Connecticut western news., 1892-09-15
MARIPOSA.


 lookin pines a-list'nin to the roarin of the wind-contentedlike as yer purity little faces a-swollerin ole Pete's talk
 Waal, Pm a-gointer put up yarn about one uv them this time. You nee'nter laff. Think Unkl' Pete savvies nawthin only bout Injuns, scalps, gol- diggins n snow shoots? Hain't much on posies gin'rally.
 Yessireel Thar's gun int; eff 'twa'n't, wouldn't be no story, s'pose. Durn little coyotes, nawthin but killin an karkisses suits you. 'Tain't Injins; though some can't see much differ twixt them an greasers-what you calls Mex icans Some uv them is considerable mixed; the "per-r-oud Castle blood" they blows about ain't on the surface Castle soap'ud be more to the pint.
 But Mariposy wuz purity as this posy, in her Mexican way-eyes like midnight in gulch, hair black as its wavin pines a voice like wind in their tops.
 Waal, one day wuz sightin to'rd Del Norte to dicker bout an alfalfy deal Nigh to ther town see somethin loomin up; sez l:
 "Some feller's takin cattle to range" Then reco'nized Tom. Han'some young feller wuz Tom in flannel shirt and "chaps," the wind layin his broad brim "pra'rie king" back and showin his face ez he loped past. Nigh the Ryo Grandy bridge my broncho most shed me ez Tom cum thunderin back.
 By gum! -Thet's ridin," sez, ad- mirin his slim figger, most one with his beast, ez they shot past to'rd town. He was nigh out uy sight afore his prime opposyte cum pantin an cussin after him; old Diaz a-clawin the ar, making 1t blue with un-Sunday school talk a-diggin his knees into his winded nags sides, goin ickety bump, a-workin ten miles perpendiklar to ary mile ahead.
 l laffed; then shuk my head Resky foolin with Diaz, thinks l.; it's bad blood. They've scrapped ag'in, and Toms a-drivin Diaz's cattle outer .ther range, an Diaz hez got onter him He's tryin ter run Tom down, likes not; but c'u'dn't swar ter Tom. q c'u'dn't, eff ha'nter met him goin t'other way.) l wanter be outer this eff ole Diaz goes ter lawin.
 "Trial by juryl" sez 1; "trial by guns my ticket. Them families 'ud of settled thar scrap ages sence, eff lawyers hedn't got the cinch on 'em."
 T'other side uv town Diaz wuz found dead, bullet hole in his head, sized bore of leetle gun of Toms. What with family "scraps," Diaz bein seen a-chasing after Tom an Toms comin in on his broncho from thet side uv town-with nawthin t say 'ceptin he'd druv Diaz' cattle onter range fer mis- cheef; Diaz chased him an he outrid him, but Diaz follered, yit he'd take his oath he hedn't shot Diaz-all that went ag'in' him. The story didn't assay well. Court wuz pledged ter "extarminate the western rough" the papers said. A greaser he'd hung fer killin Ute, an the feelin wuz fer no parshality.
 tuk int'rest in thet trial, both fer Toms sake-l knowed him sence he want no bigger'n ca 'tridge-and be- cuz knowed huff t witness eff they'd knowed it; 'twa'n't much, but leave a lawyer to build Pike's Peak outer ther foothills.
 You see I'm gittin to my story from all p'ints t'wonct, like Injins useter cum at our stockades; but I'll git thar es morally sartin es they did frequint.
 Things looked rocky fer Tom. thar ain't doubt of it.
 c'u'dn't stan it. Wy, teached him ter shoot jacks wen he warn't no higher n sagebrush. 1 c'u'dn't breathe tel l wuz out, gallopin roun the shoulder uy Lookout mountain, over the mesa. Don'no' wut tux me thet road. Don believe in sperits, but l cum mighty nigh takin stock in thar lead thet game cum down hill, acrost ther bridge ar onter the old plazy fore I knowed. Somethin quar- bout thet row uv flat roofed white 'dobes, winders an doors slantin ez greaser idees; them big, round ovens like impossible musharooms; the | pinted church front, with bell hole atop an cross settin on a heap at ther back Mexican squatters he'd been ordered tt vamoose, n thar ole traps uv horses wu; fallin lonesumlike ter pieces.
 'Twuz late afternoon; thought shad ders were a-foolin me when 1 see some thin futter roun 'dobe corner. Witt passin idee uv sperits, likewise O. greasers sneakin ways, dashed up al covered somethin in the 'dobe.
 "Hands upr'
 | "Si si," she sobbed-"M | I felt like durn fool settin thar holdil up gal.
 "Air ye alone, Mariposy2 Wut y, doin h'yar?"
 She piled hundred questions at m in her greaser American, windin up:
 "Ees it a right-you air Tome's frent?
 Thinkin on'y bout Tom an nawthil t all bout ther gal, shuk it all out Hell hang surer sez l.
 You'd orter seen her.
 "He not kill Diazr' she stomped
 jumped.
 "I sect done," sez Mariposa, mos cryin. "I know. Take mel tell say Tom. An, the roper she laid her purt hand on her throat. ''To die!-to SC ,un an flowers an hear birds-to kiss
 10 morel The cold, dark ground-th
 Eormsy' c'u'd feel her shiver ag'ir me ez spurred back to town best W c'u'd, a-carryin double.
 seen she knowed somethin, an l wu wild at the idee uv savin Tom. Sh didn't tell me much-she'd been with a aunt up Saguache and knowed nawthi uv the trial Her folks sent her mar word or kep her off purpus-they' T thet shy uv law. Mariposy slid o fn'ly from them an camped, pore criI ter, in thet lonely place. She wante word from Tom to cum back; sent Ton
 Montez to tell him, but had nary answer 30, by that, seen Tom likewise knowe