Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-06-10
JOHN ADAM.
y n. Prescott.


one which / found afterward was
habitual with him.
A man over six feet tall. vast OF
frame, powerful OF muscle. with shout
ders slightly stopped from lifetime
spent In the saddle. and with a breadth
of chest have never seen esualled.
he was marked. here where beardles,
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 a hawk and
nose TO match; IA strong predatory
violent aggressive visage, that might
have fitted "A Morse viking. AS he
came hurting toward us at that mad
gailop. 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-
tions OF Father Time. mounted Ber-
serlier and other colossal and heroic
images.
When all the cutting out and brand
ing was done and we were preparing
to leave for home. | turned and saw
that the bearded giant was coming up
| 10 speak to me. Dismounted, he was
n somewhat less imposing figure hav-
ing the slightly awkward gait which
continual riding gives. lie laid n
broad, brown hand on my pony
name. and spoke in a great voice that
matched his great frame. turned to u
key of peculiar gentleness
II have been trying to get Mr. Nc
Gregor to bring you err to my
place" he said fixing me with u
| kindly but embarrassing scrutiny. Il
can show you lot of Mexican ponies.
give you as fine riding as you could
want or a cat hunt or | wish you d
come and get pecans in my river pas
ture. -
He stood for some tim, 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 like that
The less a woman depends on some
coyote of man. the happier she'll
live and the peacefuller she'll die. "
Had he been young and suscept-
IDLE cowboy | 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 Sc
civil 10 man. woman or child in my
life" said my host.
John Adam''-how the name fitted
him, with its simple archaic sugges-
tions!
The next week Mr. McGregor tool
mo over to the X. o. ronche, anC
went on TO attend a roundup saying
that if he didn't call for me by
o'clock MIR. Adam might ride h.me
with me. My host put me on fer,
pony and we flew over his vast range
He introduced me to all his Mexican.
and filled my saddle pockets with the
finest pecans; then when ) o'clocl
came and no Mr.. McGregor he pu
my saddle back on my pony and w
rode homeward.
Suddenly he turned to me and said
Il want to ask you for your picture
some old ono you don care anythin.
about would rather have an ole
one. taken when you were about 16
| wanted you to come Eere and
wanted to see you because YOU pu
me so much in mind of little girl
used to go TO school with, Il it'll,
rosy-cheeked girl; here's picture O
her" He drew from his pocket
dagnerreotype OF a child OF II. round
faced, large-eyed. with her curly hal
demurely parted and tuc,:el behnt
her ears. She wore IL dow necked
dress and one bare slim arm wa
laid out over the table beside which
she stood. in such way that III,
hand looked almost as large as he
head.
She was my wife" he went on
You've been told all about how
killed her husband and married her
but maybe | can give you straighte
story
I'VE all three grew up togethe
back in Missouri. ami when she mar
ried him | started west and came a
near here as any white man had
After I'd been living here ten years
got letter from her telling me sh
was coming out TO me with her hus
band. ana why and the next montl
they came.
He was drunkard- worst
ever saw-a dangerous ravlng luns
/ tic when he was drunk. regula
wild beast or locoed steer and tn
craziest man for bug juice | eve
tried TO handle.
She thought to get out on ranc
and keep it away from him--we ha
to keep turpentine and campho
out of his way when he was wild 10
the stuff and once he nearly kille
himself drinking kerosene.
They stayed at my place the hes
part of year. | was as faithful as
could be. and it was the hardes
thing | ever had To do. OCCASIONAL
: ed get a supply from somewher
and we'd have the devils time wit
him. ] used to think what pleasur
it'd be to shoot him at them times an
let on twas self-defence; but he was
poor puny thing. ] could hold hin
even when he was crazy, with on
hand, and | hadn't really any excus
for using "A gun on him.
: Finally | told the greasers that tn
next time he got whisky l was goin
9 TO start out and wallop every man o
the place and ask no questions Br
greaser il do anything for money
$ except work-and | suppose she CAV
Q him some money, or ne stole it, fc
9 when | came home from the uppt
range one night heard yelling
'. the house He was drunk and sht
r like woman. was making it wors