The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-01-19

.neIe 10 something else l. want you to
do"
"What is. itP"
II want this paper squelched."
well 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,
80 we had better be little cautious.
lguess that editor is le-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 a minute. It 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 aud 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
tiously forward to this window with a
view to peeping into the room to see
how the land lay.
On one side of the room they saw a
rickety old typestaud 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 a 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
a 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 a deeply
troubled expression on her face, and
once they saw her brush tears from her
eyes.
"The editors wife or daughter, I
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."
I'm going in aud talk to her." the
first speaker announced. "You chaps
wait outside till 1 come back"
"a good idea," another agreed.
1--WE want to see 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. I hope 1 find
you we'll"
A shade of fear passed over the
woman's face and a startled look came
to 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 well, thank you. Is
there anything can do for You?"
"Why, 1 don't know. 1 reckon
maybe I'd like to see the editor of this
paper"
81 am the editor"
fWell, but want to see the man
your father, or husband, or whoever
he is.
"There is no man here. 1 am all
alone"
"You don't mean that you are run
ming this paper all by yourself?"
eyes, sir, except for the help of a
boy, who manages the press for me. "
The cowboy whistled, then stood
staring at the woman in amazement
At last he CALCULATED:
"Well, if that don't stump me! A
woman running a paper all alone,
with no men folks to help herl Gee,
but it must be lots of hard work."
''It is, but don't mind that. I'd
be willing to work night aud day if /
could just manage some way'.to keep
the paper going"
you're not figuring on stopping it,
are you?"
eyes. I'll have to stop it. can't |
get enough money to buy any more
paper. My mother is sick and 1 have
to buy medicine aud things for her.
Poor mother! don't know how / |
shall provide for you now
The girls voice trembled and her
eyes filled with tears. The cowboy