Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-08-13


boyish face had apparently never
made the acquaintance of a razor.
His blue eyes We've round aud laugh
ing, and his mass of jet black hnir,
fine and soft as silk, would have been
an enviable source of beauty to any
woman. His figure was slight and
youthful, and strongly suggestive Of
the truant school boy.
A single day served to make the
newcomer citizen of Lone Horse
Gulch, and soon after his arrival
"Ghe Kid" rs he was called, on nc
count of his boyish ways, his soft
white hands and apparent inability
to work, was known to the whole
camp. Every one liked him; but
when one night he won five thousand
from one of Frisco's most noted sport
ing men, and pocketed the money with
careless Indifference, his reputation
was made; pity was changed to ad-
miration; Lone Horse Gulch was en-
thusiastic, and its citizens to a man
We'd in doing honor to the new found
hero. From that day forth he became
a leading citizen, and the faro bank
which he soon after set up was well
patronized.
Like many others, "Monte Bob"
was very reticent in regard TO his past
history. He was frequently the re-
cipient of letters bearing an Eastern
postmark. Some were directed in the
weak, nervous hand peculiar to wo-
men of advancing years; the rest in
the round, graceful hand of school
girl. But it was noticeable fact,
vouched for by the postmaster, gem
.tleman of unquestionGble veracity,
that "Monte Bob, though he always
read them carefully, very seldom re-
piled to the letters received. But, as
the postmaster had been a heavy loser
at Bob's faro bank, these state
ments in regard to his neglect of his
private correspondence were received
with marked grain of allowance. On
the other hand, the agent OF the Wells,
Fargo & Company express line, a gem
tleman of equal standing in the com
munity, asserted that ''Monte Bob"
often sent large sums OF money to
certain Mrs. John Harris in the East.
This statement was made before a
crowd of citizens ut the Eureka sa-
loon, where the testimony of the post
master in regard to the domestic al
fairs OF ga well-known business man"
were undergoing careful examination.
The trusted agent of the great express
company was warm admirer OF the
youthful gambler, and always CON
cluded this evidence of his hero's re-
deeming qualities by saying: "And
you may bet Yer boots, he sends that
thar money to his old mother back in
the States and ten to one he is the
only galoot in this yer camp that does
do it.
And large majority of the camp
acquiesced in this opinion.
At an early period "Monte Bob"
showed that he was II public minded
citizen and deeply interested in the
welfare of Lone Horse Gulch. When
it was determined that the spiritual
welfare OF the town was sadly neglect
ed and that a place of public worship
was one of the prime needs, he was the
first to head the building subscription
with handsome sum; and when the
young preacher fell sick of fever and
after IL long sickness died, "Monte
Bob" took upon himself the task oil
seeing that he was decently buried
and that all the debts incurred by his
sickness were paid. Then in quiet
way he furnished the weak, frai
widow means with which she reached
her friends in the East.