Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-05
BEFORE THE FIRE.

uOWu 10 DbB bDi1I ahi uoh
'zactly think myself coward. But the
bravest chapI ever see war my pard,
Dandy Jack Houlston.
"When no fust come 10 rs at Dog Hol-
low 10 looked NO all fired spruce. and
had such fino show u Boston togs on,
that we thought him re3'lar soft 'un.
not worth cussi but he LhoXsed ms
what grit war fore he got through. you
bet, He had been thar two days when
Gougin jim. the ugliest man In the hull
crowd. got playin 10 down pretty bad
on q poor old crippled Frencher, who
kept n possible store. Up steps Jack
and says. very quietly. but as II no
meant II,
"'Dont you see that mans crtppie'
Let him alone
"Jim looked quite took aback for
minute. and then no whips out his knife
and boilers.
"'Hold your cussed tongue or I'll cut
II outf
"Dut 'foro ho could strike Jack had
hfrn by the wrist. and give him tho neat
est httlo wrestler's trip as ever yer seed,
and down went Jim, fetchin his head
stitch lick agin stone that for more
than an hour ne didn't know tho ten q
clubs from tho Ten Commandments.
"Wal, from that day Jack was fist
Hike king among ma, and Gougin Jim
frozc 10 him as ct bed been his brother.
and thought nothin that oud do half
good enough fer him.
But its Jist when yew'vo struck pay
gravel that tho water ginerally begins
10 soak In, and II was, ist when every
thin was goin right with us that suthin
came and spoilt all.
"Oid Jack and war standin by Hag-
gerty's grocery ono mornin when the
Rockville stesye cum along, and all at
once ! eecd him turn pale as a peanut. ]
looked up. and thar, inside the stage. ]
seed tist bout the puttiest gal I ever cot
eyes on. and beside her a tall, black
aired chap. who 'peared 10 be maxim
hove to her as IL no were hired nj five
cents tho word.
"Jack Jumped for'ard, quite wildlike,
an hollered:
"'Hev yoa got place left aboard?
"'Guess so-jist one.'
"All rigkt-lll take il
"And tore cub say whisky no gev
my hand grip ana says to me. Take
care 8 my traps till ! come back. Bill
IN DO war of.
",rhak war the Last l saw Of Dandy
Jack. and IL warnt till good while
arter that ] heerd the rest q the story.
But when | did hear 1t. yew may bet
yer boots didn't forget IL again, and ]
kin tell IL you jist as IL seed 10 all my
seli
"Tbis gal thas poor old Jack war 20
sweet on war the daughter Of q rich old
chap who'd got ranch nQ$ far from
the upper fork of tho R.o Grande. and
hos dad had sent her to visit some folks
aA the cast. md she war comm back
artcr havin quito good time.
"This black aired CUES that was with
hfs was . fellow named Granger, an
oiQ chum Of her dad, end pretty nigh o.
rich % no was. He had managed TO
jfne hcg on tho road hum fist az II by
accident. but reckon that air accident
waf done q purpose
"Jack went with them Etght on b
Rockville, but he newer got q show, for
this Granger was one o. them smooth
tongued, oh and honey cnsees that don't
givp nobody q chance, dnd he KEEP so
close to his gal that Jack cu'dn't get
sayin word to hes.
"As for the 81 herself, guess she
wat eorter baiancin between 'em, and
HADN'T quite mado up her mind which
on 'cin sho wanted; but anyhow, when
poor Jack squeezed her hand "a partin
she CIV him back just 'nuff Of his own
squeeze TO make him feel heap better'n
what no done afore.
~Wal, 40 Rockville. old dod and some
Of his friends war waitin for tho gal,
and they all went home together.
como day nll tho folks went ous for
ride over the parairy, and tho gal. never
thinkin no harm, put her horse 10 speed
and cot of for good rousin gallon by
herself. But Granger had his eye Ca
hor. you bet and he KEEP her In sight
till all tho rest war out q sight, and
then he ranged mp alongside Of her AMI
got hold Of her hands and asked her
fat out. would she marry him or not
"What she'd Ia said In answer 10
hfm ] cant tell yer, nor nobody else,
neither. reckon, for, afore sho cud
open her mouth, MN cum gallopin
along % II oil Nick wor axter him with
Q ten pronged pitchfork They'd jist
time 10 know him for Dandy Jack when
no lifted hisself 10 tho saddlc and
screeched put 10 bust his throat:
Ride for your livesl Tho prairtc's
On Rrer
n gness they dtdnt wois to be told
twAce. and indeed tho HOSES war OF
full Jump tho minnie they heered the
shout. Just az IL they understood aIl
about IL. Away they wens like the wind
~Hev Yet ever seo'd parairy fref
Wal, II yer bevn't guess ycr COD jist
% soon git an tdeo IT what II rally "A "a
yew cud put NiaGary in gals thimble.
Fust thing you SEQ h little curl q
smoke far OFF. Then. oil at once, 1t bo-
gins TO git thicker and redder 'bont the
edges, and suddenly yo hear rush like
q Jiyer comm down In full food
'Then up through tho smoke goes o
big sponA o fro. end oil behind yer's
enc sca O great ped, soarin flames lcapin
ma twhtin and shod{ln up into tho very
sky ond ro,hp offer 10 liko waterfall.
"Wal. thatss the Ind q thing poor old
Jack ana tho ot\ er two he'd got ~ their
heels. and l reckon thorn bosses didn't