The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1894-10-02
A TRANSFORMATION.

= w Ivy JdNcIll, near Ou0a IOTU
of Little Snake creek, was the central
: point of wild region thin1y peopled
by ranchmen and miners and thickly
by coyotes Bones of departed bison
lay bleaching on the bleak plains
round about
Puts" consisted of store, bar,
bunkroom and a kitchen. 1t was
the base of supplies for the scattered
population and the scene of their
somewhat violent festivities. There
was no other regular S@oDping place
between the mining camps far off
under the snow capped Silver Bow
range and the city" of Bowling, 20
miles away across the Little Snake.
shorty was one of the chief at
n fractions at Puts Diminutiveness
N had been his profession for years, but
confinement in dime museums and
!, side shows had not agreed with him.
The coldly curious eyes that stared
at him all day had seemed to follow
him through the darkness and into
his dreams. So, grown restless, he
had given up the proud title of EN-
peror of Lilliput, and taken his turn
as aspectator in the world.
Glad to escape from crowded
streets, he had Travelled in wild places
4 till his savings were spent and then
turned up broke at Puts. When
he had been there a week, Put, who
loved what he called "phenomenons,"
had invited him to stay forever, and
when month had passed it was
clear to the worthy host that Shorty
was not mere phenomenon" but
in every way a man after his own
heart.
The men of the Little Snake region
at first accorded him the compass
sionate respect that strength yields
: to weakness, then the honor due to
superior ability, for Shorty took his
new life with such lively zest that
Ait seemed as if the little frame that
held his spirit had served to concen-
trate rather than restrain its powers.
Constant exercise made him tough
and why as bob cat His steady
hand and quick eye soon became
those of a dead shot. He could APP
proach game when other men could
not come within range. He learned
to ride boldly, and bronchos obeyed
him easily, for he had that rich, gen.
u tie voice horse loves, and he was
utterly fearless.
Moreover, he was ingenious and
Handy with tools, while his social
qualities, his banjo, songs, power of
mimicry inimitable dancing and
sterling good nature made him
friends everywhere.
All the habitues of Puts were
agreed that, ''barrin looks, there
warn't nothin small about Shorty" |
One man, however, less through I'M
kind intent than from coarse stupid
ity, persistently hurt the little mans
feelings.
"Ain't you skeered ter hev sech
big, savage lookin critter aroundp
he said to Put, with roar of laugh
ter, Oh first seeing Shorty.
''Look a-here, kid" he went on,
addressing the dwarf, my little gal
up the crick's ben 1owin I'd orter
g1t her dorl ter play with. Would
ye like the sitervation2"
ITO judge from the looks of your
horse, friend" said Shorty, 'there
amt not to say over much to eat
even for doll up the creek, and l
guess I'll be obliged to refuse your
lkind offer on them grounds"
"A Il
4 After this TuckeHson never saw
Shorty without hooking him for his
lack of inches till the time came when
the little man won singular victory
lover his prosecutor.
TucEerson, though one of the first
settlers on the Little Snake, was not
well known there. He sought no
company, and his claim was too far
out of everybody's way to be visited
from mere curiosity. Yet there was
some curiosity as to what he hoped
to do with that claim. 1t had no pas
turage nor any minerals so far as
the miners knew.
Here Tuckerson, a widower, lived
with his only child, girl about ~
years of age, whom he generally left
alone in the cabin when he was hunt
ing or when he came down to Puts
to exchange hides, furs or game for
groceries and cloth. In the cabin she
1Eas safe enough, for wild beasts will
not attack a cabin, and they were
5She only ''terrors" native to the re-
bon.
Shorty learned to dread the sight
,of Tuckerson, whose imagination had s
evolved one especial joke which he
often repeated.
"Waal, Shorty he would say, ibid I
I'VE make out ter beat tibet jack rabbit s
(see we wrastlin of under the sage
f'other day9 l see he was givin we a /
powerful tussel." '
The words and tone rankled, a
though horty never let it appear
that he was hurt. L
Ghis joke was nearly three, years