyon and
desert mesa-a genuine chi d of the
Sierras and q woman withal.
Her rcputcd father was an evil-eyc d
old Mexican named Ramon; ostcnsibly
hcrdcr of other mems sheep; really
gathercr of other mems coins.
Chiquita kept house for him in tum-
bled together shack" on the outskirts
of the town, and there entertained her
fathers guests
Poor little Chiquita-
Many n dollar had Chiouita's ewes
and lips brought to old Ramon's sheep
skin pouch-and still he was athirst for
moro gold.
1t was Of this Herries was thinking,
for he knew Chiquita, and it was this
which, thinking of it, drove him out of
the warm and cosy barroom (the only
place he could possibly stay save in
his cold and chcerless tent. and forced
him to cool his heated brow in the cool,
wet Wind which blew from the mouth
OF Picture canyon.
He was reused by a voice, a deep.
.s,,ow plainsman's voice, addressing
him:
''Pardner, you air good one for q
tcnderfoot, leastways I've sorter
tackled to you scnce I seen the way