Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-07-12
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I JESS.
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BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

Four or Ave cowboys were lounglng
about outside the abode ranch house,
awaiting supper. The Mexican COOK
had Just begun his fragrant task, SO q
half hour would elapse before these
A,abs were fed. Their ponies were
turned" into the pasture, their big
Colorado saddles reposed astride the
low pole fence which surrounded the
house. ard it was evident their riding
was over for the day
Why were they gloomy?' Not boy
of them could tell. They had been part
ners and campaneros, and worked
the Cross-K cattle together for months,
and nothing had come in misunder-
standing or cloud. The ranch house
was their home, and theirs had been
the unity of brothers.
The week before a pretty glrl-the
daughter she was Of statesman OF ma
tional repute-had come to the ranch
from the East. Her name was Jess.
Jess. the pretty girl, was protected In
this venture by an old and gnarlei
aunt. watchful as ferret, sour as a
lime. Net that Jess, the pretty GIRL
needed watching; she was, indeed, pro
prietys climax.
No soft nor dulcet reason wooed Jess
tho prettlest girl in the West; she came
| on no love errand. The visitor was
elegantly tired of the East, that was
ALL and longed for western air and
western panorama.
Jess, the pretty girl, had been at inc
! Cross-K ranch a week. and the boys
had met her; everyone. The meeting
Or caeetings were r-orked by awardness
as TO the boys. ina..,erence as to Jess
the pretty girl. She encountered then
as she did the ponies, cows, horned
toads and other animals, domestic and
fora nature, indigenous to Eastern
Arizona. While every cowboy wa:
blushing conscious of Jess, the pretty
girl. she was serenely guiltless of civ
| ing him thought.
Before Jess, the pretty girl. arrived
the cowboys were friends and the tenor
of their calm relations was rippleles
a. mirror. Jess was not there day
before each drew himself insensiblJ
from the others, while vague hostility
showed dimly in his eyes. 1t was thu
Instinct of the fighting male ANNA
aroused by the presence of Jess, TN
pretty girl. Jess, however, proceeded
or her dainty way, sweetly Ignorant O
the sentiment she awakened.
Men are mere animals. Women are
too, for that matter. But the latter arr
different animals from men. The effor
tho race makes to be other, better o.
different than the mere animal fails un
der pressure. 1t always failed; 1t vii
always fail. Civilization is the veries
veneer and famously thin. A year OF
the plains cracks this veneer-thi
shetland the animal issues visibi.
fern. This shell-crackng comes D
the expanding growth of all that is ami
malish In man-attributes of the phy
steal being, fed and pampered by
plains existence.
To recur to the boys Of the Cross-k
The dark, vague, impalpable difference
VIII oh cut off each of these creature
n his fellows, AMI inspired him will
an unreasoning hate, had flourishe'
with the brief week Of their existence
A philosopher would have looked TO
near trouble on the Cross-K.
whatever did you take my saddl
for Bill?" said Jack Cook to one Bi
Watkins.
(Which | allows I'll ride it some,
replied Watkins; thought it might lik
to pack sure nough long-horn jes
once for lucb,!"
well, DON'T maverick 1t no more,
| TptVILeu SkJOh, lHODtAiiy, oHN
the gay irisolence OF the other. Least
wise, dorlt come atakin' Of it, an sayll
nothin'. You can palaver Americana
carl you? When you aims to ride m
saddle ag'in, ask for it; II you can
talk, make signs, an If yon can't max
signs. shake bnsh bust don't {
roraslncin' off in silence with no sad
Of raine no more.
eWhatcver do you deckIon is liable.
happen il l pulls it as'in tomorry?" IL
q'uircd Bill in a high scorll.
Watkins was of more vivaciol
temper than the gloomy Ctook.
Which If you takes ia agin, |
shorely come among you a whole lf
An some prompt replied Cook, In
tone of obstinate injury.
These boys were brothers before Jes
the pretty girl, appeared. Either Won
have gone afoot all day for the cnhe
Going afoot, too, is the last thing co'
boy will consent to.
Don't you-all fail to come among ]
more" said Bill with cheerful feroci
ron account of it bein' me. cross
Tho trail of :. b,nld-uD like yOlL over