Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-06-02
JOHN ADAM.

u
pace that even in this land of hard
riding, would attract attention, and
one which l found afterward was
habitual with him.
A man over six feet tall. vast OF
frame powerful OF muscle, with shout
ders slightly stopped from a lifetime
spent In the saddle and with breadth
OF chest have never seen equalled.
he was marked, here where beardless
faces are rather the rule by an enor-
nous beard, touched with gray. over
which he could have buckled his
pistol belt; had eyes like hawk and
nose to'match; a strong. predatory.
violent aggressive visage that might
have fitted Morse viking As he
came hurting toward US at that mad
gallop. his chin sunk on his breast
aud the torrent of that mighty beard
blowing over his mighty chest he
aroused in the mind jumbled sugges-
tons OF Father Time. mounted Ber-
serker 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
to speak to me. Dismounted, he was
q somewhat less imposing figure. hav-
Ing the slightly awkward gait which
continual riding gives He laid &
Broad brown hand on my ponys
name. and spoke in great voice that
matched his great frame, turned to a
key OF peculiar gentleness.
II have been trying to get Mr.. Nc
Gregor to bring you over to my
place" he said. fixing me with
kindly but embarrassing scrutiny. II
can show you Il lot of Mexican ponies,
give you as fine riding as you could
want or cat hunt or l wish you'd
come and get pecans in my river pas
ture"
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
self Well. that's right; l like that
The less woman depends on some
coyote of man. the happier she'll
live and the pcacefuller she'll die.
Had he been a young and suscept-
ible cowboy l should have considered
that had made an impression. As it
was was accused OF having done so
as soon as he had ridden OF.
II never saw old John Adam SO
civil 10 man. woman or child in my
life" said my host
John Adam'-how the name fitted
him. with its simple archaic sugges-
tons!
The next week Mr. McGregor took
me over to the K O. ronche. and
went on to attend roundup. saying
that il he didn't call for me by 5
o'clock Mr.. Adam might ride home
with me. My host put me on fiery
pony and we lew over his vast range.
He introduced me to all his Mexicans
and filled my saddle pockets with the
finest pecans; then when 5 o'clock
came and no Mi 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
some old one you dom t care anything
about would rather have an old
one taken when you were about IL.
/ wanted you to come mere and
wanted to see you because you put
me so much in mind of little girl
used to go to school with; little
rosy-cheeked girl; here's picture of
her." He drew from his pocket q
daguerreotype OF child of -. round
faced large-eyed. with her curly hair
demurely parted and tucked behind
her ears She wore 'low-necked'
dress and one bare, slim arm was
laid out over the table beside which
she stood. in such way that the
hand looked almost as large as her
head.
She was my wife" he went on.
you've been told all about how l
killed her husband and married her.
but maybe can give you straiphter
story.
I'VE all three grow up together
back in Missouri, and when she mar
ried him started west and came as
near here as any white man had.
After I'd been living here ten years
got letter from her telling me she
was coming out to me with her hus-
band, ana why and the next month
they came.
..He was drunkard-the worst l
ever saw-a dangerous raving luna
tic whom he was drunk, a regular
wild beast or locced steer. and the
craziest man for bug juice I ever
tried to handle.
She thought to get out on ranch
and keep it away from him-we had
70 keep turpentine and camphor
out of his way when he was wild for
the stud. and once he nearly killed
himself drinking kerosene
They stayed at my place the best
part of year. I was as faithful as
could be- and 1t was the hardest
thing ever had to do Occasionally
he'd get supply from somewhere
and we'd have the DEVILS time with
him. used to think what a pleasure
nd be to shoot him at them times and
lot on twas self-defence; but he was q
poor. puny thing. I could hold him,
avan when ho WAS oraZv with one