The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-09-16
The COl0ne1's
Story Of Flad ~
BY JOHN II. RAFTERY

CUTTING by the camp f1re one even
ing the talk had turned upon the
striking performances of some of the
tenderfoot desperadoes who had out
shot and outshone some of the old
timers. Capt. Crews mentioned Ger
aid Flad and his brief but brilliant
career as ranger, and then everybody
had something to say about the dash
ing Observation-Disclosures who flashed
like a meteor across the border firma-
ment some ten years ago. Col. Hutch
inson. who was the dean of the party
and had seen bloody service in two
wars, threw a lot of unexpected light
upon the personality of the vanished
bravo, and as finale to the evenings
ak told this story:
| His father was one of that fast fad
ing race of Irish gentlemen who chose
arms as a profession and found neither
sorrow nor disappointment in the scat
| tered and cruel rewards of his adven-
| turous life. Roger Flad, the father
was in every uprising that gave prom
Use of hard knocks. When he couldn't
find work for his sword in the cause
of his own suffering island he bought
a commission in the British army, and
afterward wandered round the world
like a knight errant of old, seeking
chances for chivalrous advancement. l
think he married Castilian girl. but
at all events Gerald was his only child
and he reared him as a gentle-blooded
son of rowing soldier of fortune. You
know the hoy spoke French, Italian.
Spanish and German as well as he
spoke English. and he was devil with
broadsword, cutlass or rapier before
he was of age. He had been expelled
from Heidelberg before he was IS, and
when he first showed up at the head
quarters of Coppinger's California ex-
petition he had more scars across his
boyish countenance than half of us
veterans.
think the old mamie was only
lieutenant when the Brule Sioux got
him-was half sorry at the training Of
, his son. for the youngsters early life
was fierce exaggeration of all the
fathers passion for war and adventure
Of all kinds Well. everybody liked
him-Tve heard Phil Sheridan swear
that the lad was the best wild turkey
shot that ever came into the Indian
country-but he couldn't get things
, hot enough for him. He secuted for
two months in the Sierras on that CAL
ifornia expedition. disappeared, and
the next we heard he was distinguish
ing himself in the Matabele wars as a
:. bushwhacker and guerrilla. 1 was
down in Old Mexico when Ochoa was
"starting things"-never mind what [
WINS there for-and who should see
one day, drilling troop Of the most
} rnscally outlaws that ever crossed the
Rio Grande, but Gerald himself, as
brown as an Arab and as iaunty as the
rowdiest rurale that ever wore spurs
! didn't get in right with these revolu-
Lionists. but l was in FL Paso-they
/, called il Paso del Norte then-when l
met Gerald. thin and yellow as parch-
ment. sauntering along in the Plaza.
= I hailed him. and found out all about
, the failure of his ambitious plans. He
was to have been n governor or some
thing IL the rebellion had succeeded.
e He had been hit at the Arroyo fight,
crawled II miles to the river and was
now recuperating at Hotel Dieu, a
,
, ment as ever. He said very frankly
that he was in a terrible frame of
, mind about young woman Of Chihua-
s hua-a high caste Mexican Of Cordo.
van descent-whom he meant to marry
even though he had to carry her off
Singular, isn't It, how the fathers pre-.
elections appeared in the boy?
"The trouble is" said Gerald, sitting
on stone bench in the shade, 9Th,
girl is in love with bullfghting rap
scallion from Madrid who has beer
down through the republic, struttinl
and COW killing till the women are al
wild about him. The worst OF II is he,
!. coming up here, and l suppose tn,
. whole of Mexico will send its best PEG
pie to cheer and lionize him. dom
t know whether TO kill him or turn tor
+, eador myself and challenge him. Hell
pc here next month, and I've got to ge