Waterbury Democrat., 1901-12-21
Sn1i1ey's .% Oil Strik c
 By WILL s. GIDLEY
 Copyright, 1901. by Authors syndicate.)

he never seemed to nave any luck that is, until the final grand coup de main or chef-d' 'oeuvre, the story ot which is here set down.
 After graduating with high honors Gncluding the degree of football champion) from a northern uni. versity, he had wooed Fortune under various guises, but without eliciting even smile. But yes, I believe she did smile at him, which is an entire ly different proposition from smiling upon him.
 Instead of getting discouraged and throwing up his hand, Smiley pluck fly stayed in the game and kept peg ging away, hoping that some time things would take turn, which they are almost sure to do if one can only manage to hang on long enough.
 Finally Smiley drifted to Texas that mighty empire of the southwest, full of big men, big ideas and big pos sibilities-and invested all his avail able worldly wealth (and he hadn't an over-abundance of it just then) in a 1,000-acre ranch, with few strag- gling yearlings and mortgage on it.
 One of Smiley's neighbors, if peo- pie who live five miles apart can be called neighbors, was Col. Brandon; another was Col. Brandon's daughter, Bertha, who was her fathers house. keeper and the apple of his eye. His wife had died some years before, and he had been too busy making money to hunt up another.
 Young Smiley obeyed the Scriptural injunction to love your neighbor as l yourself, but however it may have been with the colonel's daughter, the colonel himself did not reciprocate. In fact, that gentleman drowned most decidedly upon Smiley's at tempt to ingratiate himself with the Brandon family. Smiley was an out sider, an adventurer, an interloper. The colonel wanted nothing to do with him. Besides Smiley was as poor as a church mouse. He might sue ceed in raising a few lonesome, half- starved steers, but he would never be able to raise the mortgage on his ranch-Col. Brandon felt sure of that. And if there was anything that placed a mon outside of Texas soci- ety-according to the colonePs way of looking at it-it was the pseudo ownership of rundown ranch cov- cred by 8 blanket mortgage.
 But it is long lane that has no turn. The oil fever finally struck Texas-and struck it hard. Everybody laid aside their ordinary occupation and began prospecting for oil, Smiley among the rest. The air was full of 1,;or os1 c%x hut foxxy | of them could be traced to any re- | liable source. Nevertheless the boom kept on, and now and then a rich strike was made and some for | tunate ranch owner was suddenly ele- vated to the top wave of prosperity and rendered independent for life.
 One day in the height of the oil excitement Jack Smiley arrayed him. self in his choicest raiment, mount 1 ed his gallant charger (used chiefly in rounding up cattle) and rode like conquering knight straight into the | Brandon camp.
 Col. Brandon was not at home-in l fact Smiley rather suspected he wouldn't be when he came over-but Bertha would do just as we'll, Smiley | dSSuICQ ACI. 11C Sd1O GAdU WAt1C O1 course it was great disappointment to miss her fathers genial welcome, yet he believed his business was such that he could readily dispense with the presence of a third party.
 Bertha blushed, and whispered that the fates were kind; and two hours later, when young Smiley was riding homeward with his heart bubbling over with joy and his head in the clouds, and chanced to meet Col. Brandon returning to his ranch well, Smiley bravely smiled and bowed with the debonair. grace of a prince in fairy tale.
 Feeling mighty chipper, ain't | you?" growled the colonel, with dis approving glance at Smiley's beaming countenance.
 "Got right to-" chuckled Smiley, with grin, the corners of which l threatened to permanently usurp the place of his ears.
 "Have, eh? Whats up? Haven't struck oil, have you?" demanded the colonel, jealously. He, too, was on the hunt for that commodity, al- though he was wealthy enough with out it.
 "You're right, I have" was the boastful reply.
 'Big strike. too, judge by your 1ooks?"
 Biggest that ever happened! I wouldn't trade places with John D. Rockefeller himself''
 "Wouldn't. eh?"
 "No, sir, worldn't.s Not for an in- l Istant.''
 "H-hum," said the colonel, musing- ly. Allow me to congratulate you, MT. Smiley. Ef-by the way, we haven't seen much of you lately over at the ranch. Where have you been keeping yourself?"
 "I-I've been-er-somewhat busy, stammered Smiley.
 "Boring for oil? Yes, understand; !; but you don't want to neglect your social duties," went oh the colonel, with sudden burst of cordiality. "All 1 work and no xecreatiQn won't do,