Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-05-29
FIDDLING JIMMY.


haired, with pale blue eyes, the product
Of thc Missouri bottoms. where things
sprous Up with such amazing quicluuess
and then mature with so much delibcra-
ton.
When no dropped from n train at
Dodge City, no had gn old fashioned
carIc sack in one hand aud ander his
othci arm wa a hddlg in a faded brown
bae. 10 looked about him somewhat ia
won0erment at the river and tho roi-
ling. treelcss country merging into the
Hky lar away TO tho south and then
aeain at the long, crowded street On
the other side. He looked but for a mo-
mcnt, howovor, and then proceeded
atraight TO the Office Of tho Southwest
o1n Stage company. His inquiry thoro
wns short and 70 tho point.
'Hayo ye got airy job a foller kin
dor"
This was years ago, whom Dodge was
The end Of tho overland cattle drive and
fully entitled 10 its reputation Ct a wild
and woolly town. To the south for a
Few miles was u sprinkle Of settlers and
beyond that ell was lonesome aud in
hospitable.
Tho Southwestern company always
had vacancies. Along tho many routes
We're certain relay stations, sOmo Of
which were suro to be in need Of keep
CTS. There wa5 limo in particular,
running down to TGCco3a, on tho South
canadian, IN Texas, n stretch Of 250
milaa, aud Just q little over half way
was \ station, No. 10, vhelo a man
was needed at once. Tho pay was $40 a
month. The duties woro simply to watch
hall a dozen mules and have q team
T1ady for tho weekly blackboard that
performed all tho transportation, tho
freight being usually two Of Uncle
SANS mail sacks. Tho company sup
piCl q gan ind ammunition, Gour, ccf-
fec, salt and groceries. Truly it seemed
q bonanza TO cur knight Of the violin.
There was no haggliDg over terms,
and Jim Cusenberry, fiddle and carpet
bes were duly dispatched the worry next
morning to tho fold Of his new labors.
And Jim was duly dubbed Fiddling
Jimmy by clerk, driver and ull who
cane in contact with him
Jimmy had been duly informed that
he would find things "sorter' lonesome
out at No. 10, but had responded that he
didn't "keer a durn" for bong by him
self. The fiddle was plenty Of company
eo his grub came regular.
Now. there were certain things about
10. 10 that had been discreetly over
looked in Tie telling. 1t was 80 miles
FROM the stations on either side and
con .sted Cf aG4uare hole dug ut the top
of @ steep bank overlooking a water
hole in ono Of those plains creeks where
such holes occur at long intervals, the
.elnaiuder being simply a grass grown
depression. Tho hGlo was rooted with
cottonwood poles, upon which dirt had
boon thrown-a dugout pure and sim
PIE There were a rude fireplace and a
hole for a chimney. This was Jimmy's
residence. There was a stockado up on
tho flat for the mules, and with this you
havl the station complete.
No man who know tho country conld
De induced to tako No. 10 for love OF
money, so the company had to depend
upon The ignorant and the transient.
The country was full Of rustlers and
cow thieves. Occasional gangs Of In
diaus from honation used to slip along
tharc, bent on any d%oyiltry that came
handy. Whom No. 10 was occupied, it
was % shining mark for such gentry.
The last occupant had been found, not
q fortnight before. lying out on the fiat
with g bullet in the back Of his head.
THE man before him had had q 80 mile
ride flr life and a month in bed from a
Deg broken by a winchester ballot. On
each occasion No. 13 had been Quilted
and Inc mules run off.
But in blissful ignorance Jimmy
tOCL possession of his now home. Tho
blackboard ratified away, the driver
boxing back. sympathetic but noncom-
INITIAL.
FOR some weeks all was quiet and
peaceful. It was tho pleasant season Of
ihc early autumn. Jimmy put a limo in
tho water hole and had fish whenever
boo wanted. Twice he shot antelope COM
ing down TO drink and reytlod in fresh
meat. He shot everything Of any size
ilat rad wings an ! feathers, and being
gnversed Us 10 what was good or had to
HHt cooked and tasted all. Some ho ate,
1nd som be threw away. Tho buck
boards came by with prompt regularity,
dumping OF a sack Of flour or meal, and
ahe report came weekly TO hcadquarters
that he ''feller with the fiddle ont on
Lott creek hadn't been pestered yet"
Vho "fellVr" pat in his days watching
IBIS took, fishing, hunting, cooking and
eating, ana when the chill Of the even
ing came after supper be would throw a
litgo wood u his fire. draw up "A soap
box scat and play On tho fiddle until he
was Sleepy onoagh 20 roll up in his
blmkots on aao clay focr aud sleep the
sleep cf tie man perfect in health and
Colscienca.
But evening when tho shadows
had fallen on all tho valleys and The
upland, whau there was bat a lighter