St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-06-01
MRS. BUCK rUPPER.


OA1lCs DUN lUffEh.
By MATTE Nj. HOTELER.
My profession is that of a civil engi.
0eer.
After a very unsatisfactory year
spent in the employ of certain mush-
room railroad companies resolved to
seek shorter route to fortune by join
ing the throng that was just then rush
ing to the silver mines of the south.
west.
But alas! for the best plans of an nm
sophisticated tenderfoot. Six months
later 1 found myself one day stranded
in wretched little mining town, with
ont dollar in my pocket.
How I happened just then to meet
and make friends with Col. Dingler il
is no part Of my purpose to relate.
Suffice to say that when he offered to
send me sevcnty-ivc miles into the
country with party of men who were
to take charge of one of his ranches
accepted without demur.
AuNAC NCIC live O1 us. Wstu dll pOSSi-
BILE diversity of character and bring
ing up.
Dennis O'Flahcrty was a brilliant
young Irishman. the son of a New
York alderman. He had broken with
his family because Of his disposition to
fiirt with pretty girls rather than to
study for orders" as had been intend
ed. 81 Larkins was q typical down
easter, big and rawboned, and until
six months ago he had never been be-
yond the New Hampshire hills. His
very opposite was Ross Harper, dap
per little fellow who. in spite of his
sombrero and brace of pistols. looked
very like ono Of the dummies that used
to adorn the front Of his clothing store
back in Cincinnati. but for all that he
was plucky and clear grit to the back
bone. Then there was BuclS-Buck
Upper.
Just where he hailed from no one
ever seemed to know. He seemed to
be part of the wild west himself, and
his knowledge Of its bold, wicked ways
was something marvellous. He had a
playful habit of galloping across the
country, firing right and left simultan-
eously. or of dashing unheralded
through shops and saloons on his mus
tang. Buck was an inveterate gambler,
though something of bungler, it
seemcd-at least. his earnings went
regularly into the hands of the faro
bank dealer at Waho.
One afternoon, as Buck and | were
returning from beyond the canyon,
where we had gone in search of some
missing cattle, we came upon the trail
of q company of horsemen. From the
broken bits Of saddle. cooking utensils
and papers that were scattered about
the gorge, it was evident that there
had been a runaway. As reading mat
ter was at a premium just then, l was
off in an instant and was gathering up
the papers, which proved to be of re-
cent date. So absorbed did become
in their contents that it was some min
utes before l noticed that Buck also
had dismountei, and was examining
with great interest something that he
had picked up from the roadside.
1t proved to be the photograph of q
woman-a fine. oval face, the slightly
waving hair brushed simply back from
the low, broad forehead. The eyes,
that you would have sworn were
clear gray, seemed to look into your
own with a sweet, trustful expression.
Several times during the ride home
Buck took the picture from his blouse.
regarding it with an air of pleased
ownership.
When l came into the house attire
putting away the horses, found him
busily engaged in fastening the pic
ture to the smoked wall above the
chimney piece.
1T amt no place for such. he said,
nodding his head at the picture, and
glancing apologeticallya a bout the room,
"but Buck Tupper's proud to give you
the best he's got"
Looking upon the matter as great
joke. when the others came in l led
them to the picture, presenting them
with mock ceremony to Mrs. Buck
Tupper The name seemed to tickle
Bucks fancy, and he repeated it over
and over to himself with pleased
chuckle.
From that time Mrs. Buck Tupper-
became q household word with us; hut
il was not until some weeks after this
that we learned how much of a reality
she had become to the eccentric fell
low. One day, when one of his chums
from Waho was in the midst of
doubtful story. Buck had interrupted:
.-Glmpsey, don't loW that's jest the
talk a right nice woman likes to listen
to-" glancing significantly at the face
on the wall. Gimpsey stopped. dis
concerted and astonished. lie dld not
finish the story. think he went away
believing that Buck was bit touched:
indeed. am not sure but the rest Of us
shared the opinion.
1t was evident that, for some reason.
a radical change had taken place in
him. He went no more on his bolster
ous crusades. and on Sundays, when he
was off duty, had found him several
times irving to spell ont the words In
the little Bible had carried with me
in my wanderings.
For several weeks flaming bills had
been posted about announcing that
there was to be a great time at Waho
on Christmas eve. However. when l
mentioned it to Tupper he shook his
head slowly:
..Naw, did think some about it. but
Mrs. Buck Tupper''-looking up at the
picture with half smile-"I lowed if
she was here she'd rather l wouldn't"
Seeing that 1 was disposed to listen,
he went on: i never had no bringing
mn. but sort @ felt from the first as
thoueh that picture was token, an I
eavs. Some day you will find that
woman. herself Buck Tupper. Ofcourse
rnever could be itten for such." sigh
inc hunbly. '.but I made mp my mind
10 hc decent an squar, anyway.
For more than a month we had been
,,,,,oraA bv cattle thieves. Int in spite