River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-06-28

the big cowboy who had remained near
me informed me, she had seen the man
purposely throw the hat and was de-
nouncing such raseality. and was offer
ing TO give the American girl ten feet
the start in the coming heats II assured
of fair play.
"a could control myself no longer.
Calling loudly for attention attracted
the crowd around me, and in my indig-
nation said:
Men. am ashamed of you You
claim 20 be American citizens who love
Fair play: you are celebrating the
proudest day in American history, yet
YOU lend encouragement to an act
which should cause any honest ruan .
blush with shamer
WHO are your a dozen voices
yelled
i am an american, and | assure
You | have nothing but disgust for
those in this crowd who are disgraeing
that name. e2me among You seek
ing a home, came with desire to help
build up your business interests, but
I'd ratl.er locate in nest of rattle
snakes than among men who would
plot against a young, defenseless girl.
Now, am worth half million dollars,
YOUR merchants here will tell you that
my checks are good for any amount,
and will bet any man in this crow
five thousand 10 one hundred dol
lars that the Mexican girl will win
the next two heats. for am going to
see fair play. and 4 believe there are
enough honest Americans and natives
here to back me in doing So
"'You bet your life-thar'isr big
Tom yelled. The ours that's a back
in oil Matt Parker are towards, an
every square cowboy in the crowd will
stay with you, stranger. Won't you,
boys?
Tom seemed TO be a great favorite.
for at his words a ringing cheer went
up and a hundred snices yelled for
square deal. Marta ran to me, and,
taking my hand, said in her cute
broken English:
80, senior, | tank you. You good
man. You mucho bueno Americana.
Me win. Me win. Bad man Parker
he no laugh some more. Mucho gra-
cias, mia amigo
Il assured her that she should have
fair play, and that if her enemies de-
sired to place any more money on their
brazen favorite | would meet every
wager.
- will back you for IL | am
worth | said to her, for | know you
can win
81. 49,. :. ...:ll sool;eI, aeeart;n,, lint
| was thoroughly aroused, and was de-
termined to down the Parker faction
even should I meet with defeat by
their raseality and lose heavily. But
no one evinced the least desire to ac-
cept my challenge. Parker came to
where | was standing in crowd of
COW boys who were assuring me that
they would stay with me and said
angrily:
"'Loolee here, old man, l don't
know that you've got any business to
interfere with our celebration. seem
you don't belong here. You'd better
pull in an ride little slower. fur yer
a gittin' onto dangerous ground
big Tom laid heavy hand on the
bully's shoulder, and in a low but de-
termined voice said:
Hes not headed towards no bog
as / kin see. Matt Parker, an he's
a goin' TO hold his gait. Stead o. pull
in in on the reins, he'll work his spurs
an ieep a hittin' the ground in his
own way This are the Fo'th o July
an were square American citizens,
an fair plays the fust rule o. patriotism
wherever that yonder flag is n flirtin'
in the air. The race is goin' on an it's
a goin' on squar', an I'll hop onto the
trail o the fust sneakin' coyote that
interferes with the Mexican gal an
run him down. an if you or any o yer
pizen whisky suckers happens to git in
the way thar's a goin' to be purifica-
tion I'm this community. Eth, boys?
~ cheer was the reply, and the
bully saw that a champion having
arisen ON the other side his power
was gone. lie realized that if his girl
won the race she must do il fairly,
and trembling with rage and with
fear that he would lose the money he
had wagered he went to his scowling
offspring and offered her clothes fit
for princess if she would put forth her
very best efforts and win another heat.
Il need not dwell on the result.
Martha won the two remaining heats
easily, and when she came TO me with