The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-07-29
MARIA OF THE
MAVERICK 49,.
BY ROCKWELL BROWN

]
Pccos Bill lay ON the floor cursing 4
/ broken arm. Downstairs In the dance
| hall musicians were twanginE their
/ iiddles. The sound came through the
boards to the boy He was tall sun
Drowned young fellow. His blue shirt
was stained, and his boots We're dusty.
On the floor by him was his coat rolled
up for pillow
The door opened, and Maria came in.
She was II small girl. Her eyes were as
dark as her hair and her skin was of II
rich olive color. She lighted II candle.
I've been trying to get up TO see you
nil day, Bill. but couldn't Where
were you shot y
"ln the arm" growlcd Pceos Blll.
"and It's stIlf as thunder"
Its your right one too said Maria.
mo matter; my lcft's Just rs good.
But I've got To get 1t fixed somehow.
and then I've got to go away. When
that sherif's convention finds out I'm
here the crowd II tear the town down
TO get me"
Maria barred the boys broken arm
disclosing IL round. purple wound, cut II
bandagc from her pcttlcoat and bound
| II.
Il don't see how little thing like
that queered me So" said Bill. ut
made me sick all over"
"Now fix my gun" said Pecos Bill
He passed II to her. Il suppose the
crowds all here by this time" he add.
ed while he watched her I'LL the cham
hers of the six shooter with cartridges.
Curse 'em, why couldn't they go some
place else" he growlcd. at wasn't my
fault anyway, Graham was cheating,
and he'd killed me sure IL | hadn't got
the drop on him first"
Maria clicked the gun playfully.
You'd been all right eef yen hadn't
got shot" she said
Guess | amt any good any more, -
whined the boy "Confound those shcr
ms | wish they'd hold their eonven=
tion In Jericho"
Mariu left the candle on the floor ana
opened the door The crowd in the
dance hall below was singing There
/
ed men lining up nj the bar She crept
down the stnirs
The dance hall was crowded dark
skinned MeXlcnns and Euyly dressed
Mexican girls from across the river,
cowboys and gamblers danced and
chatted or patronized the games of
chance. Three grave looking tiddlers
| a. a -, II
of the long room was the bar.
Bob Cowan, who ran the I'll Paso
Daily Maverick and WAS reputed To be
the best Judge of stock and liquor In
west Texas, ana who was pointed on
to strangers as lei PasO's next mayor,
bought Maria bottle of ST. Louis beer
imported at great expense, and lHtel
danced with her. to the admiration OF
MI. Maria, whirIng over the slippery
floor, frequently glanced Mt the ragged
| ruftcTs Cobwchbcd overhead
"know that fellow" asked Cowun,
| pointing Ia II tall. loose inintcd man.
| Most prominent man In TcNns today,
bar none Sheriff, empire builder, he h.
Bill Scopes of san Antoine, president Of
| the shcriff's conventions
Maria dnnccd and SANG and enjoyed
! herself with the others until the sun
came up. She danced often with Blll
Scopes, her eyes shining, her looscncd
black hair falling around her face, and
her white teeth glistcning between her
parted lips
"Who's the girl" asked Scopes, loung
ing up to towan.
Cownn glanced down the long room.
Marin stood binding up her hair
oh" said Cowan, "thnts Maria;
Mexican girl. She's II typoscttcr on our
paper Aln't she II Jim Dandy
she Is said Sopcs
At 7 o'clock Marin climbed upon her
stool iw her case In the dLngy Office Of
the Maverick and began to set type
busly. She could not read English, bat
she knew the alphabet
AT noon Cowan wrote the story of
the shcritfs' convention. then In session
In FL pnso, and dcnlt the takes to Ma
ria and the other girls. Maria clicked
the type merrily until suddenly she saw
! the only two printed words she knew
Pecos Bill She found the hig capital
l. with haze before her eyes Then
She found the small letters. aud the big
capital Il with the other small letters,
and set them M mechanically, faint
with fear.
The two words were near the end of
the take She finished II. thrustng the
remaining bits of type SavagCly into
their places and clinging by the heels
OF her slippers to the rung Of the stool
Lunch time arrived The girls filed out,
followed by Bob Cowan, pulling at a
black cigar.
Tommy remained Tommy was fore
man. He set heads, read proof, helped
Cowan to make up" the paper every
day, and, when the proper time came
locked the forms and carried them 10
the press on his shoulder Maria re-
membcred II report, once current, that
Tommy was In love with her, but she
had never considered him seriously
| He was always 50 drunk, or had Just
been drunk, or was In n fair way 10 be
come drunk that she never had cared
10 90 near him. 1t occurred 10 her that
this was an exceptional ease.
She slid from the stool with the stick
of type in her hand, lodging between
the rows Of cases untll she came TO the
long narrow shelf where were ink and
roller, and struck off n proof.
Tommy was setting the head for the
convention story, when Maria touched
his grimy sleeve and smiled at him
"Please read this to me, Tommy" she
begged.
Tommy took the proof. His eyes
rolled wonderlngly. 81 want to learn
to read, and want you to teach me,
she explained. His face frightened
under the Ink. He gulped twice and
read:
'The morning session was adjourned
at IL o'clock, with twentysiX 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 Pc
COS Bill'-
stDIaa mia said Maria