The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-08-04
MARIA OF THE
MAVERICK....
BY ROCKWELL BROWN
Csyylohf. 1905. BY T. C. Mcclure

Oy oNO"N x
4 Cspr1oha. Isos. by T. C. Mcclure I
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Pecos Bill lay on the floor cursing q
broken arm. Downstairs in the dance
hall musicians were twanging their
adde's. The sound came through the
boards to the boy. He was II tall. sun
Drowned young fellow. His blue shirt
was stained. and his boots Were dusty.
On the door by him was his coat rolled
up for pillow.
The door opened. and Maria came in.
She was q small girl. Her eyes were as
dark as her hair. and her skin was of q
rich olive color. She lighted candle.
"Pvs been trying to get up to see you
all day. Bill. but / couldn't Where
were you shoty"
"In the arm" growled Pecos Bill.
''and it's stin rs thunder"
"It's your right one. too" said Maria.
''No matter; my |. fits just a good.
But I've got to get II fixed somehow,
and then I've got to 90 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 a round. purple wound. cut a
bandage from her petticoat and bound
Il.
~ don't see how a little thing like
that queered me so." said Bill. "It
made me sick all over"
Nov fix my gun" said Pecos Bill.
He passed IL to her. II suppose the
crowds all here by this time" he add.
ed while he watched her NIL the cham.
bers of the ak shooter with cartridges
Course 'em. why couldn't they go some
place else" he growled. 1T wasn't my
fault anyway. Graham was cheating
and he'd killed Inc sure II | hadn't go,
the drop on linn FIRST"
Maria clicked the gun pIayfully
"You'd been all right sef you hadn't
got shot," she said.
"Guess amt any good any more. n
whined the 10y. "Confound those sher
IFS. I wish they'd hold their conven
don 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. Darh
skinned Mexicans and gayly dressed
Mexican girls from across the river
cowboys and gamblers danced and
chatted or patronized the games oi
chance. Three grave looking fiddler.
played ON a platform. Across one sid'
Of the long room was the bar.
Bob Cowan. who ran the Ell Pase
Daily Maverick and was reputed to bs
the best judge of stock and liquor In
west Texas. and who was pointed out
| to strangers as '.El Pasos next mayor,
bought Maria a bottle of st. Louis beer
| imported at great expense, and latel
danced with her. to the admiration ol
all. Maria. whirling over the slippery
aoor. frequently glanced at the ragget
rafters eobwebbed overhead.
Know that fellow" asked Cowan
pointing to tall. loose jointed man
Most prominent man in Texas today
bar none. Sheriff. empire builder. he Is
| FIJI Sopes of San Antoine. president o
| The sheriff's convention"
Maria danced and sang and enjoye,
came up. She danced often with BIZ
Sopes. her eyes shining. her ioosene,
black hair falling around her face. an,
her white teeth glistening between he
parted lips.
who's the girir asked Sopes. loung
ing up to Cowan.
Cowan glanced down the long room
Maria stood binding up her hair,
"Oh." said Cowan, ''thats Maria
Mexican girl. shes typesetter on ou
paper. Amt she Jim Dandyr'
"she is" said sopes,
| At O'Clock Maria climbed upon he
stool at her case In the dingy Office o
the Maverick and began TO set typ
busily. She could not read English. bu
she knew the alphabet.
At noon Cowan wrote the story o
the sheriffs' convention. then In sessio
in FL Paso. and dealt the takes" to Ms
ria and the other girls. Maria clicke
the type merriiy until suddenly she say
the only two printed words she knew
Pecos Bill. She found the big capits
p with a haze before her eyes. The
she found the small letters. and the bi
capital b with the other small letter
and set them up mechanically. fair
with fear.
The two words were near the end &
the take. She finished II. thrusting III
remaining bits OF type savagely INF
their places and clinging by the hee
Of her slippers to the rung of the stoo
Lunch time arrived. The girls filed ou
followed by Bob Cowan. putting at
black cigar.
Tommy remained. Tommy was for
man. He set heads, read proof, helpe
Cowan to make up" the paper ever
day. and. when the proper time cam
locked the forms aud carried them
the press on his shoulder. Maria r
membered a report. once current. thu
Tommy was In love with her. but 81
had never considered him seriousl
He was always so drunk. or had ju
been drunk. or was In fair way to b
come drunk. that she never had care
to go near him. II occurred to her TIN
this was an exceptional case.
She slid from the stool with the sti,
: Of type in her hand. dodging betwe,
/ the rows OF cases. until she came to Il
, long. narrow shelf where We're ink al
roller. and struck OF proof.
} Tommy was setting the head for q
convention story. when Maria touch
: his grsmy slecv" and smiled at hil
, "Please read this TO me, Tommy" s.
begged.
Tomnra took the nroof Hia av