The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-17
MARIA on THE MAVERICK.

Pecos Bill lay on the floor cursing d
broken arm. Downstairs in the dance
hall musicians were twanging their i'd
dies. The sound came through the
boards To the boy He was a tall sun
Drowned young fellow. His blue shirt
was stained. and his boots were dusty.
on the floor by him was his coat, rolled
UP for a pillow.
The door oDened and Maria came in
She was "a small girl. Her eyes were as
dark IS ner hair and her SKIN was OF
rich olive color. She lighted a candle
i've been trying to get up TO see you
all day Bill, but couldn't Where We're
you shOt2"
I'm the ARM groWled PecOs Bill ana
its stiff as thunder"
Its your right one. too, said Maria
NO matter. my let's just as good.
But I've got to get it fixed somehow, ana
then I've got TO go away w nen tnat
sherifrs convention finds out I'm here
the croWdll tear the town down to get
nae.
Maria barred the boys broken arm. dis
closing a round. purple wound cut
bandage from her 2etticoat and bound
81.
II don't see how little thing like thai
Queered me SO" said Bill. 1t made
me sick all over Now fix my gun"
He passed 1t to her. Il suppose the
crowds all here by this time" he added,
while he watched her fill the chambers
Curse em. why couldn't they go some
place else2" he growled- 1t wasn't my
fault anyway Graham was cheating
and he'd killed me sure if I hadn't got
the drop on him first
Maria clicked the gun Dlayfully.
you'd been all right eef you hadn't got
shot" she said.
Guess / amt any good any more
whined the boy. "COnfound those sher4
ms 1 wish they'd held their convention
in Jericho"
Maria left the candle on the floor and
opened the door. The crowd in the dance
loud laughs, and the noise of booted men
lining up at the bar. She crept down
the stairs.
The dance hall was crowded. Dark
skinned Mexicans and gayly- dressed
Mexican girls from across the river
cowboys and gamblers, danced and
chatted or patronized the games OF
clauce- Three graVe-looking hddlers
played ON platform Across one side or
The long room was the bar.
BOD COWan- who ran the FL PasO
Daily Maverick. and was reputed to be
inc pest judge OF stock and liquor in
west Texas. and who was pointed out to
strangers as FL Paso's next mayor
bought Maria q bottle Of St Louis beer
imported At great expense and later
danced with her, to the admiration OF
ALL Maria whirling over the slippery
Noor' frequently glanced at the ragged
raiters cobwebbed overhead.
Know that fellOw27 asked Cowan
pointing TO "a tall loose ointed man
Most prominent man in Texas today
bar none-shertff. empire builder, he IS
BIN soDes. of san Antoine, president of
the sherlns convention"
Maria danced, and sang. and enioved
herself with the others, until the sun
came u. She danced often with Bill
7opes her eyes shining. her Ioosened
back hair falling around her face. and
her white teeth gIistening between her
parted ias
wv hos the girl2" asked sopes loung-
iuE uo to Cowan
CcWan glanced down the long room.
Maria stood binding up her hair.
Di SAID CoWans that Maria Mex
Jean girl. She's a typesetter on Qua
paper Amt she a Jim Dandv2''
She is said SoDes.
AL 3 o. clock Maria climbed upon the
STOOL az her case in the dingy office Of
sile Maverick, and began to set tyne
ouslly- She could not read English. but
she knew the alphabet
AT aoon CoWan wrote the story of the
s-.tlll convention, then i'm session In
~ fa so. and dealt the takes to Maria
ana tne other girls Marie clicked the
type merrily, until suddenly she saw the
only Two printed words she knew-Pe-
SOS Bili. She found the big capital p
VITA a maze before her eyes. Then she
Aounl the small letters and the big
capital 3 with the other small letters
an4 set lnem up mechanically, faint
with fear.
Inc take She finished it, thrustins the
remaining bits of type savageIv into
lnelr places, and clinging BY the heels
or nef slippers to the rung of the stool
--4i-DH tiHle arrived The girls filed out
l9loWed by Bob Cowan putting at a
Tommy remained. Tommy was fore
man. lie set heads. read proof helped
toWan to make up the paper every,
gay ana, when the proper time came.
telhel the forms ana carried them to
the press ON his shoulder Maria re-
laennered a report, once current that
0HIny was in love with her but she
mad never considered him SERIOUSLY He
was always so drunk or had just been
drunk or was ia fair way to become
drunk that she never cared to 20 near
an exceptional case.
She slid from her stool. with the stick
OF type ln her hand. lodging between
rows OF cases. until she came tn +ba
long narrow shelf. where were ink and
Aoller and struck off a proof
tommy was setting the head for the
convention story. when Maria touched
ms grimmy sleeve and smiled at him
Please read this to me. Tommy, she
begged
Tommy took the proof His ewes
-1-ls4 Wenaerlngly II want to learn to
read and want YOU to teach me s. she
explained. His face frightened under
the Ink He guiped twice and read.
ne NOR nlng session was adjourned
"t A- CLOCK with tWenty-SlX delegates
present. Bill Sopes of San Antonio.
president Of the convention made the
announcement that a reward of $500 had
been offered for the arrest of Pecos
Dias mia" said Maria.
wen known and prominent citi-
zen OF this place. for the shooting of
Harvey Graham near Sheriff Sopes'
city some weeks ago our fellow towns
man rs not now in FL Paso. although
tnere was rumor on the streets this
morning that he was seen here earlv
yesterday morning. and that he was
engaged in slight difficulty with a
stranger in Utah street dance hall"
Dlas mia" cried Maria
There said Tommy He looked
frrra ar ~f-T