Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-02-28
TWO PIECES OF SILVER.
How Thoy Saved the Life Of a
Mine Manager.
"Muerte a los gringosl'

SHOOK WIFI Takt. lltt ulaVA law biSN
blacker than its natural hue, II that
were possible, Trembling III every
nerve, she glarcd viciously, and shook
long, bony finger in the faces OF the
group of miners who with jests and
jeers had met her applications for
charity.
"Get ont of this, you black dcvil!"
one shouted, I'VE have had enough
Of YOU"
"She's got plenty Of money" cried
another
Wears diamonds In the city,"
sneered third.
"Get out! No beggars allowedl' they
all shouted.
"Muertc a los gringos" repeated the
woman, with O shrek which would
have chilled the blood of men unused
TO her vicious ways
Manager France, of the Bull Domin-
20, heard the disturbance between the
miners and the miserable old woman
Is he came up the gulch
"llere, my good woman" said he,
"hcre are two silver dollars You had
better not stay around here he added,
kindly, as she took the money and
called the blessings Of the saints upon
his generous soul Tho men are not
used to giving aims, and they will only
treat you unlsinaly."
"Ile'd better be savin' them two dol
lars to help out tho payroll Of the Bull
Domingo who has been keeping q slate
for nearly three months for tho ac-
commodat.on OF workmcn on that
property.
Sonora Rosnlina Ortiz once enjoyed u
happy home In the City Of Mexico, her
birthplace. She had all the opportu-
mites OF education, both In Spanish
and English, and in her early hurried
life had Travelled much. But mis- Cor
tune came to her In the death of her
husband and two OF their three chill.
dren, after the loss Of oil the property
they possessed They had for several
years nude their home IN the United
States, where Senior Ortiz had died
leaving his widow penniIcss Poverty
ind sin were her nndoing, aud when
the Colorado mining fever filed thr
mountains with fortune seekers OF
high and low degree Sonora Ortiz
drifted to DURANGO, She had sunk 50
low In vice aud crime that she was re
counted we'll fitted for anything from
begging to petty thieving, even to u,
cuttint, OF throat
She was Living us his mistress wlthg
hardened character known % "Eobbel
DAN" OH American, whose life 10th h
and out OF the pcnitcntiary VII I
series of misdecls, He had earned bli
title o. she lad earned hers They
were well matched IN crinlihal ca
reers, although the woman had thus la
known no moro OF prison lie taan i
afforded by county jaas. Her onl'
child, u boy Of twelve years, ha.l' lilo
his mother, became n professional her
gar and thief.
Tho i'll trenlment she had receives
OF the hands and tongues Of Va
miners at Rico hal burned into Nc
soul like q hot iron though the wouu
was largely healed hy the soft worl
and the silver 20 kindly bestowed b
John France. But, since she was no
likely ever to be able t. carry out he
threat Of death to I'LL save her owl
race and equally incapacitated to h
sure the blessings Of tho saints whlcl
she had invoked, neither her curse
nor her prayers were needed. How
ever, none who knew her had m,
faith In Black Rosa's possession o
goodwill toward any one Of American
or European blood,
Even Robber Dan and his male CON
panions In criine~~who formed tn
most notorious md daring band o
robbers In southern Coloralo-dld no
escape the vlndictive spirit OF Blacl
Rosa. But the woman was useful u
them, and when plcntfully supplied
with drink there Wai no crime to-
black for her wicked heart nor sohem
too deep for her cunning brain. !
she possessed q single redeeming tral
no one had been able TO discover IT,
Durango had been abla2c with til
qlory Of frontier ifc--a glory whic
comes but onco ia tho lifetime Of
new town. But there was then llltl
regard felt for tho future by the ioi
tune hunters who swarlned the street
and filed up the hotels and held hlgl
rcyelry In the saloons and dance hail
Of that camp.
Honest men with capital, seeking t.
double their Investments In Il fort
night, stood on the same level OF o.
ISOLATION with the horse thief All
the road agent Mine promoters an
gamblers drank over the same bal
The crack of the stage drivers VIII
was but the echo Of the pistol sho
business conversations and ribai
songs, laughter and curses lntcl
mingled in wild hurrah chorus.
eGoing back to the mine in the NOR
ing?" aslsed the clerk Of the hotel
minute later, as France approachc
the desk and asked for writing nj
terial.
yes, surc!"
"Stagc leaves at two o'clock
swell, call me a half hour earle
and don't, for your head, let me mil
the stare. | must be at the mine t.
morrow by all means. By the way,
have lost white silk hankerchi'
with black border. Look ont for 1t
A few minutes later, while Franc
was still busy writing Sheriff l'arne
approached him and presented a lit
Mexican chap in whose possession ha
been found the silk handkerchief
"What shall | do with hlm2' aske
the sheriff,
Lock him up" said the manager
the Bull Domingo hotel, lock him u