The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-10-31
GIANT JACK.

It was in the year 1860, while 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 l saw a larma,
handsome man, accompanied by "A vSy
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.
pshestnut hair, and a huge beard of the
same color, which hung nearly to his
waist. He was about 30 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. Ne N him has allus ben
chums ever sence we wuz boys When
ther 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 l, who've known him ever
sence he wuz knee high ter er grass
hopper, ken swar ter it, He owns ther
big grocery store thar ercrost ther street.
an ther dry goods store Jest beyond this
hotel; and ther big house yer passed Jest
Haforo var INTO flic s- l..
GsFMen' 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 i'm business here
in our native village, we concluded ter
pull out fur home.
but jest before we got ready ter start,
thar wuz a 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, l 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 fieeced no less'n half er dozen miners.
Such scoundrels WIZ very common in
Their California gold regions in them
days.
''Giant Jack disiiked 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 ther
beRt NV friends.
''Giant Jack had pitied Their girl on
ther day when he had fust seen her
when Their stage had brought her an
her father up from ther city; fur she
seemed er lady, with her quiet Ways an
her wistful eyes, an not tall fitted fur
ther 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 Jack s
fallin' in love with Clara Horton so sud-
den; fer ten days from Their time he had
fust seen her, he axed her ter be his wife
"'I like yer better'n any other man
ever see,' she told him, an | would be
glad ter leave my father, whom 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, l 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 through
him eff he caught him hangin' round
arter Clara any more. No one short NV
er millioner, he said, could have his
daughter.
"Gjant Jack drew his pistol from his