The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-16
ON THE SUNSET TRAIL.
The Fate That Befen a Faithful
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 go right ahead, and on schedule
time at that AS for the Sunset trail,
it wound its way far over the dreary
plains of Kansas, across the Cimmarron,
and on and on into the great state of
the Lone Star.
But Danny's route only extended to
Crooked Creek, a town consisting of a
ton of Ford county could have been
easily corralled on a quarter section,
and had comfortable standing room
at that Danny was an apostle to
these lone settlers, and only ono who
has experienced the appalling loneli-
ness of existence in those thinly-peo-
pied plains, where you can sec your
next-door neighbours shanty on clear
days only, can realize tho Joy with
which they hcraldcd this bluc-eyed,
brown-haired bunch of turbulence
1.-Two o'clock" would comment como
unkempt denizcn, consulting the sun.
"Danny'll be here in ten minutes"
Then they would look till their eyes
nched afar to where the Sunset trail
tipped over the roll of prairie ut the
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
interchangeable gallop of the mustang.
Pcrchance some settler coming into
the post office would appreciate the
best side of the road and jog along in
the path that Danny chose.
"Git out o the way of the United
States maill' 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 he
have everyone of those fellows down at
the office to stand at his back to the
last shot? So no matter how much of q
fire eater the INSTRUCTOR 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 oil
other powers, terrestrial and celestial.
were secondary considerations when
the United States mail was concerned,
and he seized every opportunity to ex-
ercise his authority
How longingly and eXpectantiy those
eager pioneers would watch the letters
distributed! Though, perhaps, thoy
had no grounds for expecting q letter,
yet their hope did not sink until the
last one was put away.
Then the return mail would be ma<fe
up, and ut the exact minute Banny
would vault into the large Mexican sad
G1a--n1unncf =
and with the all-potent mail securely
strapped to the girdles on each side. he
would recommends his long ride. never
stopping as he tried flying shot Mt
some unwieldy rattlesnakc that had
dragged its notified form out on the
rail to loll in the sun. and who would
not be able to wiggle into the tall grass
ere the United States mail was upon
him. Along the route the settlers would
come out of their shanties half bent
and wave their sombrcroS and cheer the
buoyant rider.
Wabash was the only stop. 1t was of
the same Importance as Crooked Creek,
only there were two houses instead of
one. or rather, double house; for the
owners of the claims that Joined ND
there occupied n shanty of two com
partInents, one on each claim. Some
how or other the scamp would sit
straighter in the saddle and pull Dolly's
head up higher when they approached
Wabash, and Il pretty little peach of a
girl would come out and chat with the
carrier while her specialized fathers
attention was riveted on the letter
package. Dolly would probably think
that Danny was getting rather wcighty
on one side as he bent low In the sad
die, dangerously close to that pink sun
bonnet. And the soothing gopher that
sat up conveniently close to his burrow
would wonder for what reason q fellow
would want to bite n pretty girl like
her. But Rosie didn't seem to mind the
punishment bit All, fear Danny
would fcign have fingered longer at the
unprepossessing post Of Wabash, but
the United States mail must be carried
on.
One day n cowboy came into the fort
with jaded mustang and a slash across
his check and reported that he had
been chased by band of Arapahocs.
These children of nature had grown in
solent with well feeding and little
work. They often became thus at ir-
regular intervals, and breaking from
the reservation swept north upon the
the scattered settlers of the plains, con-
siderably depopulating those sparsely
inhabited districts Their great father
in Washington. they complained. was
not giving them enough blankets, and,
in consequence, they were compelled
to trade their moccasins for ''fre
water"
Danny was preparing to start upon
his route when the news came