Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-11-03
THE RIVALS.

Through their own efforts Sang
Lumford and Matt King had stocked
a ranch. The ranch was small, but
their cattle were choice, and their
grass and water were Of the best; be-
sides, they were hustlers, and their
expenses for hire were very small,
which increased their income consid-
erably.
At the time of which we write 80
miles in every direction from where
one lived was called neighborhood
in Texas. There were some who in
creased the distance to rs and even
100 miles, but these were few, and
their ponies were exceptionally good,
for the area of neighborhood then
generally covered as much ground as
a man could ride over in day in one
direction without too much exertion.
The nearest neighbor to Sang and
Matt lived 10 miles away across the
river, and there, it is unnecessary to
say, they were frequent visitors as
long as the floods in the river would
allow them to cross over. Mr.. To
bins family was an interesting and
rather numerous one, with lot of
girls ranging in age from babyhood
to budding maidenhood. For year
Matt and Sang had watched pretty
Nellie Tobin grow and bud and blush,
until she had become in their eyes
the fairest and sweetest little maid
that ever lived.
1t was not long, therefore, before
the two bachelor ranchmen began to
look upon each other as rivals for
the hand and heart of Nellie. At
first it was all fun and merriment,
the one joking the other about some
little advantage he had gained on the
previous visit. Meanwhile they
worked all the harder and looked
after their interests closer, so that
when they should bring Nellie home
there would be no lack of the where
withall to make her comfortable and
happy.
It is unnecessary to say perhaps
that each had made up his mind to
win Nellie for his own, neither one
thinking the other had even the
smallest chance of getting her.
Then came the spring freshet, and
they were confined to their own side
of the river-shut out, it seemed tc
them, from all the rest of the world
It was then that the first discon
tent came between them. Both be
came cross as the proverbial bear
and the least thing that went wrong
the one would blame the other. y
thew had little quarreling spats an'
were as unhappy as only two un
reasoning fellows in love with TN
same girl could possibly be.
Sang was naturally quiet, with yer!
little resentment in his nature ana 0
very few words. He was big and ur
gainly, slow in his throughts an
movements, but giant in strengtn
Usually he was easy to get alOn
with. and there were not afew wh'
behind his back, said that he was
coward at heart, for there had bee
times when the tears had sprung
his ewes when some drunken rowd
had taken a fancy to abuse MN
Only once had he been known TO u
his great strength and assert MI
self and that was when so cali'
desperate proposed to give hlm I'm
good whipping with a quirt I'M
Sang. in a moment of excltemei
had picked the fellow up at arm
length and flung him against !
side of a house with such force th
when he recovered his senses a
found no bones in his body were
tually broken he had skunk away a
was never seen in that part OF
country again. o.s,.
Matt, on the other hand, was sina
ouicl of motion and fiery IN Temp
srent and was considered the IN
daring rider and the most eAR !,
with fhe lasso Of any rancher III y
mart of the country. He was qu
To take offense and as quicK 70 !
Give after having eased his mind
pouring out torrent of words VI
the offender. rr,t
Taken altogether, Sang Lump @
and Matt King were just about On On
average with men one meets evi ,',;
where in everyday life, wen SUI y,
to each other and likely to max M :
success of the business IN whion sia !
might engage, provided they ala Ia
fan in love with the same giri al
same time. a,
One day when the river was asa, =
highest, and the two men We ''a
niserabIs as it is possible ior n ns
be, Matt burst out, "Coniouna
Mr. v,atarl I wish there WAL