The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-12-25
h Christmas story

THE heart of Bob Mccoy, like the
4 eternal rocks around him, had
grown harder-crystslizi with the
life he led. Yet there be sat before the
Pickering embers Of the rude hearth
stone, while the smoke in sinuOus
courses stole into the atmosphere IN
observed. Shadows had settled down
upon the camp, but the sinking sun
still illumined the mountain peak
where BOb's wife and child were buried,
victims Of a Christmas day catastrophe.
And as his gray eyes beheld that rough
and melancholy tomb, he was troubled
with inward cOmplainings that he was
q bandit, ostracised and feared by the
inhabitants Of the mining town below.
1t was thought that Mccoy had his
home not far from Bridal Veil Falls, in
the San Juan range, spurs of the Rock
les in southwestern Colorado. Precip-
itOus walls protected him on three
sides, and the rifle that had been as
true to his eye and finger as the beat
of his heart TO his life, would still com
msnd the entrance against the world.
This hardening of his life, the dying
Of his sympathles, had taught him q
philosophy of immutability. All things
seemed the same to-day aud forever
How then could he think that his soul
could be re- transformed when ages
we're necessary to make a rock and ages
for its destruction. And his petrified
soul antedated these gray worn chill
dren of the soil.
With his firm set chin resting on his
hands and his elbows on his knees,
BOb's thoughts kept clustering about a
cherished memory, while his dreary
gaze vas fixed to the halo on the noun
tain top.
The two companions Of Mccoy, hav-
ing finished the dressing of a deer out
side, came in to make ready for a de-
scent along the much travelled trail be-
tween the town and the Tom Boy aud
Smugler Union mines. "By -! The
pucker s all out O. y'ur face, Mack!
What's up? Amt you with US this
trip? You know we always get the
drop on 'em, and If they don't loosen
up, We sniff out Their light No use
lettin' 60 y'ur sand after you've always
been first to 90 head. What's a life,
anyway; no more an five-cent piece.
We're in for stuff, and we're gOin' 70
have it. Come OnT'
The entreaties of Bob's partners we're
Of no svail-they only added fuel tothe
fire in his burning bosom. He was at
that DOluG MHGE6 Ne must TAKE AlA6 LOI
better or worse, and that forever. Such
things make men halt, even far gone in
deepest crime, and feeling his eXtrem-
ity, Bob broke his mind to his fellows
IN voice shaken by agitation: Some
thin out o. common is the matter with
me, boys, and 1 can't tell Why. It start
ed by lOOkin' at yOnder mountain crest
and thinkin' Of things gone By. Did
ever tell you that Mary, my wife, and
May, my nine months old child, are
buried on that high peak? The only
kind feelin' that comes to me is when
work to keep the SHOWS of their chill
II bed; and If We was over there, you'd
see heap OF stones, and on one at the
top, cut in with my own hand, 'MOTHEF
AND BABY MCCOY, 1885, Ay, they were
innocent victims of q snowslide.
SOn the other side Of that same
mountain the forest had been cut
down. A bank Of trees vas left to stoE
a slide upon the camp, but they cut out
too many, and one day the SHOWS
lOosened the overhangin' rocks and the
whole side came siidin1 down, snappin
those b1rly trees like straws, aud
rocks so big they can never be moved
from where they plunged were hurled
20 the bottom. It left nothio' OF mJ
humble home. and when we dug oul
Mary and the Little One from the cold
and eemented mass, buried them OF
yOnder height where the sun could kiss
EN- first IN the morniu' and linger lat
est Ia the eYeniBa. It's mighty hare
to-
Brace up, old man. said one Of the
men, %When those feelin's come turn
en- out OF doors, and you can laugh 81
tears and broken heart"
At this Mccoy Was struggling viii
OverpOWeriDg emotion He turned
Guiokly from bis companions. and tap
ping himself on the breast, whispered
Over thsre, old heart. I planted tbs
bsst part OF you forever, and On Christ
mas, fcoi"
Mccoy stiE refused TO go and was
lets alone As the loeonotivs engineer