The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1895-01-30
DYING FOR THE cn,LDREN.
Big Jim Would Not Fight, but He Was
Hero.

. ~ "oS al olio heu Llgnb saloon, and
there were 10 men in there drinking and
gambling when Big Jim entered 1t was
frontier town which the railroad had
Just reached and was making an attempt
to oivllize. Big Jim had drifted in there
with Other noaters. He was no better and
no worse than the average. 1t was said
that he had killed his man, and it was
certain that he carried a couple of guns
strapped around him. When he entered,
the barkeepeI handed him a letGer which
had come in on the noon train, and Big
Jim leaned on the bar and looked at the
envelope In wondering way for several
minutes before he tore it open. 1t took
him ten minutes more to digest it's con-
tents, though there was only a page of
writing. When he had finished his read
ing, he went over to a corner and sat
down, and for half an hour no one ap-
preached him. Then somebody asked him
If he had received bad news, and his lips
trembled as he replied
Yes, purity bad My old mother Is
dead, and the news strikes me all in
heap"
Then the laugh went round. There was
something absurd in the idea of man like
Big Jim having mother at all and some.
thing more absurd In his feeling broken
up over her death, and the crowd laughed
and jeered and held him In contempt. By
and by Joe Hennessy came In. He was
also drifter. He had also killed his man
and was supposed to be ready to kill an
other. There was no love between Big
Jim and Joe Hennessy, although there
had been no quarrel. 1t was public talk
that there would be a shooting match
some day, and that one or the other or
perhaps both men would go under, and
the public earnestly hoped that the fun
would not long be delayed. Joe Hennessy
was ready this evening. He was in ugly
mood and had made up his mind to "do"
Big Jim. He had followed him into the
Red Light saloon to pick a quarrel and
have 1t over. Every one realized that this
was his errand, and as he stood at the bar
and glared at Big Jim over in the corner
hush fell upon the crowd, and no man
opened his lips even to whisper.
'"Waal, I'm lookin at yel' growled Joe
Hennessy after awhile as no dropped his
hand to the butt of his gun.
Yes" quietly replied Big Jim with
out looking up.
"And I'm rendy fur yol''
Yes"
IF ye ar the man they say 70 ar, ye
won't keep mo waitin all nightl'
No reply from Big Jim to that,
do yo h'ar mep" shouted Joe as he
pulled the gun from its holster II say
I'm waitin and resdy fur yep's
II don't want no fuss tonight" an
swered Big Jim as he turned away to read
his letter again.
Yer a cowardf" hissed Joe Hennessy,
and every man in the room stood up to get
a better look at the man who had s'craw-
fshed." Big Jim paid no heed to them,
not even when it was suggested that he be
rode out of town on a rail as a buffer
He was still reading his letter, and Joe
Hennessy had put up his gun, but was
still boasting, when boy entered the place
and announced that Tom Whites two
children were lost, and that searching par
ties were going out into the hills. Tom
White was the landlord of the only hotel
In town. That afternoon his boy and girl,
neither yet 12 years Of age, had gone ber-
rying with others on the hillside and had
in some way become separated from the
party and lost. The Red Light saloon
turned out dozen men to assist In the
search, and among them was Big Jim.
When he went out, the barkeeper said to
him:
'"Better not come In here again. don't
care to have buffers hanging around"
Big Jim made no answer. When the
searching party started out, he was at the
head. Nobody knew when he broke away
from 1t to take up the hunt alone, but at
2 O'Clock in the morning, when he had
travelled for miles, he came upon the lost
children as they sat with their backs to a
rock and their hands clasped and were cry
ing in terror of the forms fitting about.
Big Jim was Just In time. The big gray
wolves had scented out the children and
were gathering to the feast Even as the
man lifted them up and spoke words of
sympathy and encouragement score of
wolves snarled and snapped and urged
each other forward. Beside the rock grew
a small tree, the only thing larger than
bush for 40 rods around. Big Jim lifted
the little girl as high as he could, and
then the boy after her, and he WINS telling
them to be brave and hold ON when the
wolves closed in. The children told what
happened during the next hour. The
wolves gathered until there seemed to be
hundred. When the pack rushed In on
the man, he would open fire and kill three
or four and frighten the Others off, but
after awhile he called up to them:
Now, children, it is only an hour to
daylight and if you hang on up there
some one will come for you. Never mind
the wolves They can't get you. have
fired my last cartridge and must now use
q club"
The two children looked down on what
followed Big Jim could have found safety
In the tree had 1t been large enough To
reach another was out of the question
The moment he left the rock the pack
would encirclc him and pull him down.
With stout club in his hands he bo''6 on
one attack, but before ,,v had recovered