The Opelousas courier., 1902-05-10
Mr.. %Thompson's
Disappearance


Duck by stage for a weeks engage
ment in that popular playhouse, the
Adelphi," that the community was adj
vised of Jake" Thompson's having
resumed beating his wife. Thompson
owned a grass range some three miles
from Blue Duck, and his wife. Body
and soul, the little woman who had
given her frail self to him years be-
fore was possessed by the big, hulk
ing proprietor of the range. So far
as she was concerned Blue Duck would
never have known of her troubles,
but wife-beating was an unpopular
sport in the new cow and wheat coun-
try and Blue Duck was not long in
learning that Thompson INDUCED in it.
He was quietly warned what conse-
Quences would follow If he did not
cease, and for six months his wife
enjoyed immunity. Then, of a sudden,
Thompson let his temper gain the
upper hand and one day knocked the
woman down as she raj getting into
his wagon in front of Sloan's grocery.
Blue Duck growled and waited. At
ter that reports came in frequently
from the south trail that Mrs. Thomp-
SON could be heard screaming and
crying from within the shack, and
Fulton of Flat Creek said it was his
personal opinion that the woman would
be killed before the year was out.
The afternoon of the night that the
Buchanan company was to open with
"Black-Eyed Susan" Blue Duck was
lounging in the mo. l Hard" caravan
sary and listening to Gentleman" Ed
relate a personal meeting which he
once had with Tom Karl of the old
Bostonian organization. AS was his
wont, Ed was speaking slowly and
clearly.
"Of course" he said, "if we could
have the Bostonians in Blue Duck for
even a single night they would make
a fortune and we have a treat. When
you hear Tom Karl sing in The Mus
keteers' you'll talk no more about
your own voices. Why Knudson," adj
dressing a big Scandinavian sprawled
over the pool table, you think you
can sing a drinking song-you're not
In 1t with Tom Karl. You're a jack
mule braying at the coyotes compared
with him."
Knudson shook his head defiantly.
He had never heard of Tom Karl be-
fore, and he knew there was not a
man west of the Red River, with a
voice SO strong as his-a voice that
could yodel as his could wintry nights
when the sledges sped over the prairie
wastes and far to the north the wolves
howled at their own shadows.
II tink," he growled, "Meester Karl
come hear me try him some and sing.
He tink me not speak veery guide
An-glish, but me sing SO guide as
Meester Karl when he come"
Blue Duck sympathetica1ly laughed,
for Blue Duck SO far had heard no
sweeter voice than the believing one
OF Knudson, but Ed shook his head.
He knew. Smoke clouds curled above
his head as he pulled at his pipe, and
he val quite evidently bent on teas
ing Knudson when the double front
doors Of the mo. / Hard" banged open
and Halvorson of Edwards half plung-
ed, half fell in. He gathered himself
though, in time to save reaching the
floor and gasped out:
"Thompson's killing his wife"
Gentleman" Ed jumped at him,
shook him roughly and demanded a
clearer statement.
"Vell," said Halvorson, II ben MAX
Ing sum hay In the bottoms an Mees-
ter Thompson he work with me. He
work some guide when he t'ink so.
Hees wife she come down to him with
hees dinner In a pail, an she set It
down an call him ple-sant-like.
Thompson he look in the tin pail an
he begin to swear most bad. Sure. /
ne-er hear SO much bad words be-
fore. Then he strike her right in the
face an she fall over, an he jumped
right N her with his feet both, an I
to tell you quick"
Il don't believe. boys" said Gen
tlemau" Ed, speaking slowly, that
Thompson has killed or will kill her,
but his beating her has gone far
enough. The honor of Blue Duck de-
mands that no woman be injured when
we a prevent it. I don't believe in
interfering between husband and wife
as a rule, but in this case
tits time to drop something or
ether" broke in Anderson, the cowboy.
I'll ride with You, Ed"
NO." replied Ed. This is a case
Of Thompson meeting only one. / be-
lieve ] will take the responsibility of
seeing him, unless, of course, some
gentleman present thinks he could
do better under the circumstances
than myself"
No one ventured to take Eds place.
It was q foregone conclusion that he
would meet Thompson and endeavor
to convince him OF the error Of his
ways. Ed had q pistol on each side
Of his belt, but as he started for his
horse, standing in the street, he stop
ped and asked of Anderson:
Have you got that sawed-oR shot
gun Of yours yet-that slug dispen-
ser7"
Anderson whipped across the street
and was back in 9 jify with the dis.
Renaer.