The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-21
A SLIP OF THE PEN.

- sSASAA vi - - - A~&ss
John Thomas saddled up old Hornet,
put on bis" "cbaps" and rode out across tho
range W got the mail. John had u lot to
do, ~ hs would bayo told you himself, for
be was TO In married on Christmas day,
and that N why he wns 10 regularly riding
twi0o week IN tho postofilce.
Over ns Antelope the telegraph operator,
who acted also an station agent and post
master, WINS sitting alone In lis little Of
1oe-except tbe section house, tho only
bouso In sight--thiDkiDg OF home and
Mary Brand. Home was away down east
and Mary Brand was just black eyed
girl who did not care for him ono bit, AZ
he well knew, for be had asked her about
it before he started west But there ID no
law against thinking Of girl, even II you
cannot got her. 80 the operator thought
Of Mary Brand, believed himself 10 DO
very miserable and piled moro Goals on the
Are, though the little stovo was already
ysdhot
Just when darkness succecded the dull
daylight snow began 10 fall, and with the
6rvt fakes came John Thomas. He got
bis letters and sat down by che operators
4ye 70 read them. He wss . big, comfort
sbls fellow, In marked contrast 10 the dis
sontented looking telegraphsy, and 70 tho
htteS thought. for he broke the silence
with:
II say, you seem pretty wen satisfied
with yourself. How do you manage It In
q hole like thiss"
"Young fellow" said John, "the plains
n the finest place on earth and the only
place left where nan can ost . start.
Look st me. Came out nine years ago
without . cont, worked four years on tho
trail and three for old Baxter, learned 70
eaTry branding iron In my chaps and to
rope anything my horse could catch, and
now I've got place Of my own and an In
tepest In . trail herd. What's the matter
with meY'
"You're oil right" admitted tie boy.
"But you eouldn't do 10 again. now Tom
Adams has got bis maverick bill through
the Legislature.
"Don't fool yourself" said John. "Apy
maverick my horse can catch is going 70
Oct my brand on. DO you know how
many mavericks were sold for the benefit
of the school fund on the fall round mp in
this districtf III tell you. One. He
fetched 76 cents. Oh, tho law is all right"
phe operator was interrupted in his
smoking by tho cliok Of the instSument,
and. when be had taken train order, the
pipe was out. Picking up an snvslops
John had thrown down he thrust 10 into
ths Goals, and ~ 1t fared up he noticed
the postmark.
'.Heilop' said he, Bangor 10 my town.
Do you know anybody in Bangorf''
"You bet do," said the cowboy. ''I'm
going to marry the nioest girl In that
whole town, and hsr name II Mary Brand"
II old Hosnet>outside the door had not
get tired Of standing there, IS miles from
bis supper, 80 that John at tbat moment
made rush to catch him, the operators
dismay would not have escaped notice.
His jaw dropped and the beautiful pipe
fell to the floor.
John caught his horse and headed away
toward the ranch through the falling
snow. The operator went to the key and
telegraphed for pipe to be sent up on the
first train. Then he went to bed. Ha had
q bad night.
John hummed tune as his horsoam-
bled along through the dark. Not an oper
alto air, but one of those hymn tunes all
cowboys use on dark nights. He was Ger.
tainly happy, for he didn't hurry his herse
or spur him when he stumbled. One OF
those letters was from Mary Brand. She
wrote she was leaving Bangor for her un-
cle's home In Denver on that day and that
John Was not to come down until Christ.
mas eve because there was much to do and
he" would be in the way" The other let.
ter was from a broker in Denver, and said: /:
"Think we have d customer for your trail
COWS, and have engaged for you to meet
him here some day next week. WILL ad,
wise further soon." Snow was still falling
when John reached home and turned in,
rejecting upon the futility of all maverick
laws.
Snow was still falling next day. The
railroad was blockaded and he could not
get to Denver on the day appointed. The
wires were down, SO there was NO tele.
graphing. Christmas was spent In the
telegrapher's office, and for once John
looked as discontented as the operator.
The latter took no interest In coloring the
new pipe, and wrote out his resignation,
ready to dispatch as soon as the line should
be open, announcing that he was going
back to Maine by the first train.
One Of the first things sent when the
line was open was Johns message to Mary
Brand at Denver, to the effect that If tho
railroad wasn't shoveled OUT very soon he
should start down on foot.
That operator was good boy, and he
sent the message straight, and when nm
hour later he was called. up by the Denver
office to receive the following message to
John Thomas about his trail cows: "You
need not come down. Engagement off.
Culver Bros he was still without guile
But his heart was full of Mary Brand
All day the wires had been singing Mary
Brand. The key had been clicking Mary
Brand. Small wonder when ho took the
pad Of yellow paper and wrote out the
message he made one small slip. Ho really
didn't do It, It 0id itself.
"You need not come down. Engage
ment of. Mary Brand" is the way it
read when John received It,
IL this were not IA true story, 1t might be
written that John went in person and de-
mandcd an explanation. What no really
did was to write note suggesting the re-
turn OF his letters. And Mary being a
black eyed gtrl, he got them by return
mail.
Mary Brand went home. The rnnchman
returned To tho winter vocation of riding
the pastures and waiting for spring. Th,