The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-06
ON THE SUNSET TRAIL
The Fate That Befen a Faithful
Mali Carrier.


Danny Redmond was the mail carrier
on the Sunset trail, and he fully
realized the importance Of his position,
Traffic might stagnate. civilization
might pail, but the United States mail
must 90 right ahead. and on schedule
time at that As for the Sunset trail,
it wound its way far over the dreary
plains Of Kansas, across tho Cimmarron.
and on and on into the great state Of
the Lone Star
But Danny's route only extended &c
Crooked Creek, town consisting Of i
grocery store At this time the popula-
ton OF Ford county could have been
easily corralled on quarter section,
and had comfortable standing room
at that Danny was an apostle TO
these lone settlers, and only one who
has experienced the appalling loneli.
ness Of existence in those thinly-peo-
Piled plains, where you can see your
next-door neighbours shnnty on clear
days only. can realize the Joy with
which they heralded this blnc-eyed
brown-haircd bunch Of turbulence.
Two o'clock, would comment some
unkempt denizen, consulting the sun.
.Danny'll be here in ten minutes.
Then they would look till their eyes
ached afar to where the Sunset trail
tipped over ~the roll of prairie ut the
horizon. Soon their watching would
be rewarded, and steadily and swiftly
would the bay marc, Dolly, bear her
rider down the trail in that swinging.
interchangeable gallop 81 the mustang.
pcrchance some settler coming into
the post Office would appreciate the
best side Of the road and jog along in
the path that Danny chose.
s'Git out o. the way of the United
States maill, would come the warning,
and he would prudently s'gitn 70 the
other side Of the road, for Danny could
and would shoot, and, besides, didn't he
have everyone Of those fellows down at
the Office to stand at HIS back to the
last shot2 So no matter how much of a
fire eater the obstructcr might be, he
switchedoff when the carrier demanded
the right Of way.
And that was often. For that lad had
the idea inculcated into his bing that NIL
other powers, terrestrial and celestial,
were secondary considerations when
the United States mail was concerned,
and he seized every opportunity to ex-
ercise his authority.
How longingly and expcctantly those
eager pioneers would watch the letters
distributed Though, perhaps, they
had no grounds for expecting a letter,
yet their hope did not sink until the
last one was put away.
Then the return mail would be made
up, and at the exact minute Danny
would vault into the large Mexican sad
dle--almost as large as he or Dolly
and with the all-potent mail securely
strapped To the girdles on each side, he
would recommence his long ride, never
stopping IS he tried d flying shot at
some unwieldy rattlesnale that had
dragged it's notified form ont on the
rail to loll in the sun. and who would
not be able to wiggle into the tall grass
ere the United States mail was upon
him. Along the route the settlers would
come out Of their shanties half bent
and wave theirsombreros and cheer the
buoyant rider.
Wabash was the only stop. 1t was Of
the same Importance as Crooked Creek,
only there were two houses instead Of
one. or rather, a double house; for the
owners Of the claims that Joined up
there occupied a shanty Of two com
partments, one on each claim. Some
how or other the scamp would sit
straighter in the saddle and pull Dolly's
head up higher when they approached
Wabash, and pretty little peach Of a
girl would come OUT and chat with the
carrier while her spectacled fathers
attention was riyeted on the letter
package. Dolly would probably think
that Danny was getting rather weighty
on one side as he bent low in the sad
die, dangerously close 10 that pink sun
bonnet. And the soothing gopher that
sat up conveniently close to his burrow
would wonder for what reason a fellow