The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-08-07
MARIA OF THE
MAVERICK.
BY ROTHWELL BROWN
COPYRIGHT, 1905, by T. c. Mcclure
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

6CeODCoC 10000 oOoO3OoOoOS
pccos Bill lay on the floor cursing n
broken arm. Downstairs i'm the dance
hall musicians were twanging their
fitldles. The sound came through the
boards to the boy. lie was 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 n pillow.
Tho door opened, and Maria came in.
She was small girl. Her eyes were as
dark as her hair. and her skin was of
rich olive color She lighted a candle.
1--WE been trying to.gct up to see you
all day. Bill, but l couldn't. Where
were you shoti"
'In the arm" growled Pccos Bill,
land it's stiff as thunder"
Its your right ono, too" said Maria.
"No matter; my left's just as good.
But I've got to get it fixed somehow,
and then I've got to go away. When
that shcriff's convention feds out I'm
here the crowd III tear the town down
to get me-
Maria barred the boys broken arm,
bandage from her petticoat and bound
it.
Il don't see how little thing like
that quecrcd me so,' said Bill. 1T
made me sick all over
"Now fix my gun" said PccoS Bill.
He passed it to her. II suppose the
crowds all here by this time" he add
cd while he watched her fill the cham
bcrs Of the six shooter with cartridges.
Course 'cm, 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 If l hadn't got
the drop Oh him first"
Maria clicked the gun playfully.
"You'd been all right cef you hadn't
got shot," she said.
Guess / amt any good any more"
whincd the boy. "Confound those sher-
IFS. l wish they'd hold their convcn-
ton i'm Jericho"
Maria left the candle on the floor and
opened tho door. The crowd in the
dance hall below was singing. There
were loud laughs and the noise of boot
I'd men lining up ut the bar. She crept
down the stairs.
The dance hall was crowded. Dark
skinned McNicans and gayly dressed
Mexican girls from across the river,
cowboys and gamblers danced and
chattcd or patroniZed the games of
chance. Three grave looking tiddlers
played on Il platform. Across one side
Of the long room was the bar.
Bob COwan, who ran the El Paso
Daily Maverick and was reputed to be
,rusc OF r--eo~,<-1.>.sA -,,-,>.~v
west Texas, and who was pointed out
to strangers as eel Paso's next mayor"
bought Maria q bottle of st. Louis beer,
imported ut great expense, and later
danced with her, to the admiration Of
all. Maria, whirlng over the slippery
floor. frequently glanced at the ragged
raftcrs cobwebbcd overhead.
"KIow that fellow" asked Cowan,
pointing to Il tall, loose Jointcd man.
Most prominent man in Texas today,
bar none. Sheriff, empire builder, he is.
Bill Sopcs of San Antoine, president Of
the shcriff's convention"
Maria danced and sang and enioyed
herself with the others until the sun
came up. She danced often with Bill
Sopcs, 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 Sopes, loung-
ing up to Cowan.
Cowan glanced down the long room.
Maria stood binding up her hair
"Oh,' said Cowan, that's Maria;
Mexican girl. She's typc1etter on our
paper. Amt she jim Dandy?"
''Shc 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 shcriffs' convention, then In session
In FL PaSO. and dealt the takes" to Ma
ria and The other girls. Maria clicked
the type mcrrily until suddenly she saw
the only two printed words she knew
Pccos Bill. She found the big capital
= with a haze before her eyes Then
she found the small letters, and the big
capital Il with the other small letters,
and set them up mechanically, faint
with fear.
The two words were near the end Of
the take. She finished it, thrusting the
remaining bits of type savagely 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 a
black cigar.
Tommy remained. Tommy was fore.
man. He set heads, read proof, helped