The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-06-15
JAKE RINGERS SQUAW.
By GERTRUDE Is. M1LLARp.

| III GEhTKUDE H.. MILLARn.
Carmen stood in the door of the cool
house, her hand shading her eyes, an.
gazed intently over the prairie towar,
the west. The level rays of the SUI
cast rosy glow on her brown cheeks
and gave reddish tinge to the coal
black hair falling straight over he,
shoulders, after the manner of married
women of her tribe Carmen was {
Spanish-Indian halfbreed, and ,
beauty. She was known at Star camr
as Jake Ringers squaw. When Jake
came back from Mexico, after the
trouble about his knitting Longhaired
Ike had blown over, he brought thi.
woman with him.
Jake was not man to be lightly
questioned. He kept his affairs to him.
self. and his hand was ever ready to
his pistol when he was pressed beyond
his liking; but it was whispered among
the boys that he had stolen his dusky
bride from her mothers lodge on the
night that was to have consummated
her nuptials with Big Grizzly, the
young Apache chief. Jake was kind
to her in fashion that decidedly as
tonished the men best acquainted with
his fierce and gloomy character. AS
for Carmen, her soft, bnown eyes fol-
lowed her rough lord with the steady
faithfulness of dog; no white wife
could have been SO gentle or SO helpful
as this savage girl.
She had been alone for week now,
while the herders were off on the
range, rounding up the horses for their
yearly branding. Tonight she looked
tor them home. There was a sound of
bacon sizzling in the big frying-pan.
The brown-jacketed potatoes peeped
from their hiding place in the hot
| ashes, and Carmen left the door for
moment to peep into the oven at
the biscuit coloring delicately in
side. Carmen cooked well, and
the boys found her presence a welcome
one, freeing them of irlxsome stewing
over the stove when they rode home
tired and hungry.
She glanced through the window as
she rose from her biscuit inspection.
then hastily returned to her post in the
doorway.
Far off on the edge of the prairie q
tiny moving cloud made its appearance.
creeping snail-like toward her; grad
ually It rolled and swelled and came
rushing over the intervening plain,
taking shape into rounded puffs ever
falling and renewing.
LA caballada!" she murmured. in \
satisfied tone.
At last there came a thunder of
quick hoof-beats, and then the excited
herd dashed after their leader into the
big corral. The heavy gates banged,
the chain ratified over the staple. Five
hungry men sprang from their saddles
and. hastily picketing their ponies,
made bee-line for the cook house.
They greeted Carmen with boisterous
jollity, flung themselves rpon their
benches, and without further ado be-
gan to devour the food set before them.
"Heyl this coffee is prime, my Car
men!" "Some white woman taught
yer ter make biscuits, galr' "Say, Jake,
you bet it's fine to get back to Garments
cookin'l' vociferated one and another,
as, the edge of their appetites dulIed.
they began to ply their knives more
slowly.
Carmen paid no attention to their |
rough compliments. She was standing |
behind her husbands chair, acting as |
waitress when. occasion required, at |
other times lingering in sombrero or
timidly touching his touseled curls.
Each man was duly supplied with edi-
bles, but the crispest bacon and brown
est biscuit found their way to Jake
Ringers plate, until finally he looked
up and announced: I've had enough!
Now eat, yourself"
The men rose from the table and
scattered to their evening occupations.
Only Jake remained. smoking in the
doorway, while Carmen sat down to
her meal of fragments.
AS the last slouching figure vanished
toward the cabins he turned to the
woman with a slow smile and asked. in
Mexican: Has it been lonely these
lays, cara mids"
ut is always night in my heart when
;hou art gone. Q, my husband!" +
Then, in the soft Mexican tongue, they
alked together of such things as made
lp their llfe-of the range happenings,
# the morrow's work, Of what they
would buy in Almito when the herds
we're driven in to be sold.
Lastly, as Jake rose and knocked the
shes from his pipe, he remarked in
English:
Tomorrow and Fridays the brand
a. but Saturday I'll make the boys get
ut the pillow en- fix us q fre-brealk.
he grass is uncommon long Jest
low, en- it's dryin' fast. Eff we don't /
ook out, wen have the whole camp
DIN uprin smoke. !"
He strobe through the starlit dusk
oward his sleeping shack, and Carmen, {
hutting softly the door of the cook 1
onse, followed slowly in the same di-
ecfion. Il
The air felt sitting and oppressive.
stin breeze came out of the south, {
ut its hot breath filed the frame
18th uncomfortable languor. Old Tom
riff1n, standing In the door of the 4
oys' shack, hsllooed to Jake as he D
assed him. Carmen slipped by them
nd into her own little shanty. d
Looky here, Jake" growled old
ON, in an undertone, 'sthe boys is
1oozin' Already, but / can't turn in /
7 thinkin' or that pesky long boss c
ed out yander. With this here breeze
fire cud come a-gallopin'-what +
yer say ter you'n me goin' out now
i'd burnin' of bit? Jest fer luck!o