Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-10-18
ny shanty. saw Rube three days

(. Oack.
you saw Rubc?" Mary clasped her
hands above her htaHt.
| Yes. He and his chums passed
through Lon Toms ranch, I've been
out there this two months past, help
ing him brand and count the cattle.
Rube told me that you and he had
parted and the reason why. He asked
me TO look after you a bit. You see,
we've been good pals, and I'd like to do
him a turn now hes gone under. You
VIII let me look after you now and
again, won't you, for Rube's sake?"
The handsome cowboy, tall and
strong as giant, clad in the pictur-
esquely rough clothes Of his calling,
bent like a reed before the tiny, blue
eyed figure Of the postmistress, who
laid slender white hand in his great
palm end lifted her violet eyes to his
| dark ones.
Surely, Paul Harding, for Rube's
sake, you may look after me when I
can't look after myself"
1t was for Rubes sake that the fol-
lowing Sunday Paul dressed himself in
his best brought a little two-wheeled
cart gay with bells and bright colors,
to Mary's door, and asked her to drive
out with him.
The day was fair, and Beauty" Paul
amused her with stories Of RUDE, and
when they came to an end he told her
OF his own home, in the heart of a
green country in England.
He made her laugh with his tales Of
college life, and shudder with his de-
scriptions Of the campaign in Egypt,
which he had gone through. Only he
did not tell her how he. an English
gentleman, and a gallant officer, came
to be loafing and drinking and gam
bling away his days and his health in
Great White canyon.
The next Sunday Mary shut herself
within her log cabin, and neither the
blue sky nor the gay cart and smartly
caparisoned horse, nor Beauty" nor
himself could wheedle her out.
| She would not be seen, she said stern
ly, with one Of Ffolliotts lot. She,
however, repented and forgave him on
his promise to amend for her sake.
| AS weeks and months went by, and
| the green of the canon changed to red
and gold, Paul found that if he was to
look after" Mary he had to give up
! the saloon.
And, indeed, for space Ffolliott's
knew him not, till one October morning
his allowance-the money which bought
| mis- family freedom from his disgrace
full presence-arrived from England
For the next week Ffolliott's was a
pandemonium, with the Beauty" as a
presiding demon.
Mary heard of it and refused to speak
| to or look at him. Then it was that he
| flung himself before her one day and
prayed her to save him from that which
he was powerless to save himself-from
drink, and dice and bad companions.
And she did what other good women
have done before and will do again.
She placed her hand in his and with
her heart full of RUDE Halse, she prom
ised to marry Paul-for her souls sake.
| The eve of the marriage day arrived,
and with it Paul's allowance from Eng
| land The occasion and opportunity
suggested carouse, and Paul informed
| the boys" he would be standing treat
at Ffolliott's that night for the last
| time.
| Paul was full of liquor-he had drank
Marys health with every man in the
place-and he was also full of luck,
| for once in way. A pile of gold lay
| before him on the table, and he was
just proposing another round in Marys
honor, when big Bill Redfern strobe in
and was greeted with a shout Of "Hal-
loo, Bill; you back! What luck, pard?"
Luck, my lads / leave luck to fools
and dead beats. I've been working,
and, thank God, I've worked for some
thing I've put my sweat and muscle
into the ground and I've struck orei
None of your dust or pockets, but
vein as broad as an oX's back, and as
long as river, and SO Eve come back
| with Rube-"
Paul looked up with start. Here
was he drunk in gambling he'll on the
eve of his marriage with Mary, and
RUDE had come back.
What did you say?" he muttered.
Il said RUDE and I had come back.
But don't let me disturb the game.
Come, come, have a drink; I'm standing
treat, and as to RUDE, here's his health
and Mary's"
I'm standing treat" shouted Paul,
springing up. ''Have a drink with
me?" And with this he flung his
liquor in Bills face and made rush at
him.
A pistol flashed, blue puff Of smoke
died in the hot air, and Beauty" Paul
lay stone dead on Ffolliott's floor.
Some of them went up to the post
Office to break the news to Mary. There
was light in the window, and by it
they saw Rube and her sitting talking.
Quietly and with bowed heads they left
the cottage and returned to F'folliott's
without fulfilling their mission.
Next day a rough-and-ready jury,
having considered all the circumstances
of the case, and with due appreciation
of Bill Redferns prowess as dead
shot, decided that Paul had courted on
purpose a certain death, and they re-
turned a verdict of suicide while Of
unsound mind"
just War Yarn.
Here is a Renaissance of war time
from the Seattle Intelligencer: A