Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-07-03
A LITTLE MAVERICK.


All that hot August day there had
been cloud of dust In the east like a
column of smoke. No breath OF air
stirred It, nor did II seem to advance a
yard. The sky was steely blue, the
air quivered like the white heat from a
cauldron Of molten metal In the
crisp and dry buffalo grass myriad in
sect life gave to the siinmering air a
dreamy, monotonous sound like the
humrning of far away bees
The afternoon passed, darkness gath
cred and with the rising moon came a
cool wind from of the snow crested
peaks. The cloud of dust subsided
and revealed q line OF moving. white
covered wagons.
As the caravan drew near n gaunt
prairie wolf rose suddenly out Of the
grass, gave n long, dolorous howl and
fed across the plain. After him, as II
they had risen from the earth by magic,
went a pony and rider, bronzed, griz.
zled old man. as gaunt and evidently
dreading the new corners as much as
the wolf.
The caravan, numbering thirty wag-
ons, went into camp In the form of a
hollow square, the people and animals
inside the barrier of wagons. The
sound of voices, the smell Of cooking,
the laughter of children and the red
glow of the camp fires made bit OF
welcome life In the solemn land, break.
ing the soundless monotony of centu-
ries.
Later, when the fires were low and
when the only noises were the champ
ing of the animals and the tread OF the
sentry ON watch, strange, elfish figure
ran out Of the stockade and began "a
dance in the moonlight girl of 12 oi
thereabouts, with big, sparkling eyes
and short, black curls flying over hel
pretty brow. A bearded face was
thrust out under a wagon cover and a
gruff but not unkindly voice called:
Come In, you Maverick. Want In
iuns TO git yef''
The child laughed mockingly and
continued her dance After the third
call the big man jumped out of the
wagon and ran after her. When she
could run no longer she dropped like a
log, remaining stiff and still. while he
carried her to the wagon.
Gritty, amt she, marmf he said
The lady addressed was tall, thin
person with wrinkled face, sharr
black eyes behind spectales, corkscrew
curls, and a habit of wearing little
shoulder capes In the hottest weather.
She was New England school teacher
going west to better herself
Gritty Is western, | presume. Mr.
Chase" said the lady, Miss Mary Ann
Reed. what on earth do you cal
her Maverick fort" Miss Reed clicked
her needles viciously. She knitted al
day, jolting In a corner of the wagon
a picture of martyrdom.
in my kentry, Texas, said Chase
they calls them stray cattle that dom
git branded Mavericks; they dom
b'long to no herd, an them that find
gifts 'em."
..She's got folks In Denver sale
Miss Reed.
II dunno" whispered the man, witt
an anxious look toward the sleeping
child. "A feller that met me two day
ago on the east bound wagon train tolC
me her pa and ma had died suddenly
an the children had scattered, an he's
never heered o Janet at all, Her gran
marin he'd KEEP her from a baby, an
the old lady dyin', Janet's uncle jes
shipped her off to Denver, where he
\ folks was livin'. Don't seem nobody Il
take hei."
why didn't you send her back witt
those folks7r asked Miss Reed.
cause they was only harf way, an
was short for grub; they wouldn't TAX
her."
n Yet the Maverick was a great pet oI
NJ the journey. Every one liked her an,
welcomed her bright presence to Tia
the men gathered TO hear her sing th
quaint old hymns her grandmother hal
" taught her. She held tired babies ell
her little arms were numb, she tol,
stories to weary children and was
ininistering angel at every wagon q
the last one In the train most Of all.
This wagon had joined the train Il
4 Missouri. and belonged 60 an unfortu
nate family that Chase called Pixies.
The father. a sullen, sickly man, drov
the four lean oxen; the mother, hal
dead from malaria, seldom lifted he
head from her bed; and the nine chi
dren, practically orphans, took care Q
themselves and Of little. motherles
girl. sent out with this family to he
father In Denver.
This baby, Rose, was a merry ittl
creature of 3, beautiful and winnin
and much liked. But the days wer
tollsome ones. and as the Browns ha
charge of her no one interfered, thong
many Of the party wondered who coul
have trusted her with them.
The two youngest Browns, homely