Evening journal., 1891-07-24
THE SLEEPLESS KID.

|
uncompromsin' way he lines up on what
he deems is his dooty.
"But where Jack shines exceedn' is when
| you opens a new game onto him. tits just
beautiful, as a mere example to men, to
see the confidence with which that Jack
| gets n stack Of chips an sets 10 agin it.
| One hot afternoon--Enright an Doc Peets
! is away about some cattle or something,
I but the rest Of us is holdin' down the
/ camp-we're sorter hangin' an revolvin'
/ round the postofiice, a-waitin for Old
Monte and the stage Here she comes,
! final. a-rattlin an a-creakin', that old
{ drunkard Monte a-crackin' Of his whip,
4 the six hosses on the canter, an the whole
/ business putin on more dog than Mexi-
can officer OF revenoo. When the stage
| drors up, Old Monte throws OF the mail
bags, and gets down an opens the door,
but nobody gets out.
| "'Well, I'm a coyotep says Monte, a
| heap Disguised, wherever Is the femalep
"Then we all peers into the stage an
thar's jest baby with maybe a ten
months start down this vale Of tears, in
! side, an no muther nor nuthin' along
! Jack Booth, Jest as ! says when begins,
reaches In an gets him. The baby amt
| sayin nuthin' an sorter takes 10 out in
smilin' on jack.
"'He knows me, for hundred dollars
says Jack, mighty ecstatic. Pm an Apa-
4 che IL he amt allowin' he knows me. Wher
! ever did you get him, MonteP
"'Give me drink says Monte, trackin'
| along into the Early Bird; this yere makes
me sick After he gets about four fingers
OF carnation under his belt he turns in an
| explains as how the mother starts along in
the stage all right enuf from Tucson. The
last time he sees her, he says, is at the last
station back some twenty miles in the
hills, at dinner, an he sposes all the time
she's inside along Of her progeny until Jest
now.
"'I don't reckon says Old Monte, look
! in gloomy like. 'as how that womern is
aimin' to saw this yere infant onto the
stage company noneT
"'Don't addle your whisky frettin' about
the company says Booth, a-settin' Of the
| kid on the bar while we all crowds in for a
look At him. The camp'l play this hand
for the infant an the company amt goin'
to be in it little Bit
az wish Enright and Peets was yere.'
says Cherokee Hall, TO bs heard hereon,
cause shore deems this a grave occasion.
Yere we finds ourselves possessed of an on
expected infant Of tender years, an the
question nacheral enuf now is, whatever'll
| we do with itF
"T.et's maverick IT, says Dan Boggs,
who is a mighty good sort Of a man, but
onthinkfuL
"sNo, SAYS Cherokee; fits mother'll come
hoppn' along tomorry a-yellin', you seel
This yere is sabed all easy enuf This old
sot Monte has jest done drove OF an left
her planted some'rs up the trail an she'll
come along shore In time
"'Meantime, says Booth, the infants
got TO be took care OF, to which dooty
volunteers Thar's a tenderfoot a-sleepin'
In the room back of the Red Light, an he's
that Terminate an effect he's got sure
nuf bed an some gooseha'r pillars, which
the same do yereby conilsoate to public
use TO take care Of this yearlin'. Is the
sentiment pleasinY
"sJack's scheme is right says Boggs,
an for that matter he's alters right Let
the shorthorn 20 sleep under mesquite
bush; it'll do him good a whole lot, for
sech is life in the far west
"'Tm some dobersome OF this play says
Cherokee. Small infants is mighty mys
ferrous people, an thar amt no livin man
was ever onto their game an able TO fore
see their needs yet. DO you allow you can
take care of this young one. Jacki Be you
equal TO it9'
".Take care Of a small baby like this.
says Jack, plenty scornful, as amt weigh
in twenty pounds averdupois? Well. i'll
be some funny now IL can'tl could TAKE
care OF him If he's four times as big. All
asks is for you all 20 stand by in crisises
an back the play, an You can 20 maxi
side bets We'll come out winners on th'
deal
"'I amt absolute shore says the post
master, 'bein some out Of practice with in
fants myself, but iedyin' by his lookin
smooth an silky offers fifty dollars evei
! he amt weaned none yet, an we leaves
to the mother when she comes
al won't bet none on his bein' weane
= complete, says Booth but I'll hang a
: fifty dollars even he drinks outen a bottl
as successful as Old Monte
"'pll Jest go you once says the posi
master, If lose. IT'S City dollars even b
, grows contemptuous at bottle an dis
y dains it,
a "well we all talks it over an decide
" Booth is to nurse the infant, an at ono
~ proceeds TO make a procession for the ten
= derfoot's bed, which he resigns without
y struggle Cherokee Hall an Boggs the
a. goes over to the corral an lays for a goa
q which was a mother, TO milk it whole 10
ne The goat was mighty reluctant an r
fooses to enter into the spirit Of the thinl
but they makes their points right alon.
an after frightful time, which now al
II, then demands the assistance Of lara
he part Of the camp comes back with more
De a pint.
'es "'rhat's all right says Booth. No
go out an tell the barkeep to give you
pint bottle. Wen have this yere gan
a-winnin' in two minutes
Ily 80 Booth gets his bottle an fills hl
by up with goats milk an makes stopp
outen cotton cloth an molasses for Il
young one TO dror il through. About th
time the infant sets upa yell an ain
y: peaceful agin until Booth gives him
nd six shooter TO play with.
ii, (which shows my confidence in min
nd SAYS Booth. There's only few peop
ol- left care to pass my gun to-
ler "Well Booth gets along with him fir
rate, a-feedin' Of him the goats mil
An which he goes for with avidity, tharl
on nettin' Booth fifty dollars from postmasts
ng He has Boggs build fire so he can ke
.rd the milk warm, an is that earnest he don
B a even 90 for no supper, jest has it broug
an TO him.
ION 'Somebody'll have to ride herd on Ii
yere toundling all night l reckon. sa