Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-02-17

u 1ES, sir, that case certainly did
tear up the whole San Juan
country, an the ole woman
an me was about as close to
it as anybody.
You see, young Murray had come to
our ranch to board an get shet of II
bad case of wornout nerves. Every
mornin' he'd go off trampin' with his
rod an his pipe, an mostly we wouldn't
see him till night. Well, one mOrnin'
he'd fished up stream from both banks
an from powders in the middle, an
before noon he was tuckered out an
ready to set down under a willow tree
an eat the grub the ole woman had
fixed up for him.
All of a sudden, comm over the raise
benin him, he hears the thud of hoofs.
He'd read of stampedin' herds. an he
shins up that tree lively.
When he looks down from his perch,
he sees comm down the slope kid
a-horseback. He's bareheaded, an he
bends so far over his mop Of yeller
hair most touches his little mares
black name Right benin him. a-yellin
an a-ridin' like mad, comes man.
He's standin' up straight in his STIR
rups, with the very devil in his face,
an swingin' over his head, a-cuttln
the air like whiplash. is wicked
lookin' brandin' iron.
The kids maxim for the river, but
the little mare stumbles on some loose
stones an throws the youngster full
length. Somethin' tells Murray the
devil on horseback IL brain that kid il
he gets the chance, but before Murray
can let out a yell or make move
there's sharp report, the ping of a
bullet, an, sir. down goes that brandin
iron, kerSlap, an without word the
man sways an slides off his horse.
While Murray's pullin' himself TO
gether the kids on his feet. swing!n
from side to side like fellow with one
drink too many. When he stands be-
side the man he's killed. he looks a
mite of young un to send fellow
straight into the Bad Lands without n
word of warnin'. BY an by tie little
mare comes up out of the river =?
stands shiverin' an whinnyin'. She
wants her little master all right. but
she amt goin' near that body. Then
the kid turns roun' an lays his head Oh
the mares back an sobs fit to kill, no;
sobs like fear nor sorrow. but jus
pentup misry let loose.
At last he swings on to his mare an
rides off over the hill. Murray slips
down an hurries to the body, think.n
somethin' might be done for the poor
devil. But it's all overnight through
the heart, as pretty bit Of marksman.
ship as you could expect from boy
born an raised OH the plains. So Muir,
ray takes a han'kerchief an spreads it
over the mans face-a face hard in
life an horrible in death.
Then he hears voices. There's two
men an woman comm over the hill
The men jabber away in Swede. but
the woman JUS sets rockin' an moan
in Oh log close to the body. once
the men raise the handkerchief. an She
takes one long, shudderin' look ut the
upturned face. Murray said he could
read in that look all the horrors OF Il
lifetime of degradation an hardship.
At last the men rode off after the
coroner an sheriff, leavin' Murray set
tin with the woman. Eight miles
them fellows had to ride for the Off
GERS, but before they'd reached Roarin
Branch corner Murray. in his quiet
persuadin' way, had the woman drop
her apron from her face, an she was
talkin' in her queer mixture OF Swede
an 'Merican. What she told of her
life an her children's with the man
stretched at her feet was somethin'
Murray never liked to talk about only
he said that for nights afterward he
couldn't sleep natural.
Anyhow, when the officers an the
hired men came back, with cowboys
an ranchmen at their heels. Murray
told 'em he'd been engaged by the
widow to defend her son, Nels Jensen,
on the charge Of murderln' his own
father.
Everybody said the case ought to
gone to ole Colonel Bloomer. He'd
been the leadin' lawyer of these parts
| for years an was always on the side
| that had the most money. He'd sent
more men over the road to Canon City
while he was district attorney an kept
more from goin' there when he wasn't
| than any lawyer in San Juan. Besides.
he'd fought in the civil war an wore
a wooden han, an when the Roarin'
Branch guards was formed he headed
the subscription for uniforms All San
Juan agreed that ole Colonel Bloomer
was the only man that could save Nels
Jensen from the gallows or a long term
at Canon City.
It wasn't no cinch of case. The kid
was only fifteen, one Of them quiet,
stubborn natures common enough
among swedes, but mighty aggravatin'
| to 'Mericans. His father had been
square enough. paid his taxes reglar,
never annexin' calves that probably be-
longed to his neighbors an payin' cash
at the Roarin' Branch store. But Muir
ray didn't seem to be worryin'. He
kept on fishin' an trampin' an gettin'
fatter an better tanned every day.
District court set early that year,
with Judge Hyatt. as square Judge as
ever set in a Colorado courtroom, pre-
sidin'. He'd one of those jolly moon
faces, but face that could turn hard
as rock If anybody tried monkey
business In his court. He'd two boys
of his own, as fine a pair as ever open
ed eyes to Colorado sunshine.
When the case Of Colorado versus
Nels Jensen was called, every man in
the San Juan that could make 1t was
right on hand. So were some of the
women, sayin' how poor the widow
looked an how shameful it was FOR
her to come into court in the same ole
brown dress she'd wore before her hus-
band died.
Ole Colonel Bloomer was on hanu,
Cows that fai