Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-09-07
4 LUCKY ASSIGNMENT.
eY A. G. Bell

They were old friends and bad acct
d,ltally met at the Pioneer Press club
after a separation OF more than a dec
ade. After the experiences Of each
mad been |rccounted at some length one
OF them related the following story to
= coterie OF newspaper mcn who were
present:
1T was back IN the eighties that |
held a desk as city editor On the staG
OF the PottsyiIle ua.) Democrat. /
had been working pretty hard. and my
health was cailing. so one day the chief
advlseJ Ee TO take n month or two or,
go into the country and recuperate. He
further advised me that II | wished to
take the vacatio1 I would be placed on
full pas Oh the condition that I write a
better each week which might be Of in
tcrcst to patrons Of The Democrat.
II had n friend located In q little
TOWN In Washington county who was
engaged IN the publication 81 . weekly
paper. and ! at once made up my mind
10 50 down aud pay him a visit.
II arrived Mt my destination In good
time and IA effuslvely welcomed 10y
my friend and his cstimable young
wifo and made 10 feel ut home lmme.
dlatoiy.
II lcungcd about the town. which
had a popGlatlon Of about 1900 souls,
and struck up rlite n large %acpuaiut-
apce within a short time.
"Onc morning. after ! had been there
probably a week. | sauntcroJ iatO the
office Of my friend and found him IN n
dreadful stew. His local man had TAX
en- suddenly III. and there was no one
else who could take an assignment that
. been niaIucd out for that days
work.
1T seems HAT n uan named Barron
had died at his home. about I've miles
from town. aal. rs his father had been
II uiap oil wealth ana lie mad gained
considerable nstoHety as q local char
acrcr, IT was deemed a good Idea to get
an extended obituary Of the deceased
Barron The man owned property In
tue mountains Of Il township that had
peen named after his father aud was
somsv'hat difficult of access.
II was feeling well that morning
and. thinking a trip in the country
would do me good. offered myself as
Sub on the occasion.
THE offer was eagerly accepted. and
within a short time ! was en- route In n
buggy for the scene. which was des-
tined 20 prove q lucky assignment, al
though | WIS not aware of the fact.
by making numerous detours and
Inquiries from each person | met | was
III. e, r.u,H. a., TNnrrnn homo IN vwng
located between mountains which form
ed u bowl shaped depression about tho
house. which could be reached only by
a narrow pass.
what an excellent location for a
robbers rendezvous | thought as l
passed along the narrow lane. Here q
handful OF men could withstand a regi-
iuent of soldiers drove up to the log
cablnHwhlch was built against the side
Of tho mountain In the farthest corner
OF the depression. and stopped. A half
dozen dirty looking children were play
ing about the doorway. and they all
dropped their play the instant they
caught slght OF me and ran inside the
hut
II walked lelsurely to the door, which
stood wide open, and ripped. A sharp
featured woman made her appearance
after I had waited n few moments, and
l stated the purpose Of my visit.
~ was invited In, and a chair vas
pushed forward for my use.
THE woman disappeared through a
low door AT the rear of the hut. and
took the opportunity OF making a few
obse. vations OF my surroundings. The
hut was furnished with a couple OF
beds, "A rusty cook stove and a rickety
old table, and everything denoted pow
erty.
Tho woman returned by the time
had taken o look around and was fol-
lowed by a middle aged man with as
villalnous n countennnce as you would
care to see. lie was n younger brother
OF the deceased. ana he began to give
me some facts regarding the life of the
man whose obituary I was TO obtain.
while / was taking notes another
man camr-tn and when was through
with the ask In hand took n look
around the nut As quickly as my eyes
fell upon A. third person II struck me
TINT I hnd cen hhn somewhere. He
was OF rather nice appearance, had a
sandy mustnche and was well dressed
Iihnd surely seen him NJ some previous
time and. with an object 10 view, In
qhired n that was n son OF the deceas-
cd. ] was ratified to know that bis
name was Barron also. for at that very
moment II flashed upon me that had
seer him 10 police court in Pottsville
only q few ceks before under arrest
for passlpg 1gus money.
Il began make some Inquiries OF
him. and ehr told me that be was EN-
ployed "a poitsville and was at home
for the funeral Of his father aud IN
tended goipp back 70 his work the next
day.
-Ho~ing ching else TO dctain mr, J
goos leaA Z RE people ard started
aeck 10 ioRa drove slowly down Gse