Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-10-09
The ColOnel's
Story Of Flad y
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY

CITTIKG by the camp fire one even
y 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 Canadian-Irishman who flashed
like n meteor across the border hrma-
ment some ten years ago. Col. Hutch
inson. who was the dean OF the party
and had seen bloody service In two
wars. threw lot Of unexpected light
upon the personality Of the vanished
bravo. and as n finale 70 the evenings
talk told this story:
His father was one Of that fast fad
ing race Of Irish gentlemen who chose
arms Ms profession and found neither
sorrow nor disappoin tment in the scat
tered and cruel rewards OF his adven-
turous life. Roger Flad. the father
was in every uprising that gave prom
ise Of hard knocks. When he couldn't
find work for his sword in the canse
OF his own suffering island he bought
n commission In the British army, and
afterward wandered round the world
like knight errnnt Of old. seeking
chances for chivnlrous Advancement. !
think he married Castilian girl hut
at all events Gerald was his only child
and he reared him as gentle.blooded
son OF n rowing soldier of fortune You
know the hoy spoke French. italian.
Spanish and German az well as he
spoke English. and he was n devil with
broadsword. cutlnss or rapier before
he was Of age, He had been expelled
from Heidelberg before he was rs. and
when he first showed mp ne the head
quarters Of Coppinger's California ex-
pedition 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 a fierce exnggeration Of all the
fathers passion for war and adventure
Of all kinds Well. everybody liked
him-I've heard Phil Sheridan swear
shot that ever came into the Indian
country-but he couldn't get things
hot enough for him. lie secuted for
two months In the Siorras on that Cal
hornia expedition. disappeared, and
the next we heard he wns distinguish-
ing himself In the Matahele wars as a
bushwhackcr and guerrilla. was
down In Old Mexico when Oehna was
starting things"-never mind what
was there for-And who should | see
one day. drilling troop Of the most
rascally outlaws that ever crossed the
Rio Grande, but Gerald himself, as
brown as an Arab and M iaunty as the
rowdiest rurale that ever wore spurs.
| didn't get In right with these revolu.
tionists, but | was In III paSo-they
called II Paso del Norte then-when
met Gerald, thin and yellow as parch-
ment. sNuntering along in the Plaza.
hailed him, and found out all about
the failure Of his ambitious plans. He
wos 20 have been governor or some
thing N the rebellion had succeeded.
He had been hit at the Arroyo hght.
crawled II miles Ia the river and was
now recuperating at Hotel Dieu,
skeleton OF himself, but ns full Of devil.
ment as ever He said very frankly
that he was In n terrible frame OF
mind about young woman Of Chihua-
hua-a high caste Mexican ~ Cordo-
van descent whom he meant TO marry.
even though he had to carry her on.
Singular, isn't H. how the fathers pre-
elections aprenred In the boy7
THE trouble ia" said Gerald. sitting
on a stone bench in the shade. the
girl Is in love with bullhghting ran.
scallion from Madrid who has been
down through the republic. strutting
and COW killing till the women are ali
wild about him. The worst - itishe's
coming up here, and Auppuse the
whole of Mexico will send h., best peo-
pie to cheer and lionilc him. | don't
know whether 90 kill him rr turn tor
eador myself and challenge him He'll
be here next month. and I've got to yet
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