Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-07-06
BORN TO WE'D
How n Texan Woman'e Inheritance, {
a Pair Of Nudes, Gained Her Z
n second unsband. {

-
The sandstone had passed. leaving
the air vibrant and electric. The lash
Cd earth was distorted from the pun
ishmcnt It had endured.
Mrs. Elliott emerged from the far
thest corner OF the lee room-ihpre
were hut four-and made an attack on
the heaps OF alkali dust hat covered
the door. Her weapons were n fire
shovel and n coal scuttlc. a mere
broom would have avalled no more
than a feather.
She was a northern woman making
ncqunintnnce with the now southwest.
Domestic help In The southwest Is q
case OF Chlnaman or nothing. Mrs. FL
Holt wonld have preferred a cobra.
A sltadOw fcll silently acrOss the tiny
entrance way and a soft voice said:
"GOod cvcnin."
Madam resented the southcrnlsal. IL
was only afternoon. However. she
looked toward the open door and ac-
cepied the challenge.
"D'y'all waut a girlT
Mrs. Elliott grlppcd her shovel firm
~ to prevent herself from throwing
her arms around the woman's neck.
"Will you walk in?"
She family remembered a tradition
regarding servants entrances and 9th
or devices OF civilization. but they were
intangible yapors. beating idly against
the rocks OF primitive conditions.
The Texan smiled gently. ana her
brown eyes were as friendly as a dogs
She seated herself unasked. calmly
rocking hack and forth and apparently
seeing no reason to pause in the chew
Ing Of her gum.
Are you looking for a placer
"Nes. Y'sec, IN husban' has jest
died. an Of c'ose | cayn't live alone Ia
a tcni out on the plain"
Mrs. Elliott bowed in recognition of
Texan conventionalities.
81 thought mebby VII I'D low me to
put my tent in y'all's back yahd. Then
I'd be safe. nm | cu'd wo'k feb y'all."
The idea was good. Mrs. Elliott
grasped II with concealed eageracss.
"les. NJ husban' lef' me n shack an
o pa'h o mules an u wagon"
Her sirzper could not be called purse
proud. but 1t was certainly we'll salts
ecd.
Husband been dead longl'
"'Bout three weeks" Her cheerful
ness al suspicious.
was he good 10 your
Il reckon be was as good ms mos
when he was sobeh. Sometimes when
bed been drinkin he use 10 beat me-"
This had apparently beer no causC
for resentment, but was regarded with
mild %unconcern as the usual curse OF
nature.
what is your name?"
"~Loo-oye-za.'
Mrs. Elliott gaspcd, but her necessi-
fies were great.
"~Loo-cye-za." she said, with n gulp
"you may come tomorrow"
Early the next morning the shack
and s%hackhold effects appeared In
charge Of a lazy, shiftless looking and
unkempt Texan ranger, smelling vilely
of tobacco and whisky. Loocyeza fol
lowed with smiling delibcratlon.
"Who Is that manY" asked Mrs. El
lott.
HE says his name Is Mack Taylor
In New Mexico II Is the part OF wis
dom to take a mans word for his
name and to make no further inquiries
us he a friend OF yoursr'
HE lives of yondch. an | got him &c
move IN shack feb me. | never saw
him befoh."
When the full New Mexican moor
hung overhead that night. flooding the
plains With silver sheen for q hundred
miles. unwoDtod voices reached Mrs
Elllott's car. She made an errand into
the back yard. On n bench In the tent
door sat L~ooeyeza aud Taylor. His
feet were on another bench. and he
bad shed his coat. He had the air OF q
man perfectly AT home.
81 jes' ZONE oveh Z see cf I'd got
Mrs. Renders shack liked all right
be exclaimed. thrustlng his pipe behind
bin and trying to appear %uncoucerned
J~Ooeyeza's smile was conscious and
silly.
LOoeyeza took 20 trouble to adJus;
herself TO her new conditions. She lei
them fall around her and drape them
selves as they would. Her smile was
Mrs. Elliott's despair. She ceased "a
wopder bcr husband had beaten her.
On the third day OF her advent she
Joined Der misfress and n caller In the
room dlgnIhcd by the name Of parlor.
eeste; herself. witb o serene Interest In
the newcomer. and smiled on both la.
dies benignly. For a few seconds the
atpospbere Of the room was peculiar.
"Thomas Je1erson's ideas Of democ.
Tacy were crude aud limited" remark.
ed Mrs. Elliott 10 Der FREUD.
"ysTy" said The lady, With ready ap.
probation "Tbomgs should have LIVED
~ Texas" b
These rewBsss pot being Of jntPTPFi
80 Lpoeysza she decided 70 ~ on tb'
front porch from Which msdpw Dir
lodged Der hfer BY ~ eTyDpd
That T9El0y zones every eTeDlnF
- Sse L9OeyezaF said Mrs. gploti 70