The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-05
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The Truth at lone Star. :
by PAUL SHoUp.
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XATE WE'RE rapidly getting ac

wv Qualnte0. Jerry, VINO II sur
named has never wasted time telling
the news. settled himself on his pine
needle couch, tipped his hat little fur
ther forward so that the sun but gilded
the tip of his nose, and delivered his in
troductory remarks. When the light
had filtered it's way into the under
standing. we knew that he was of more
than ordinary Importance and his
roughng it but the result of a whim;
still, nothing but his truthful counte-
nance kept us from salting the tale
about the authorities tying down the
Atlantic coast to keep it from tipping
up when he came west of the Rockies.
Billy Edgerton yawned slightly and
drew up his knees. He said he believed
it was in poor taste to use titles either
before or after name, even if you did
have right to lean 'em up against both
ends, and that was why he was known
simply as Billy Edgerton. Incidental
ly, he informed us that u hundred thou
sand rubles wasn't such very large re-
ward for the Russian government to
offer for a political offender; but he
pl GU " ldhC IO ShhhSSs's anu INV
fore came up to Lone Star after he had
met and circumvented in San Francisco
the fourth detective of the imperial
bureau.
Then johnson, of Colusa. straight
ened himself up, as if he had just awak-
ened from a sweet dream of peace. i've
an uncle" said he, ''who is worth $780,
600. and I'm his only heir. I'd think
great deal more of him, though, If it
wasn't for my aunt, who don't like
him." Here he paused and blew few
rings from his old cob pipe, but the
question didn't come. "You see," he
added, my aunt is worth ST ,000, 900, and
I'm her only heir also"
After that there was more silence, and
albeit we sprawled lazily in front of the
ceokhouse. | felt that my autobiog-
raphy was becoming overdue. AS my
worldly effects would scarcely COM
fortably clothe scarecrow. and moth
ing short of morocco binding would
make my personal history attractive,
looked up at the stranger who through
it all had sat quietly on his detected
mule. hoping for diversion.
"Howdy. gentlemen" he said, turn
ing large and solemn eyes upon us and
disclosing a countenance of philosoph-
!cal graviey. Each of US acknowl-
edged the salutation by slightly shift
ing his position. and Jerry, whose
tongue is that of multitude, answered
"Howdy."
The newcomer removed his sombrero,
and his hair fell about his head like
shock of overripe wheat. Then he gen.
tly laid his fiddle case across the POM
mel of his saddle and asked: us this
purity good place to stop?"
I'VE stop here?" answered Jerry,
laconically.
Live tol-bly high?"
"SiX thousand feet"
The late addition Strengthened up,
shook his threadbare coat and lifted
one cowhide boot, dust-whitened in the
crinkles. from the stirrup, and reaching
down. softly tapped the earth with it
to make sure he was on solid ground.
Then he cautiously dismounted.
Jerry, who is inclined to be critical.
regarded the mule with disfavor. His
owner. noting the glance, remarked:
Jeremiah amt the finest-lookin' mule
in the world, but couldn't steal bet
ter. | had a sight finer one in Tunis,
he added, deprecatingly.
I'm Tunis!" echoed Johnson. where
have you been?"
"In Nashuay, n Tunis, N Cape Cod.
n Lisbon some time back. That was
before went to Kobe-went thar from
Paris, which is fair sort of place. 4
hated TO leave"
johnson drew his breath and de-
manded: why did you?"
Mutual objections between me n
the gov'ment. Two days war all they
give me to take my last farewell" he
said. slowly rosining his bow.
What did you come up here for?"
ITO git out of civilization" responded
the stranger I'm disgusted. People
lie so thar's trouble everywhere, m the
only man you're sure is anywhar near
square with the law is the feller jest
out'n jail"
There didn't seem to be any use of
asking further questions of the new
conner, but l think the opinion was
general that to him truth was stranger
than fiction. He laid his fiddle on tire
| log and looked attentively at his mule.
IF it wasn't for bein' so Uneasy about
Jeremiah, who needs u drink, might
play little tune on the fiddle" he said.
Edgerton took the hint and a bucket
went down to the creek.
A trife of glow in the western sky
was all that was left of the day when
Home, Sweet Home" rounded up the
performance. looked at Edgerton,
who was lying with his hands clasped
behind his head, and thought saw a
tear in his eye; seeing but dimly myself.
| wasn't certain. But, then and there.
Lone Star adopted Ezekiel and Jere-
miah.
We told him of deserted corral a
mile up the road, and he became one of
us. Some days, when he felt unusually
energetic, he would run rocker down
by the creek for a time, but he pre-
ferred to play or sing, and the camp ap-
proved of his judgment.
think that Scroggins was the most
unpleasant man who ever saw the sun
set in the Pacific. He was so mean that
! he would quarrel with himself when no
/ one else was around, and strangers
passing by the cabin used to pause and
wonder at the one-voiced row within.
He married Castilian. who was very
fortunate and died n few years after the
wedding. leaving their daughter Nita