Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-12-24
JACK KIRKUP.
Graphic Description of n Typical
Border Sheriff.

Border Sheriff.
There was only one policeman to en-
force the law in Il territoiy the size of
Rhode Island. He was quite as remark
able in his way as any other development
of that embryotic civilization. His
name was Jack Kirkup, and all who
knew him spoke of him as being physi-
caly the most superb example of man
hood in the Dominion. Six feet and
three inches in height, witk the chest
neck and limbs of a giant, his three hun
dred pounds of weight were so exactly
his complement as to give him the sym
metry of an Apollo. He was good-look-
ing, with the beauty of n round-faced,
good -natured boy, and his thick hair fell
in u cluster of ringlets over his forehead
and upon his neck. No knight of Ar
thurs circle can have been more pic
turesque figure in the forest than this
Jack" He was as neat as u dandy.
He wore high boots and corduroy knick-
erbockers, flannel shirt and sack
coat, and rode his big bay horse with the
ease and grace of Skobeletf. He
smoked like fire of green brush, but
had never tasted liquor in his life. In
dozen years he had slept more frequently
in the open air, upon pebble beds or in
trencheg of snow, than upon ordinary
bedding, and he exhibited, in his graceful
movements, his sparkling eyes and ruddy
cheeks, his massive frame and his imper-
tuobable good nature, "a degree of health
and vigor that would seem insolent to the
average New Yorker. Now that the
railroad was building, he kept ever on
the trail, along what was called "the
rigght of way"-going from camp to
camp to Jump" whiskey peddlers and
gamblers and to quell disorder except
on payday, once a month, when he staid
at Sproat's Landing.
The echoes of his fearless behavior and
lively adventures rang in every gather
ing. The general tenor of the stories
was to the effect that he usually gave one
warning to evil-doers, and if they did not
heed that he cleaned them out" He car
a revolver, but never had used it, Even
when the notorious gambler on our border
had crossed over into "Jack's" bailiwick
the policeman depended upon his fists.
He had met the gambler and had lad
vised" him to take the cars next day.
The gambler, in reply, had suggested
! lHut uotn Noulu Sel dlOuS HlpIc luleliy
if each minded his own affairs, where
upon kirkup had said, "You hear me:
take the cars out of here tomorrow. :"
The little community Ct was Donald, b.
c., a very rough place at the time) held
its breathing for twenty-four hours, and
at the approach of train-time was on tip
toe with strained anxiety. At twenty
minutes before the hour the policeman,
amiable and easy-going as ever in APP
pearance, began tour of the houses. II
was in q tavern that he found the
gambler.
"You must take the train" said he.
"You can't make me-" replied the
gambler.
There were no more words. In two
minutes the giant was carrying the limp
body of the ruffian to a wagon, in which
; he drove him to Jail. There he washed
the blood off the gamblers face and tidiet
his collar and scarf. From there thu
couple walked to the cars, where they
parted amicably.
81 had to be little rough" said Kir
kup to the loungers at the station, "be
cause he was armed like pin-cushion
; and didn't want to have to kill him.
/ Harper's Magazine.