The Newtown bee., 1899-11-03

tory. is located on the Verdigris River,
an arm OF the Kansas. It la also on the
border line OF the Creek and Cherokee
countries, and is nine miles distant by
wagon road from the military post OF
Fort Gibson. A few mil ss to the south
the town Of Maskogee furnishes it's share
OF local exciteme Mt, and is the telegraph
ing point Of many sensational killings.
To the east, just 20 mil Q. Tah!equah Of
fers the most decided touch OF metro
polltan life that the residents of Gibson
and vicinity can reach with day in the
| saddle. Some eight or ten houses, in
Guiding the store that holds the posr-of-
flee, one or two general groceries, the
hotel and railroad station building make
the sum to5al OF Gibson's claim upon the
gazetteer.
There was delightful novelty In the
sur. oundings and refreshing vigor in
the rude simplicity of things and peo-
ple-character was more rugged. Truth
seemed more direct and tenderness he Id
| more tears from the very contrast with
its settings. The great vines climbed
| and interlaced the walnut timber that
| skirted the pretty steam; birds of bril-
| liant colors were on every side, and the
rank luxury of the grasses seemed in
harmony with the buxom out lines Of the
Indian girls ripened early, unconscious
| Of the richness of their health.
The cowboys came to Gibson on their
| skittish ponies and dashed away again
r after bucking start. The Indians and
half-breeds, in their sombreros, shirts
| and leather breechea, came lazily up and
| moody departed in the twilig ht-to the
| stranger perplexing enigmas Of the
cleaning, themselves the lingering rays
Of great people whose light mas almost
gone.
| On one quiet evening Of that memor,
| able week, memorable for it's great quiet,
| the proprietor of the inn was standing
| with the writer on the porch. The con
versation had been upon his half-breed
daughter-the wife full blooded Creek.
| The girl, with pan of salt, was sprin-
king it upon some big stones that were
| in the meadow, just in front, and the
| sober cows were coming up to lick 1t.
Eyes, we always give 'em salt when it
looks bit like rain. An when they
| smell the damp In the air they come as
regular as can be to get it, Them
| stones is smooth as glass where they've
licked 'em for the las 20 years."
"The girl always does this for them p'
Sept when she's at school. Then
Jim tends to it,
Jim was the farm hand and now he
Il was SAtblAEs az pAAC b6UlG WulGt1tuks
~ don't know what I'm goin' to do
| with Jim. he used to be one Of the
sn8rtest hams aroun' this country. but
he's gettln' awf1y no count, drinkin' and
| f1ghtin'."
"Drinkin'? Isn'tit against your laws
/ to sell liquors in the Indian country P''
"Oh, yes; but Jim gets it somewhere. -
After little further talk the inn keep
| ing farmer strolled down to his stable to
| turn the horses out for the night and the
writer Joined Jim on the platform.
tiJim."
eyes"
| You have seen considerable of the
| world"
"About az much as most fe1lers Of sc. -
"How long have you been here?"
with the ole MANI"
Eyes,"
"'Bout twelve years."
Jim, we've known each other only q
few days, and it isn't my business, per-
haps, but you're getting tired of your
life here. The folks say you are not
wen-not as steady as you US, d to be.
What ID the trouble? Tomorrow 1 am
going back to the States-maybe never
will seesyou again, and it kinda occurred
| 60 me that you'd like to talk about your
self. believe everybody feels that way
at times.''
Jim waited long time, so long that
the fear presented itself that he was 60
ing TO rebuke the questioner by his
silence, and then said:
s'Them meader larks, hear EN-? They
make me bluer'n dead; them an that
gin there by the cows"
The pl lintive whistle of the meadow
lark Was all about, and the figure of the
maiden dusky, duskily outlined against
the evening SKY, suggested the soft treat
ment of etching of the Angelus. No
wonder JIM you feel blue.
When furst come here was %. My
home was In Missury, but I'd been ov-
er the United States. I'd been a canvas
man with circus. Bella there, was on
ly six, little half-bred Injun girl, but
purity rs she could be. I taught her let
tiers to her, an taught her to spell, an
then TO read little, an when she was
nine she could pick ont words In the
newspaper
Jim looked up at this for some appre-
citation OF bis work. His lips were shut
and bis nostrils dilated in a swelling
pride &c the elections, and then, as
memory carried him on from that time to
something that touched him deeper. the
lines OF the face came down and the
shadow o1 the evening crept into the
manly eyes.
sThen her father thought she knowed
enough, but I knoWed she didn,t. ii
knowed she oughGer 10 be sent to school,
The nation was just starting seminary
&c Tahlequah, an got the old man to
lee me take her there. I'd rather not say
tnis, Dnf the way got him 10 do 1t was
py pawn her expenses myself. I'D never
had no sistera or brothers, an / never
AwmankMH ass, F. s1sfSr Il