The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-06-10
JOHN ADAM.


A man over six feet tall vast o
frame powerful OF muscle. with shout
aers slightly stopped from lifetime
spent in the saddle and with a breadth
bt chest | have never seen eaualled,
he was marked, here where beardles
LAGOS are rather the rule, by an enor
nous beard, touched with gray, ovei
which he could have buckled his
pistol belt; had eyes like a hawk and
nose to match; strong, predatory,
Violent aggressive visage, that might
have fitted Morse viking. As he
Same hurting toward us at that mao
Sallop, his chin sunk on his breast.
lud the torrent of that mighty beard
blowing over his mighty chest he
aroused in the mind jumbled sugges-
lions of Father Time. mounted Ber-
Ierker and other colossal and heroic
Images.
When all the cutting out and brand.
ing was done and we were preparing
10 leave for home l turned and saw
that the bearded giant was coming up
10 speak to me. Dismounted, he was
} somewhat less imposing figure hav.
Ing the slightly awkward gait which
continual riding gives lie laid a
broad. brown hand on my pony's
name, and spoke in great voice that
matched his great frame, turned to a
kew Of MACMILLAN Oapt1aposo
Il have been trying to get Mr.. Nc
Hregor to bring you over to my
place" he said, fixing me with a
Kindly but embarrassing scrutiny. Il
Nan show you let of Mexican ponies,
Five you as fine riding as you could
want or a cat hunt or | wish you d
some and get pecans in my river pas
Mre.n
He stood for some time, evidently
making talk" and continuing to gaze
directly at my face.
They tell me, " he said, that YOU
Just sail around and rustic for your
Ielf Well that's right; like that.
The less woman depends on some
soyote OF a man, the happier she'll
i've and the peacefuller she'll die"
Had he been young and suscept-
lble cowboy should have considered
Mat l had made an impression. As it
was, was accused OF having done SO
rs soon as he had ridden off.
81 never saw old John Adam SO
eivil TO man. woman or child in nv
life, said my host.
John Adam'-how the name fitted
him, with its simple archaic sugges-
HOns
The next week Mr.. McGregor took
ne over to the X. o. ronche. and
vent on to attend roundup saying
that if he didn't call for me by )
o'clock Mr.. Adam might ride homo
with me- My host put me on a fiery
pony and we flew over his vast range.
He introduced me to all his Mexicans
Ind filled my saddle pockets with the
hnest pecans; then when 5 o'clock
came and no Mr. McGregor he put
my saddle back on my pony and we
rode homeward.
Suddenly he turned to me and said,
Il want to ask you for your picture
ZONE old one you don't care anything
lbo3t--I would rather have an old
one, taken when you were about 16.
wanted you to come here and |
wanted to see you because you put
ne so much in mind OF little girl |
lsed to go 10 school with; a little
'osy-cheeked girl; here's a picture of
ler" He drew from his pocket a
lagnerreotype Of child of u, round
aced, large-eyed, with her curly hair
lemurely parted and tucked behind
Ter ears. She wore a 'low-neck0An
lress and one bare slim arm Vas
aid out over the table beside which
he stood, in such way that the
land looked almost rs large as her
lead.
"She was my wife" he won't on.
You've been told all about how I
Tiled her husband and married her.
nut maybe | can give you a straighter
tory.
I'VE all three grew up together
ack in Missouri, and when she mar
led him l started west and came as
ear here as any white man had.
After I'd been living here ten years l
ot letter from her telling me she
7as coming out to me with her hus-
and, ana why and the next month
hey came.
He was a drunkard-th worst I
YER saw--a dangerous, raving luna
Io when he was drunk, regular
rid beast or a locoed steer and the
raziest man for bug juice 1 ever
ried TO handle.
She thought to get out on a ranch
nd keep it away from him-we had
, keep turpentihe and camphor
ut of his way when he was wild for
be stuff, and once he nearly killed
imself drinking kerosene.
They stayed at my place the best
art of a year. was as faithful as |
ould be- and it was the hardest
hing l ever had to do Occasionally
ed get supply from somewhere
nd we'd have the DEVILS time with
i'm used to think what a pleasure
ID be to shoot him at them times and
It on twas self-defence; but he was q
DOR, puny thing. could hold him,
ven when he was crazy, with one
and. and hadn't really any excuse
n using gun on him.