Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-02-03

"What is it?"
II want this paper squelched.
"We'll squelch it,"
II want you to ride over to Prairie
City tonight and clean the thing out
root and branch. Burn the office.
smash up the old press and chase the
editor out of the country"
"We'll do it."
just after supper that night the
cowboys loaded their pistols carefully
and buckled them about their waists.
Then they brought out their horses.
saddled and mounted them. and rode
away in the direction of Prairie CITY
at mad gallop. Just before they
reached the town they came to halt.
One of them said:
Now, boys, we don't want to take
any reckless chances in this business,
so we had better be little cautious.
Iguess that editor is q spindle-shanked,
goggle-eyed old rooster from the East,
who'd drop dead at the sight of
pistol, but still he may be raiment
of different color. For all we know
he may turn loose and go to pumping
lead into us at the rate of about sixty
bullets minute. 1t will be safest to
kind OF slip up on him and take him
unawares."
The others agreed to this PROPOSE,
ton, and accordingly they rode quietly
into town, dismounted and tied their
horses, and noiselessly approached the
Eagle office. A light was shining
through a window of the little one
story box building, and by one COM
mon impulse the cowboys stole eau
tlously forward to this window with
view to peeping into the room to see
now the land lay.
On one side of the room they saw
rickety old typestand containing half
dozen cases of type. On the other side
stood an old army press, while in the
center there was uncovered goods
box which answered in the place of an
imposing stone. Up at the end of the
room was small table at which was
seated q woman.
The woman's elbows rested on the
table and her face lay between her
hands. She was sitting directly in
front of the window, apparently look
ing straight at it, so the cowboys had
good, square view of her features.
They saw that she was young and
pretty, not much more than a child,
and very sad. There was deeply
troubled expression on her face, and
once they saw her brush tears from her
eyes.
"Ihe EDITORS wife or daughter, 7
reckon, one of the cowboys whispered.
Guess So" one of the others re-
piled; 'and like as not the old whelp's
been abusing her"
"Im going in and talk to her." the
first speaker announced. "You chaps
wait outside till L come back"
"A good idea," another agreed.
I'VE want to see n little more into
this business before we do anything
rash"
The cowboy walked around to the
door and entered the office. He passed
across the floor and stopped just be-
fore the little table at which the wom-
an was sitting, He took off his hat,
made an awkward bow, and said:
"Good evening, lady. 1 hope L find
you we'll"
A shade of fear passed over the
woman's face and startled look came
tc her eyes when she saw the mans
huge pistols and noted his cowboy at
tire. Still, she answered calmly and
bravely enough:
81 am quite we'll, thank you. Is
there anything L can do for you?"
"Why, l don't know. 1 reckon
maybe I'd like to see the editor of this
paper"
ST am the editcr."
'Well, but want to see the man
your father, or husband, or whoever
he is.
"There is no man here. I am all
alone"
''You don't mean that you are run
ming this paper ell by yourself?"
eyes, sir, except for the help of q
boy, who manages the press for me. Z"
The cowboy whistled, then stood
staring ut the woman in amazement.
At last he eiaculated
"Well, if that don't 1sanp mel A
woman running paper all alone,
with no men folks to help her! Gee,
but it must be lots of hard workr'
SIT is, but 1 don't mind that. I'd
be willing to work night and day if 1
could Just manage some wayito keep
the paper going"
you're not figuring on stopping it,
are you?"
eyes. I'll have 10 stop it. I can't
get enough money to buy any more
paper. My mother is sick and I have
to buy medicine and things for her.
Poor motherl I don't know how L
shall provide for you pow"
The girls voice tremfled and her
eyes fille@ with tears. The cowboy