The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-11-30
BUCKlNG TITUS.
A Thanksgiving Story.

Bucking Titus, otherwise William
James Titus, mounted mail carrier
for the republic, rode out of the
Gunnison country, with an unwel
come companion. The companion had
joined him at Yoe's ranch, where he
had been staying for month, bracing
up degenerated lung. Titus hated
Hunger, as he opprobriously term
ed the invalids who made Colorado
melancholy; and anyway, Titus was a
man of prejudices He covered more
ground than any other mail carrier in
the whole state, and the snowbound
pass that would daunt him, the height
which would make him giddy, the
path he would not venture, the storm
he would not face he had yet to en-
counter. His critics might have
claimed for him more bravado than
wise courage-but Titus did not care
about critics Talking was one of
the superfuous arts at best, accord
ing to Bucking Titus.
That was one of the two reasons why
he objected to Bernard Anderson, his
companion. Anderson would talk.
He exclaimed about the glory of the
mountains; he thought it worth his
while to make comments upon the
splendor of the autumnal foliage, and
he even went SO far as to say what
he thought about the mists that en-
twined themselves around the cruel
front of the Old Man mountain-that
grim wall of granite whose canyons
know the blacklist tragedies of all the
mountains in the country round about.
Anderson was stupid enough to relate
some of these tales-though they were
ancient history to Titus.
But the second reason for dislike
which Titus entertained for Anderson
was of more serious nature. Ander-
son had been four weeks under the
same roof with Claribel Yoe. AS for
Titus, though for two years past he
had ridden over the pass like the wild
huntsman, thinking only of the face
that he should see in the valley be-
yond, he had never so much as known
what it was to press her hand or to sit
opposite her at table. To be sure, she
had brought him out hot coffee now
and then or hidden him to sit beside
the fire and on holidays had given
him true stirrup cup, yet he said
to himself with endless iteration that
she cared nothing for him-that she
had never noticed him any more than
she had 20 other men.
All men were chivalrous to her.
How could they be otherwise? She
coaxed sociability out of the solitude
and made a home in the wilderness
and tenderness in the country of
granite rocks and there were warmth
and light and cheer in her dwelling
among those bitter SHOWS. Perhaps
Claribel Voc had ceased to be mere
woman and become something sym
bolic to the men who knew her-the
adventurers who passed along the
| cruel road to Tin Cup.
Anderson, taking the unnecessary
trouble to pick the way for his horse
who was an old mountain climber
talked cheerfully to the mail carrier.
'It's an experience that city man
like myeslf is sure to remember to the
last day of his life, you know.
never felt such liberty in all my life.
Faith, I've seen no paper that was not
week old before 1 got it, and I'm
as ignorant of my business as you are.
But I'm glad of it. I'm rested clean
through to the bones. And then the
people at the ranch Why, Jim Yoe' 6
man in thousand I've seen smart
men, but he's got more practical
sense and courage crammed in his
head than any man ever had the
pleasure of meeting. AS for Miss
Claribel, she's an eidelweiss herce in
| the snow ("
Bucking Titus gave fierce lurch
at the saddle bags, though they seem
ed to Anderson to be adjusted quite
correctly.
"How girl can grow up in such
surrounding as hers and yet have that
soft voice and charming accent and all
those adorable little ways of hers is
more than know. And she manages
the affairs of the house perfectly. 1t
! doesn't matter how many drop in to
dinner, she always seems to be pre-
pared for them and to make them well
come. The servants are at her feet.
thought I'd seen some mighty fine
ladies in my day, but 1 confess I had
to come to the Gunnison country to see
the finest of them all. -
Bucking Titus spoke. He was a
hero in his way and had known great
dangers and had combats with the
element and with wild beasts and
wilder men but he spoke like sulky
schoolboy.
eff you think so mighty much of
her, said he, "why don't you take
her out of Gunnison country2''
Bernard Anderson threw back his
handsome head and laughed.
HGood-by p' he cried. 81 like the
idea I'll have to go home and think
the matter over. If it seems likely
that she will fit into the life there