The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-09-02
ON THE SUNSET TRAIL.
The Fate That Befen a Faithful
Mail Carrier.

Mail Carrier.
Danny Redmond was the mail carrier
on the Sunset trail and he fully
realized the Importance of his position.
Traffic might stagnate, civilization
might pail, but the United States mail
must 90 right ahead. and on schedule.
time At that. As for the SunScttrail.
it wound its way far over the drear,-
plains of Kansas, across the Cimmarron-
and on and on into the great state of
the Lone Star.
But Danny's route only extended tn
Crooked Creek, u town consisting of IL
grocery store. At this time the popula-
tion of Ford county could have been
easily corralled on n quarter section.
and had comfortable standing room
1T that. Danny was an apostle tu
these lone settlers, and only one who
has experienced the appalling loncli-
ness of existence in those thinly-peO-
pied plains, where you can see your
neNt-door neighbor's shanty on clear
days only, can realize the JOY with
which they heralded this blue-eyed,
brown-haired bunch of turbulence.
Two o'clock" would comment some
unl1empt deniZcn. consulting the sun
DdINN IL De mere III ten minutes
Then they would look till their ewes;
ached afar to where the Sunset trail
tipped over the roll of prairie at th,.
horizon. Soon their watching would
be rewarded, and steadily and swiftly
would the bay mare, Dolly, bear her
rider down the trail in that swinging,
indcfatigable gallop of the mustang.
Perchance some settler coming into
he Int. l.s
best side of the road and jog along III
the path that Danny chose.
''Git out o the way of the United
States mall" would come the warning,
and he would prudently git" To the
other side of the road. for Danny could
and would shoot, and. besides, didn't ice
have everyone of those fellows down az
the office to stand at his back 10 the
last shot? So no matter how much of Il
fire eater the ObStructer might be, he
switched off when the carrier demanded
the right of way.
And that was often. For that lad had
the idea inculcated into his bing that all
other powers, terrestrial and celestial,
ssere secondary considerations when
Ite United States mail was concerned.
and ne seized every opportunity 10 eN-
ereise his authority.
HOzy longingly and eXrectantly those
eager pioneers would watch the letters
distributed, Though, perhaps. they
had no grounds for expecting a letter.
yet their hcpc did not sink until the
last one WAS put away.
Then the return mail would be made
up, and at the exact minute Danny
would vault into the large Mexican sad
dle-almost rs large as he or Dolly
and with the aii-Tsotent mail securely
strapped TO the girdles on each side, h.
would rccommence his long ride, never
stopping rs he tried flying shot aJ
some unwieldy rattlesnake that had
dragged its notified form out on the
rail 10 lOll in the sun. and who would
cot be able 10 wiggle into the tall grass
ere the United States mail was upon
;lrn. Along the route the settlers would
como out of their shanties half bent
and ,vave their sombreros and cheer the
buOyant rider.
Wabash was the only stop. Ii was of
the same Importance as Crooked Greek.
only there were two houses instead Of
one, or rather, a double house; for the
owners OF the claims that Joined up
there ocerpied a shanty of two com
partmenfS. one on each claim. Some
how or other the scamp would sit
straighter ia the saddle and pull Dolly'5
head up higher when they approached
Wabash, and pretty little peach of a
girl would come out and chat with the
carrier while her specialized fathers
attention was riYeted ON the letter
package. Dolly Syould probably think
that Danny was getting rather weighty
on one side rs he bent low in the sad
die, dangerously CLOSE TO that pink sun
bonnet ATsf the SOOTHING gopher that
sat up conveniently close TO his burrow
would wonder for what reason fellow
would want to bite u pretty girl like
her. But Rosie didn't seem to mind the
punishment bit Ali l fear Danny
would fcign have fingered longer at the
unprepossessing post OF Wabash, but
the United States mail must be carried
on.
One day u cowboy came into the fort
with u jaded mustang and a slash across
his check and reported that he had
been chased by Il band of Arapahoes.
These children of nature had grown in
sOlent with well feeding and little
work They often became thus at ir-
reg ular intervals, and breaking from
the reservation swept north upon the
the scattered settlers of the plains, con-
side-lbly depopulating those sparsely
inhabited districts. Their great father
in Washington, they complained, was
not giving them enough blankets, and,
in conse quence, they were compelled
TO trade their moccasins for fro
water"
Danny was preparing to start upon
his route when the news came.
'4You oughtn't to go, Dan" they said,
for they'll strike right up the CHM
marron like they allays do, an mor'r
likely fall afoul of you. If you do
yonr scalp'n dangle from some red mig
gers belt before mornin'."
I'm not skeert," replied he, settling
himself in the saddle, ''and, besides
the folks at Wabash and at the Cricl
/ ought To be warned. And you know
the mail has to go as long As it's any
ways possible"