Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-12-17

cattle ranch near town. One day a
large raw. boned individual called at
the ranch and applied for a job. AS
they were short of help, he was given
a Job and soon became great favorite
with the ranchers. Owing to his
great height and giant strength, he
was soon dubbed big Tim But he
insisted on being called Tim Plckem,
which, he assured them was his name,
and that it had been the name OF his
grandfather, who fought at New Or
leans and, with Jackson's help, rout-
ed the red-coats. His father who
fought the rebels of the Carolina
swamps, had also been honored with
the name. After night, he would en-
tertain the boys with marvellous
stories of his adventures among the
grizzlies of Colorado, and in the gold
fields about tie Sacramento. He SAID
that one day while prospecting along
this stream, he was set upon by two
Mexican toughs, whereupon he grab,
bed one in each hand, swinging them
several times around his head, dashed
them downa precipice and left them
to the vulture. Vague rumors came to
the ranch to the effect that Picken's
life before coming there had been
rather shady; but the jolly cowboys
did not know whether this was true
or not, and cared less.
Tim Pickim was an adept at cattle
raising, and the foreman of the ranch
giving up his position, it was offered
to Pickem, who promptly accepted.
He took good care Of his money-for
one of his kind-and soon had some
land and herd of his own. One
day he spied Mary Benton on the
street, and there and then, he vowed
that she should be his wife. By his
lattery he soon won the good grace
of Farmer Benton, but he could not
win one smile or kind word of the
winsom Mary, who detested his bold
ways and tlattering talk. Plckem
soon learned that Mary and Harry
were lovers, and when he saw how
tenderly Mary nursed Harry when he
lay sick and weak, his rage knew no
bounds. Many times Farmer Benton
asked Mary to accept advances from
Plckem, who, according to the farm
er's views, with his land and cattle
was, as he put it, "a catch that any
girl might envy AS soon as Harry
recovered from the accident he learn
ed telegraphy and obtained the berth
of night operator at the Ohio station.
In those days there was not a bank
near that vicinity, and the railroad
company, for its own convenience,
constructed a vault in one of the de-
pot walls. Once a month several
thousand dollars was sent east from
Denver, and deposited IN the safe
where it laid over night. The next
day Pickem would call for it, and use
it in paying off the hands. There
fore, it was quite an important trust
which was committed to Harry each
month.
Farmer Benton soon re-enterec
the house, and noticlug tears IL
Marys eyes, he said gruff1y: Dry
your eyes, Mary! | have an errand
for you, and you must look respectable
when you perform it, Moreover to-
morrow is Christmas and Tim is te
eat turkey with us; so your eyes mus
not be red when you pour his tea.
James, demonstrated Mrs. Benton
why do you speak SO harsh and cruel
| am sure there is no call for it,
There haint eh,' said the farmel
surdily, We'll perhaps not, but
like to be obeyed,
1 what errand do you wish Mary t.
perform on such day as this?' Ask
ed Mrs. Benton, as she listened to th'
cold north wind bowling about th'
house corners.
| 4 want her to ride over to Mower
and tell him that rheumatism pre-
vents me from meeting him at tn
big cattle sale Wednesday as agreed
We were to bid for the bunch if