Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-18


that never up TO that tlmo nor since had |
secn such a capacity for hcoIstoak, onions,
bread and huitcr and coffee az that boy dts
played, Now and ,bcn he would stop with
hla mouth full to eayi
"yad hottor see, boss. Il yOr pile n stand
Il, u tackle anoddcr steak"
WIS beginning to fool that the boy might
inluro himself, when TO my grat rellcl no
aniahcd up the last section of miuee pie,
pushed baek his chnir, aud said with sigh Of
supreme eaiataeuoni
swell. ! mover thought follow could fccl
so good.
tngsostod that he walk down to camp
with ne, and no 1grocd. On tho way 10 the
City Hall, he dariod from my ads 10 thrash
a boy Of hla own age against whom he had u
grudge, aud he did Il. | Am satisfied, far
moto thoroughly and quickly than hc could
have done before dinner. | have noticed
that mon light bottor when they arc vol
fcd,
Tommy tho Kid could read and wrlta a
little. hia learning, VA far ~ Il went bcing
largely obtained through tho medium OF
theatrical posters. hut I never before met
human liong 40 entirely alone In tho
world. or who appeared 10 have loss TO hold
him 10 life.
He told mo that he twas Just dyin' TO be
solor, but dem goold lace duiIors bounced"
him when he triod 10 enliAt
The oiicora Of my regiment were quArtorod
al tho Aetot House, across from tho camp,
and thither won't, after bidding Tommy The
Kid good night aud telling him that II no
| showed M Ia tho morning he could have all
l L.
| Tommy muat have hung about the camp oil
night, Tor WHOM appeared at rol-eali at i've
the following morning, he was on hand, and
greeted mo BY waving his ragged cap above
his head
Tho men gave tho hoy breakfast, and Col
onel Fellows, whom interested Ia tho case,
told mo that no needed another drummer,
but ~ tho boy was under age, no could
not ba enlisted without tho consent OF
guardian.
"But" added tho Kind hearted colonel,
with n smile. there 10 no reason why you
can't take tho boy before a Judge, have your
aoif appointed hlu guardian. and then, II you
want 20 enlist him, you'll have no ono 10
object"
stated tho cAsa TO Tommy do Kid, aud he
said:
90 II, boss, Jest DO n Rardln' 10 me. m
den won't keor dam " you M mo up wid
dinner. md den take mo out and shoot me
dead"
l followed tho colohol's advice, and boioro
noon was Tommy de kid's guardian, and
Tommy himself. with my consent was q sol
dior Of tho i,0public.
had him measured for uniform at once
had his hair out, and run him through q
Turkish bath, and 80 tfunhiormcd him that,
to uao hiA own language. he didn't know
himself from a gineul."
Tor purposes Of recognition he was en-
tered on tho reglmcniAi rolls as ''Thoma'
Lincoln. but from frat to last no continued
, 10 DO known ~ "rommy do KID"
| mover hAw bcltsr Illustration Of th'
a., a, .,sd focdinn than Tommy pro
sa,,,od T,,o dayr after no lolned we wer.
o,Sored "a mo front and before no had boor
o,,a ,oon,l, va, "a. his oheols wore rosy, h,
seo,oed 10 hayo grown several inches, and b,
, ss.r,sd tt,nse,, iita a eolaier.
A,,,,o,,gl, M ms. Mo was such az would
80 ,,,s,nd tnoat boya Tommy was al haae
- .,,,s,san lie maio frlonda o. ali VII,
rnew hi,n ne never complained. and alto
M n,st action a, ols.tysburH, hia character
~ rnaaunt,,d courage was established.
.srlr cr,at tlnt he would cay 10 me, "la I,