The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-01-19
. A WHOLE MAN.

A sensitive man has no business on
the desert. He will get prodded
everywhere. If he takes oHense at
rough banter, Lord help him when he
gets into q mining camp. If he wear
his heart upon his sleeve, let him
steer clear OF the Mexican towns and
their pretty senoritas. If he would
know any peace, let him keep away
from the cattle range. for jests are as
keen and cutting as the spurs at their
heels. -,r "> Z.
Frank Robbins was beginning to
find out some OF these things. But il
you gave him a whole decade he would
not find them all out. -.
what the boy wants is tougher
ing, " said Mart Selby. 0
Mart was big and tough, and he
saw no good reason why anybody
but a child or a woman should be
tender. "He's a young colt that
wants a Mexican bit showed into his
mouth and then be ridden through
the cactus"
At Lucin's ranch the boys joked
and Initiated Robbins, but it did not
seem to tougher him. They cared
nothing for whiskey that did not
scratch as it went down, and when he
put water in his they called him a
perfect lady and laughed loudly.
"Stand their joshing," said Mart to
Robbins, "and you'll get along better.
They'll always make it hot for a man
that don't josh back"
"Oh, don't mind it," replied Rob
bins, badly OVERRIDING his effort to
look unconcerned.
1t had been the same everywhere he
nd been in the west. He was one oil
those men who are never any thine
but tenderfeet. He simply would not
take men as he found them, though
they were perfectly willing to take him
SO. And the absurd ideas that found
Judgment in his head Chief among
them were that he must have O. friend
"a chum-who should be q man after
mis- own heart. He had been looking
for such q man for two years,
He picked him out occasionally, but
ne never found him to suit. This one
was not truthful, that was not tenn
:, perate and the other was not nice ir
his speech. There was something lack
ing in each one. ~
What want is a. whole man." he
sighed; II never could take up with
these halt made fellows. But it is not
SO easy. Even when I find q mar
that is temperate and intellectual hi
turns out to be selfish. What would
not give for whole man for 8
friend and comparatively whole man.
He would not take up with Mart
Selby, though Mart "the young fel
low" sorely needed friend and help
er, particularly one who would tough
en- him. He kept on looking for hi
made to-order man, but he never
seemed to hit upon him. Few such
men as he was looking for are to b,
found within. @ thousand miles of Lu
cine's. Intact, at Lucine' 8 you would b,
at loss to discover a single man who
did not like to take observations O
Old Ashby's cloth-and-paper ceilin,
through the bottom of whisky glass
and if you heard a voice I will Civ,
you my word OF honor that it was nc
cherub's. .- .rr.
One day the boys outdid all Their
! other little. WEAKNESSES to Robbins BY
getting him hopelessly drunk. o
course it was no killing matter, but h,
had never been drunk before, and h,
took it very seriously and resolved tt
leave camp next day. r.
Mart did not like this. His hear
had warmed toward "the youn,
fellow" and lie hated to see him leav,
the place. Finally he resolved to g
with him.
They agreed between them tina
they would not go on the grange again
They would 60 prospecting for gold.
And thus it was that they came tx
make the journey over the desert to
ward Dead Horse gulch. Now, al
everybody knows, the wealth of Dea<
Horse gulch is great, but it is very
hard to reach. Miners who have livet
out the awful heat of the alkali plai1
that lies all around the buttes where
In the gulch makes it's cash have COM
3 back with full belts, but none of then
have ever gone q second time.
In suggesting this journey, Mart Sci
by had q double object. First, h,
wanted 60 tougher 1.-THE. young fellow,
and next, he wanted to enrich then
] both, Mart knew that Robbins hat
come out west to makeenough none,
to marry a nice girl who lived in Della
ware, and he knew, too, that 9Th
young fellow" had found money-mak
ing very slow work.
From Lucin's to the great alkal
plain that lay before the buttes il
which the gold was hidden was a lon
and toilsome journey. But the rea
i work only began with the crossing o
the aikali desert.
White and naked lay the dead lant
before their aching eyes. The eye o
heaven shone down with most unre
lenting ferceness. No breath of ali
was stirring. and the whole world wa!
to them as dumb as death.
Mart had counted onthe journey be
ing a hard one, but not SO hard al