The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-12-20
LEFTY"
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

CHRISTMAS STORY.
u ERTAINLY no was
E % woe-begono OBJ
4 N iect as he rode up
l. m ~ TO the Rita Blanca
I'm E2e[> ranch h0aEe. His
.ents 61'he. IST-e~ clothes were in
10 1hetry,tg" @ ,.,e,.,, rigs; his immature
a. S,.'re. W., md Editor n treckled face sharp
tree Record" went T. with anxiety and
the document one dim possibly with hmm.
.nV .n',,,,,. csiied Gh"rry,ree' ger.
lS,,ertown viii accept au, The diminutive
pos,oiiice. ray poay he rode
detection; man
IS MEMORY OF ctr though life had
Apublic memorial service ,,yned TO them
Inte eN- Governor Curtin wiulu
the court house al BeIleiont, ~ a..
evening. December %. GOV. " aunSer oil the
tor General stewart Gen. co.. owned by an
other prominent men VIII was "a clean,
speak. Ter ngel concern.
.dltCing place for
Daniel MofIett. Villa .fe,s of orvs cor,
Hefner, convicted OF ia-- ;,.i,o - a.
bell isnS SSsSsitd OF OF sornooEins pair
sentenced by Jr be paidr
the Western pen side in reply to request
"o'n VIZ ATtso not taking on any
There are c,aa :ns'sm. for Wien, he noted the
puymV ,be - per line nonphespair that settled
.,.on Tue thin face ''get down and
rest and have some dinner. You look
sick"
''No, I amt SICK" was the answer
hastily and anxiously given. 81 hain't
been sick. I'm jest tired an hungry.
been ridin' all day"
CLARK had just come in from where
all the headquarters hands, including
the cook (for your genuine ranch
cook is always a rider. too, and quite
MS liable as not to he the best broucho
buster and hqndler OF cattle ia the
force were gathering twoyear .olds
for shipment, and there was no one at
the ranch house but himself.
As ne set out some cold grub and
put .he colee pot on the stove he
glanced at the man from time to time.
Something III the meager form that
looked like boys only because i
was not strong and wel.nourished
enough for n man's-touched his SYN
pathies.
'Why, you are not able to DO n
cowboys work" he raid. speaking
almost sharply, because he was annoyed
with himself tor feeling inclined 20
employ the poor fellow against his
business instincts and for PHYS sack
alone.
80, yes, An, sir I'm a heap
ah.er tAsl waa: look. I'm used to
IL been on: IL more northers, an
To!Aet - stop more stampedes than
I've g: fingers au' toes. / can stand
tL!;-.--, /: l c'u'l jest sit stiddy
500. been out OF work -niu't had
L. s'lity .oo Tor six months; that 5
v-a;'s Usod me mp so,"
The end OF il was that Clark put
ThoLpson--or Lefty, the sobriquet
h!s ic.thaudelncss had earned for MIN
II the free and easy style OF the plains
where mans conspicuous feature or
trait dubs him on the force; and he
was started ont on regular range WORK
the next morning,
There was no complaint from the
boss oi any lack ot ability, capacity
or energy ON Lefty's part; aud no re-
mars at any kind from Lefty himself
he seemed only too we'll satisfied, and
most anxious 10 please.
But one morning, when Clark was
riding across the Miuueosa pasture, he
saw one OF his cowboys Gismountel
anI sitting on the ground beside his
pony, which was sraI ug. As the
figure remained motto. less, he 20 lie
nearer to see what wa the matter, and
recognized IN the croarneG .oT:n, with
lis head on his knee, Lefty.
He called to him by name. Lefty
raised his iace, wi?iag his mouth fur.
tively.
Il git little dizzy, sometimes" he
said appealingly, "when ride right
hard; aiut hurt, Mr.. Sargent;
amt sick"
Good God, boy, said Clark, look.
ing at the blood spatters on the brown
plains grass, ana on the shirt from,
which the other was trying vaiuly 10
cover with that trembling lett hand.
you've had hemorrhage Go right
~ 10 tue house AS soon ~ yen can. :"
Lefty staggered to his feet, au'
stood c!inging to his saddle horn. il