The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-07-30
MARIA OF TIE
MAVERICK -. !
BY RGThNELL BROWN
Copyright. 1908. By T. {. Mcclure

BY ROCKWELL BROWN

nall musicians were twanging their
fddles. Tie sound came through the
boards to the boy. He. was tall, sun
Drowned young fellows His blue shirt
was stained, and his boots were dusty.
On the floor by him was his coat rolled
up for pillow.
The door opened, and Maria came in.
She was a small girl. Her eyes were as
dark as her hair. and her skin was of a
rich olive color. She lighted candle.
i've been trying to get up to see you
all day, Bill, but l couldn't. Where
were you shot?"
I'm the arm" growled Pecos Bill,
land it's stiff as thunder"
Its your right one, too" said Maria.
No matter; my lefts just as good
But I've got to get 1t fixed somehow.
and then I've got to go away. When
that sheriff's convention finds out I'm
here the crowd II tear the town down
to get me-
Maria barred the boys broken arm,
disclosing round, purple wound, cut
bandage from her petticoat and bound
1t.
Il don't see how a little thing like
that queered me So" said Bill. ut
made me sick all over
Nov fix my gun" said Pecos Bill
He passed 1t to her. II suppose the
crowds all here by this time" he add
ed while he watched her fill the cham
beers of the six shooter with cartridges
Curse 'em, why couldn't they go some
place else" he growled. ut wasn't my
fault anyway. Graham was cheating,
and he'd killed me sure If l hadn't got
the drop OF him first"
Maria clicked the gun playfully
You'd been all right eef you hadn't
got shot" she said.
Guess | amt any good any MORE"
whined the boy "Confound those sher-
IFS. | wish they'd hold their conven.
ton in Jericho"
Maria left the candle on the floor and
opened the door. The crowd in the
dance hall below was singing There
were loud laughs and the noise of boot
ed 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 snd gamblers danced and
chatted or patronized the games of
chance. Three grave looking fiddlers
played on Il platform. Across one side
of the long room was the bar.
Bob Gowan. who ran the El Paso
Daily Maverick and was reputed to be
the best judge of stock and liquor in
west Texas, and who WAS pointed out
to strangers as lei Paso's next mayor"
bought Maria Il bottle of st. Louis beer,
imported at great expense. and later
danced with her, to the admiration of
all. Maria, whirling over the slippery
floor. frequently glanced at the ragged
rafters eobwebbed overhead.
Know that fellow" asked Cowap,
pointing 10 IA tall, loose iointed man.
Most prominent man in Texas today,
bar none. Sheriff. empire builder, he is.
Bill Scopes of San Antoine, president Of
the sheriff's convention"
Maria danced and sang and enjoyed
herself with the others until the sun
came up. She danced often with Bill
Scopes, her eyes shining, her loosened
black hair falling around her face and
her white teeth glistening between her
parted lips.
"Who's the girl?' asked Scopes, loung-
ing up to Cowan.
Cowan glanced down the long room.
Marin stood binding up her hair.
oh" said Cowan, that's Maria;
Mexican girl. She's typesetter on our
paper Amt she Jim Dandy?"
she is said Sopes
At o'clock Maria climbed upon her
stool at her case in the dingy office of
the Maverick and began to set type
busily. She could not read English, but
she knew the alphabet.
At noon CoWan wrote the story of
the sheriffs' convention, then in session
in FL paso, and dealt 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 big capital
P with a haze before her eyes. Then
she found the small letters. and the big
capital B with the other small letters,
and set them up mechanically, faint
with fear.
The two words We're near the end of
the take. She finished 1t, thrusting the
remaining bits of type sayagely 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. putting at
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 to
the press on his shoulder. Maria re
membered a report, once current, that
Tommy WIS in love with her but she
had never considered him seriously.
He was always so drunk, or had just
been drunk, or was in fair way to be-
come drunk. that she never had cared
to go near him. 1t occurred to her that
this was an exceptional case.
She slid from the stool with the stick
of type in her hand lodging between
the rows of cases. until size came to the
long. narrow shelf where were ink and
roller. and struck Off proof.
Tommy WAS setting the bend for the
convention story, when Marin touched
l. l.