Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-07-28
THE SUNSET TRAIL.

Danny Redmond was mail carrier
on the Sunset Trail, and ho fully real.
izod tho importance Of his position.
Traffic might stagnntc, civilization
might pail, but tho United States mail
must 40 right ahead, aud on schedule
time at that. As for the Sunset Trail,
1t wound its way far over tho droary
plains Of Kansas. across tho Cimmar'
ron, and on and on into tho great state
OF the Lone star.
But Dunny's route only extended 70
Crooked Creek. % town consisting Of u
grocery store. At this timu the popu.
lation Of Ford county could have been
easily corullod on a quarter section,
aud had comfortable standing room ~
that. Danny was an apostle TO these
lono settlers. aud only ono who has OK.
porionccd the appalling Loneliness Of cX-
istcuco In those thinly poopled plains
whore you can SEQ your next doorncigh
boris nhnnty on clear days only, can
realize tho Joy with which they hcraldo0
this blue eyed. brown haired bunch oi
turbulence.
1.-TWO o'clock" would comment some
unkompt dcnizcn, conaGting tho sun.
"Danny'll DO hero IN ten minute8.'
Then they would look till their eyes
nchcd afar TO where the Sunset Trail
tipped over tho roll Of prairie nj tho
horizon. Soon their watching would bo
rewarded. aud steadily and swiftly
would tho bay mare, Dolly, boar her
- Ns.n ss.N fsEs ttta iHtfs
indcfatignblo gallop Of the mustang.
Porchnnco some settler coming into
the postoiiico would appreciate tho best
side Of the road aud jog along In Tho
path that Danny chose.
"Git ont q tho way Of tho United
States mHilg' would como tho warning
aud he would prudontly git" TO thl
other side Of the road. for Danny coul,
and would shoot, aud besides didn't b
have every ono OF those follows down u
tho Office TO stand at his back TO the La
shotp SO. no matter how much Of fin
eater tho obs,ructor might be, hu switch
ed Oh when tho carrier demanded tn
right Of way.
And that was often. For that lad hnl
tie idea inculcatcd into his being tia
all other powers, terrestrial and celestial
were secondary considerations when th
United States mail was concerned, an
he soized every opportunity to oxoreir
his authority.
How longinRly and oSpcctantly tho'
eager pioneers would watch tho lottei
distributed! Though perhaps they la
no grounds for expecting "a letter, "
their hope did not sink until the last Oh
was put away.
Thon tho return mail would be mat
up, and at tho oNagt minute Dam
would vault into the large Mexican sa
dlc-almost as large ~ he or Dolly
and with the all potent mail secure
strapped 10 the girdlos on each side,
would rccommenco his long ride, ncy
stopping as he tried u flying shot
some unwieldy rattlosnako that HI
dragged .ts notified form ont on tho n
20 loll In tho sun, and who would not
able to wigglo into the tall grasa ere 4
United States mail was upon him. Aloi
tho route tho settlers would come out
their shantics. half bent, and wave III,
nombrcros and cheer tho buoyant ridci
Wabash was the only stop. II was
the same importance rs Crooked Cree
only there were two houses Instead
ono, or ruthor double house, for /
owners Of tho claims that Joined
there occupied n shanty Of two compa
monts, one on each claim. Somehow
other the scamp would sit straightor
tho saddle and pull Dolly's head
higher when they approached Waha
and pretty little peach Of girl wo'
come out and chat with the carr
whilo her specialized fathers atton,i
was rivotcd on the letter packages. u
" would probably think that Dan
was getting rather woighty ON one 5
as no bent low In the suddlo, dangoro
" close 10 that pink sunhonnet
tho scoiling gopher that rat up G
veniently close to his burro would W
der for what reason fellow would WI
20 bite q pretty girl like her. But II,
didn't seem 20 mind the punishmoi
bit Al, fear Danny would foign h
fingered longer at the unpropossos,
post OF Wabash. but--the United ST.
mail must DO carried on,
Night would fall ere no crossed
dark Cimmnron, aud ON auspici
nights tho moon was wcll up in the
when no rode. with q whoop aud In
that stilled tho bowling OF the coyo
into Fort Dodgc--tho journey done.
Ono day u cowboy came into tho
with q iGdod mustang aud slash nc
his check and reported that he
been chased by q band OF Arapah
These children Of nature bad grown
solent with wcll feeding and littlc W
They often became thus at irregular
tervels, and breaking from the rcso
ton swept north upon tho scattered
tiers Of the plains, considerably dopO
lsting those sparsoly inhabited distr
Thsir great father in Washington,
complained, wasnot giving them enc
blankets, and in consequence they ,
compelled 10 trade thor moccaslnI
"ilro water"
Then a wild flight would comm
Tor the fort and larger towns for
lection. The heathen would rage a
Esth lire and sword. Occasionally 1