The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-06-01

station, an she gives it out cold, she's
called Prescott-Mollie Prescott-an'
most likely she knows her name, an
knowed it year ago."
As Rosewood was historian of known
petulance, no one cared to challenge
either his facts or conclusions; so the
real name of "The Cactus" was accepted
by the Cinnabar public as Prescott.
"The Cactus" was personable lady,
comely and round; and her advent in
to Cinnabar society had caused some
thing of fiutter. Her mission was to
cook, and in the fulfilment of her des-
tiny she presided over the range at the
o. X. Hotel. Being publicly hailed as
"The Cactus" seemed in no wise to de.
press her, and it is possible she even felt
a secret glow over an epithet which was
meant by the critical taste that awarded
it to illustrate those thorns in her nature
which repelled aud held in check the
male of Cinnabar.
Women wear jewelry in Ginnabar, aud
on her first coming "The Cactus" had
many admirers. Every man in camp
loved her the moment she stepped from
the Tucson stage six months before.
From the term "every man." however,
careful writer would except Rosewood
Jim. That obdurate scientist, given as
he was to the inner workings of faro as
philosophy, had no time for such a soft
and dulcet affair as love. Another thing,
Rosewood had scruples of honor born ol
his business.
''Life behind deal-box is mighty
sight too fantastic" quoth the thought.
fW Rosewood, ''for a family. 1t does
well enough for single-footers, which il
don't make much difference with, when
player pulls his six-shooter an sends
'em shoutin' home to heaven some abrupt.
But there amt no room for a woman
with mao who turns cards as a pur.
soot."
As time went on, the score of lovers
who sighed on the daily trail of "The
Cactus dwindled down to two. The
re gave out dispirited.
"pm clean strain enough" said Bill
Tutt, In apolegetic description Of his
failure to persevere, "but l knows when
I've got through. I'll play game to a
finish, but when it's down TO the turn
an my last chips gone over to the
dealer, why l shoves my chair back an
quits. An it's about that away of an
concernin' my love for this yerc Cactus
girl. jest can't get her none, an that
settles it. l now drors out an gives my
seat to some one else"
"That's whatever" said persorage
known as Texas Joe, who was an inter
ested listener to the defeated Mr.. Tut,
San you can gamble Pm with you on
them views. lsves The Cactus my
se'f to fIightful degree, an thar's times
l jest goes about whinin' for her; but
yerc awhile back come projectln' around
her kitchen, an 'biNgP comes a skillet
at my head, an that let's me out. You
bet l don't pursoo them explorations
round her no more. l don't want to get
my rope onto no woman who is that cal J..
lous as to heave kitchen brio brac at a
heart that's pantin' for her."
Two lovers still knelt at the shrine of
"The Cactus" These were hailed by
men of Cinnabar respectively as Rice
Brown and Riley Brooks. A descrip-
tion of one would have besn portrait
of the other. They were young, good
looking, OF the breezy Southwestern
type, tanned as to face, and 1.-the and
timber as black snakes as to person.
These still held the affections of "The
Cactus" in siege and demanded capitula-
ton. That estimable virgin paid 40
heed to- their court, nor the comment of
unlocking Cinnabar. She pursued her
path in life even and unmoved. She
compounded her daily bread, compiled
her daily flapjacks, and broiled her daily
beetsteak by that simple and ingenious
process, popular in the Southwest, of
burning 1t on the griddles of her range,
and all as composedly asthough Leander
never swan the Hellespont nor Antony
sighed or sung in the ear of Egypt's
Queen. Still it was possible that ''The
Cactus" was shade less thorny in her
treatment of Rice Brown aud Riley
Brooks than of any of the others. Per-
haps she was becoming tired out Be the
reason what it may, these two persisted
when the Others failed, and at last were
recognized as rivals.
"All I'm afraid of" said old man
Armstrong, the head of the local Wig
lance committee, "that these yere young
bucks u take to pawn roup' for trouble