The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-06-01
Vol. XII. 45.
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Tritten for The Prison Mirror
Hail..

m..............,
Into our camp when the dews lay damp,
On the grass and the jack pines bOugh.
He rode one night in the shadOwy light
That streamed oer the mountain brow.
His blue eyes smiled and his voice was mild,
And his brow was broad and low;
And his firm lips told of will to hold
His own with the strongest foe.
Heart that was true and muscles of steel;
And we found him as brave as fair,
With his cheeks of tan he was all man
From his spurs to his golden hair.
When the West was new and strange;
Mid wind and rain, on Laramie plain,
AS we rode where the wild stock range.
Down the divide from the mountain side,
We would ride in the Autumn glow;
While far on our left from the mountain cleft
Rushed the waters of Medicine Bow.
With swinging pace would our bronchos
race
Down past where the big herds stamp,
While the mountains rang with the song we
sang
AS we rode past the Big Camp.
ne'er shall forget how the wind kissed our
face;
Nor the charm of the hills purple haze,
AS we rode for the mail down the Laramie
trail
On that morn in the wild wOOlly days.
AS we rounded bend in the rivers trend
There stood house full in sight.
Where the rancher dwelt whose old heart
had felt,
Foul cankerous jealousy's blight.
For no man could look on his fair young wife
With her wondrOus sinuOuS grace,
And not feel the blood rush out in flood
From his heart, at the sight of her face.
Her glance was soft and her smile was kind;
And Hal read love in her gaze,
For she would not hide, in her careless pride,
The charm of her coquettish ways.
told the lad when his face had flushed,
And his blue eyes mirrored his soul,
To linger not when the breath came hot,
From the lips of that soft Creole.
But he seemed not to care though we bid
him beware,
Lest he find when woman sighs,
That death Oft sleeps in the shadowy deeps
Of her witching languorOus eyes.
We came to the house we could not pass;
Her husband stood in the way.
I felt in my heart must keep them apart
Or one would lie dead that day.
"Dismount," he cried, "ye fair faced fool:
For the day of reckoning is set!
1 said would shoot the man who would loo
My home; and say so yet!''
All Heaven, how swiftly are brave deed
wrought!
How suddenly heroes are found!
Halls lips set tight, and his eyes shone brigh
AS he quietly stepped to the ground.
"'Do you think care for your bandit air:
For your gun or your frowning face?
Your threat 1 despise; meath your very eyes
Will rest in your wife's embrace!'
There, at our left in the open door,
And trembling with horror and fright
The woman fair with her loose black hair
Stood framed in the autumn light.
With even stride Hal passed to her side,
And drew her close to his heart.
They seemed to forget, as their kisses met,
That death could tear them apart.
The dazed husband stood spellbOund at tn
sight,
For the minutest part of breath;
Then swiftly sped that billet of lead
Straight home on its mission of death.
"Put up your gun MywOrk was we'll done!
Said he, as 1 aimed at his head;
So looked at the two, and saw it was true
That both of them were dead.
Clasped in each others embrace they lay,
To rise in the mystic Beyond.
Their young blood mingled, the red with tt
red,
And their hair, the black with the blonde
BILL SYKES.
A small boy was struggling with
multiplication sum, and the teache
noticing his woebegone countenanc