The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13

IKE a solemn thought strikes him. Il don't
reckon l has TO caution none OF you-all not
10 20 repeatin' these yere mem'ries of gay
days an gone, where my wife Tucson Jen-
ME cuts their trail. l amt afraid OF Jen-
ME; she's q kind, troo he'pmeet; but ever
sence that unfortunate ENHANCEMENT with
the English towerist lady. her suspicious
sets up nervous in their blankets at the
mere mention OF frivolities wherein she
hears my name. l asks you. tharfore. not
to go sayin' things to feed her doubts. With
Tucson Jennie my first business Is to live
down my past
"'You-all can bet says Texas Thompson,
while his brow clouds. that l learns enough
of lovely woman an her ways while IiNlil
with my former wife to make sech requests
sooperfiuous I'm my case. Specially since. et
It amt fer what the ~neighbors done tells
the lady, she'd never SO ropin' round Tor
that Laredo divorce. No. Dave; your Sc
crets is plumb safe with a gent who's sGI-
fered like me-
which | saveys I'm safe with all or
YOU says Dave, his confidence which the
thoughts OF Tucson Jernie sort o STAN
pedes, besinIin' to return. But now an
then, them gusts Of apurehensions frequent
with married gents, sweeps over me, an
| feels weak. But comm back to the dance
hall: As ! suggests. thars many a serene
hour I whites away tharin. Your days an
your dinero shore flows plenty swift in that
temple OF merriment- An chilled though l
be with the stirf dignity OF a welded mid
die age, II IL amt for my infant son, En-
right Poets Tut. to whom I'm strivin' to
set examples, I'd shore admire TO prance
out an live agin them halcyon nights;
that's whatever!
""Thar's quite a sprinklin' OF tho elect
of Tucson in the dance hall the evenin
I has In mind. The bar is busy; while up
an down each side, sech refreshin' pas
times as farobank, monte an roulette holds
prosperous sway. Thar's no quadrille goin'
at the moment. an a lady TO the r'ar is
carollin' "Rosalie, the Prairie Flower
Fair as a lily bloomin' In May.
Sweeter than roses. bright as the dayl
Every one who knows her feels her rentls
power,
Rosalie the Prairie Flower.
Ion this yere OCCASION. I'm so far for
tunate as 10 be five drinks ahead. an thar
fore would sooner listen to myse'f talk
than to the warblin' of said cantatrice.
AS 1t is, I'm conversin' with a gent who's
standin' hard by.
AT my elbow IS posted a shaggy an
forbiddin' lookin' outlaw, whose name is
Yuba Tom. an who's more harmonious
than me. He wants to listen to Resale,
the Prairie Flower" OF a sudden, he wills
about, plenty peevish.
"'"Stick a period to that pow-wow." OBJ
serves this Yuba: II wants to hear this
prima donna sing"
".Bein' gala with them i've libations. I
turns on Yaba a heap naughty. III you're
sobbin' to hear this songstress," I says, go
for'ard an camp down at her feet. But
don't come PAWN your way into no CONVEX
sations with me. An don't hang UP no
bluff
II you disturbs me further"
retorts Yuba, I'm turn loose for shore an
crawl your hump a lot"
''"Then foolharly sports" 1 replies.
who has heretofore attempted that enter
~rt-a f,,,,,l tN e. "a rpnra fhot n -~a~A f4-
mality. One an all they sleeps in on
known graves. So don't you-all poster me,
for the outlook's dark"
Its now that Yuba-who's a mighty !
cautions sport, an forethoughtful. an prone |
to look ahead-regyards the talk as down |
to cases an makes a flash for his gun. It's |
concealed by his surtoot an 1 amt noticed
it none before. Which. If I had, most like
ly I'd pitched that conversation in a lower |
key. However, by this time. I'm quarrel
some as a badger; an a willin'ness for
trouble subdooes an sets its feet on my |
nacheral timidity an holds her DOWN
Dave. you-all make me plumb nerv-
GUS says Boggs with a heap of heat, set |
tin thar. lynn about your timidity that a.
way. You're about as reluctant for trouble
as a grizzly bar. an you couldn't fool no
gent here on that pint for so much as one
white chip
Jest the same says Dave. mighty dog
matte. I still asserts that in a concealed,
Unborn fashion, I'm timid. absoloote. If
you-all has ever beheld me stand up ag'in
the iron, it's because I'm 'shamed to quit.
I'd wilt out like a jackrabbit If 1 amt held
by pride. /
"'"You're plenty ready with that Colts"
1 says to Yuba, an my tones is severe.
That's because you sees me weaponless.
II l has a gun now. I'd make you yell like
a coyote"
"'"s'pose you amt heeled," remon-
strates Yuba, that don't give you no IL
blame because your toilette amt complete?
an with that. this yere Yub AXE his
hand from his artillery.
Thar's a footle party who keeps tho
dance hall, who signs the books as Colonel
Boone. He's called the King of the Cow
boys" most likely in a sperit of facetious-
ness since he's a heap more like a deuce
than a king. This Boone's packin' a most
excellent six-shooter loose In the waistband
of his leggins. Boone's passin' by as Yuba
let's fly his taunts, an this yere piece Of
ton l secures 1t. an the moment followin'
the muzzle Is pressin' ag'inst q white pearl
button on Yuba's bloc shirt.
"''Be!n' now organized" I says. 'this
war dar >e may proceed"
I'm that scared. I fairly bankers for tho
OF howlin'. but I realizes acoote-
that havin' come this far towards homi-
eide I must needs 60 through II Yuba
crowds my hand. But he don't; he's plumb
forbearin' that a-way. an stands mute an