The Somerset reporter., 1900-02-15
, BORN TO WE'D:
How n Texan Woman's Inheritance. 4
Pair of Mules, Gained Her
Second Husband.

ed earth was distorted from the pun
ishment 1t had endured.
Mrs. Elliott emerged from the far
thest corner of the lee room-there
were but four-and made an attack on
the heaps of alkall dust that covered
shovel and a coal scuttle. A mere
broom would have ayailed no more
than feather
She was a northern woman making
acquai aintance with the new southwest.
Domestic help In the southwest is a
case of Chinaman or nothing. Mrs. El-
liott would have preferred a cobra.
A shadow fell silently across the tiny
entrance way and a soft voice said:
Good evenin."
Madam resented the southernism. 1t
was only afternoon. However, she
looked toward the open door and ac-
cepted the challenge.
"D'y'all want a girl?'
Mrs. Elliott gripped her shovel firm
ly to prevent herself from throwing
her arms around the woman's neck.
"Will you walk in?'
She family remembered tradition
regarding servants entrances and 9th
er devices of civilization, but they were
intangible vapors. beating idly against
the rocks of primitive conditions.
The Texan smiled gently. and her
brown eyes were as friendly as dogs.
She seated herself unasked. calmly
rocking back and forth and apparently
seeing no reason to pause in the chew
ing of her gum.
Are you looking for a place"
Yes Y'see, N husban' has jest
died, an of c'ose | cayn't live alone in
a tent out on the plain"
Mrs. Elliott bowed in recognition of
Texan conventionalities.
Il thought mebby y'll nd low me to
put my tent in y'alrs back yahd. Then
I'd be safe, an cud wo'k feb y'all."
The idea was good. Mrs. Elliott
grasped it with concealed eagerness
Yes. NJ husban' lef' me shack an
a pa'h o mules an wagon"
Her smper could not be called purse
proud, but it was certainly well salts
fed
Husband been dead longY
Bout three weeks" Her cheerful
ness was suspicious.
WAS he good to your
Il reckon he was as good as most
when he was sobeh. Sometimes when
he'd been drinkin he use to beat me"
This had apparently been no cause
for resentment. but was regarded with
mild unconcern as the usual course of
nature.
What is your nameY
"Loo-eye-Za."
Mrs Elliott gasped, but her necessi-
ties were great.
"Loo-eye-za." she said, with a gulp.
you may come tomorrow"
Early the next morning the shack
and shackhold effects appeared in
charge of a lazy. shiftless looking and
unkempt Texan ranger. smelling vilely
of tobacco and whisky. Looeyeza fol
lowed with smiling deliberation.
who Is that man?' asked Mrs. FL
lott.
'He says his name is Mack Taylor"
In New Mexico it is the part of wis
dom to take mans word for his
name and to make no further inquiries
"ls he friend of yours?'
"He lives off yondeh. an | got him to
move m shack feb me. | never saw
him befoh"
When the full New Mexican moon
hung overhead that night, flooding the
plains with silver sheen for a hundred
miles, unwonted voices reached Mrs
Elliott's ear She made an errand into
the back yard On bench in the tent
door sat l.ooeyeza and Taylor His
feet were on another bench. and lie
had shed his coat. He had the air of
man perfectly at home.
81 ies come oveh t see pf ia got
Mrs RENDERS shack fixed all right"
he exclaimed thrusting his pipe behind
him and trying to appear unconcerned
Looeyeza's smile was conscious and
silly
Looeyeza took no trouble to adjust
herself to her new conditions She let
them fall around her and drape them.
selves as they would Her smile was
Mrs Elliott's despair She ceased to
wonder her husband had beaten her.
On the third day of her advent size
joined her mistress and caller in the
room dignfied by the name of parlor.
seated herself, with n serene interest In
the newcomer. aud smiled on both In.
dies benignly. For a few seconds the
atmosphere of the room was peculiar
Thomas Jeffersons Ideas Of democ.
racy were crude and limited" remark.
ed Mrs Elliott to her friend
Very" said the lady, with ready ap
cre"iaton. Thomas should have lived
in Texas"
These remarks not being of interest
to Looeyeza she decided to sit on thu
front porch. from which madam dis
lodged her later by an prrand
THAT Taylor comes every evening
to see Looeyeza." said Mrs Elliott to
her husband at the end OF the FIRST
week.
Hes after her mules, responded
Mr. Elliott with conviction. Cant
you tell her so. and how worthless he
is?"
His wife looked at him pityirEly. He
might understand Taylor, but he didn't
understand Looeyeza.
Il don't know what TO do bout them
mules" she said to madam the next