Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-02-24
.xser hrave or heroIc

-~ver brave or heroic. In fact. {
>sn beastly coward. but, nevertheless.
~ the cowboy fired. leaped forward.
and. striking the gun threw up the
barrel. His bullet sped harmlessly over
Kingerty's head.
l didn't realize that there was more
than one shot; but when the smoke
cleared away the cowboy lay dead up
on the floor. and the smoke was still
floating from Bill Kingerty's gun. The
cowboys partner came forward and
took charge Of the body. but did not
speak to kingerty.
As started to leave the place Kin.
gerty laid his hand on my arm, and
drew me to the door and down the
street to the shanty where he lived.
He opened the rickety door. and. en-
tering, lighted a candle, placed 1t on a
box. and pushing me to q stool. bade
me to be seated.
Stranger" he began es..eef-cIearin cIea ring
his throat Thnt are you doing out
nere? You've no business in this coun-
try. Why. sonny. you're the biggest
tenderfOot I've ever seen"
l threw Off all restraint-for there
was kindly ligst in his rugged face
and told him my story. How had just
left college, and, lacking the necessary
money to pursue the study of medicine
as l wished, had come West to make
my fortune, hoping TO 60 back In few
years and take up my chosen profes-
sion.
Kingerty was silent after l had told
my story, and, by the flashing light Of
the candle, l could see he was in deep
medita ton.
so you have come from England,
he ut length began, land to make your
fortune" He turned uneasily in his
seat, and, looking me full In the face,
continued: MY boy, go home; you're
not fitted for this life out here. If you
stay here you'll either get tough or get
shot, or both. II you're dead the cash
won't do you much good. knew a boy
who came West, the same as you, only
a few years ago. He came from Lon
don, too. This chap had finished school
and, carried away with the stories of
the wealth to be gained In the West,
packed up his things and came out
! here
He was ambitious to be rich and
honored, and SO left his own country
hill pull, TO maxi his fortune in the
Western gold fields. Neither his aged
parents nor his sweetheart were able to
dissuade him from this foolhardy step.
He told his little f1axen-haired sweet
heart that last night at home that he
would soon return with wealth and
power, and pictured how happy they
would be in the home he would be
able TO furnish for her. And he went
away"
As he finished these words his voice
was low and husky, and / could see in
the dim light that he was looking far
beyond me, through the open door and
out towards the mountains, towering
dim and majestic in the eastern sky.
| his voice was wonderfully softenetl
and 1 could hardly realize in the mar
If an hour before.
Il knew the boy well, he continued.
perhaps better than his own parents.
Well, he came West, and for few
months kept up and saved money. The
little souvenir his sweetheart had given
MN seemed to keep him from the
temptation which surrounded him.
Then came the long winter when we
were showed Ia and for months receiv-
ed no mail. The absence of word from
home and loved ones seemed to press
heavily upon him. He became sullen
and morose-then came cards and whis-
Ky, and perdition. When the snow melt
ed and the delayed stage arrived, he,
fallen to a common roustabout at the
saloons, read that bis sweetheart had
died during the long -sster-died in his
mothers arms, and in the wild delirium
of brain fever had begged him not TO go
oh. not to go away.
Thus was broken what seemed the
only chain that bound him to dc.
ceney.
Then he drifted with the wild, tur-
bulent current Of Western life through