The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-03
MEXICAN JoE,s WIFE.
She Found the Terrible Courage to XIII
Her Husband.

Mexican Joe was the most notorious
cattle-stealer in the whole valley and
the wonder was that his handsome
brown neck had escaped the halter.
But times had changed in Texas since
the days when justice was administered
summarily and to the point-usualiy
ropes point So about the little cabin
across the creek, where Joe and Ninita
kept house, there was always hanging
strings of meat for the sun to dry.
But Joe had always ready way OF
explaining his possession OF the meat
strings and the hides and tallow which
kept him in whisky and tobacco, and
the droves that he depleted by his care
full depredations were SO far away that
there was no means of tracing ms
roguery.
But, OF course, day OF reckoning
did come for Joe, as it comes for us all
sooner or later, though it was not his
cattle-stealing that brought it about.
One day during the summer a man
had been found murdered on the other
side of Flat Top, and the most earnest
effort resulted in the discovery Of no
clew to the gui ty party. The district
attorney was new man, tall young
fe low. who set mis- e-brimmed hat
| a little jauntily atop of his over-long
locks, but the evil-doers knew him fol-
! a hustler" nevertheless. Nobody
was surprised therefore when, the fol
! lowing winter, the murdered mans
watch and knife were found in pawn
] ef0 ho q
and Mexican Joe was arrested.
The trial created great stir in quie'
| little Lampasas, and the courthouse
| was crowded with spectators. There
was some difficulty in impaneling
Jury. and the case began to draw ltsel
| out, but the interest did not waver.
The only listless figure in the whole
crowd was Ninita. Never once, as th'
case dragged, and witness after wit
ness rose for testimony, did she turl
her big, beautiful eyes toward th
prisoners box With the shawl Still
pinned up about her pretty brown
skinned face, she sat not moving, saw
now and then to dispense the httl
shuck-rolls from her basket to the hun
gry people about her, slipping tn
nickels carefully into her bosom. Whel
} adjournment came she would swin'
her basket over her arm, and, movin
with the crowd, call out Hot tamales.
with sweet-voiced Indifference.
But finally the last day came. Ih
, district attorney made a strong case
telling off string of Joe's evil deeds
which were, as he said, ''too numerou
TO mention" The attorney for the dt
fense, a young fellow whom the coui
had appointed, did the best he coul
with the material in hand. At the en-
t Of his fiowery speech he made an al
g peal in behalf of Ninita, pointing
her with a mighty flourish of his Ion
arm, and calling her a poor, hear
broken wife"
= But she, the ''poor, heartbroke
i wife" sat dry-eyed and stolid throug
it all, and the solemn-looking jury file
= out to return almost Immediately wit
a verdict of guilty.
# Then, and not till then, Ninita locke
: at Joe, and glance that puzzled tho
: who saw it, flashed back at her fro
a his great dark eyes. 1t might ha'
8 been a challenge; it might have been
}; question; was it a command, or was
, a farewell?
o She got up when all was over, sli
IL ping out through the crowd, b
fingered in the square without till tt
sheriff came leading the prisoner to
= little stone Jail across the way, when
,e he was to be taken next day to Austi
,. In a little while Joe'S face was seen
i hind the bars in one of the upper wi
~ dows, but Ninita seemed scarce
notice him Without speaking S
pulled her shawl close around her al
passed quickly down the street al
es across the bridge.
r That night a typesetter going hoi
II late from the Office saw woman
- bv him in the moonlight and crou
v down in the shadows of the prisol
b. wall. He, too crossed over and waite
'r hidden by the darkness
oi BY and by the crouching figure arc
p pebble ratified against the wind'
n overhead, and Joe's face appeared
Is hind the bars, all lit up in the mot
III light
" SIS it you, Ninita?" he said.
v, at is l. my JOSE" she answered sc
b. lv. in her sweet-voiced Spanish.
e there no other way?"
tn mo other way" he said, quietly.
ST am ready"
IN HOLY mother of God intercede
ut thee and me-" she prayed, kneeling
ks crossing herself
d, Amen" came Joe's deep-voiced
II sponse.
or Pull yourself up by the bars,
er Jose, that l may not touch your be
mt tiful face. and close your beautiful
OF that | may not look into your d
eyes"
en- He did as she had bidden him, h
1t, ing on to the stout bars Il am read
sSs he said.
"Adios, my Jose"
Of "Adios. my Ninita-"
ial She put her hand to her bosom, tt
he was little CLEAN of steel in the me
oa- light, pistol shot rang out clear
1el sharp on the night air, and the wor
he turned and fed into the darkness.
an The released hands loosed hold
the bars above, there was heavy
upon the floor within aud Mexican
was free-Philadel phia Times
lar His Complaint.
so Mr.. Medy Sin-Do you know, de;
s