Evening journal., 1905-04-17
The Humanity of 1t
Ioriglnall

tied to one who is notoriously un-
worthy Nevertheless a considerable
proportion Of the other half go right
on making the same blunders
Frank Rivnrd chose sheep raising for
his vocation, and his father established
and stocked for him ranch In Mon
taua. One would suppose that Frank
under the circumstances would take
pride and pleasure in attending strictly
to his ranch and his flocks and let other
things alone But there was great
deal Of time that hung heavy on his
hands. and we oil know that Satan
finds work for Idle hands to do An
ole Mexican named Nuuez FustadO
lived near who supported a very large
family partly by cultivating a small
vegetable garden and partly by keep
ing a tavern. Tho oldest daughter.
Blanca, possessed certain elements Of
Spanish beauty Rivafd first saw her
six months after he had parted with
Julia Woodbury.. young lady Of his
own station, and TO whom he would
have made proposal of marriage just
before his departure had he not lacked
opportunity
The Spanish black eyes Of Blanca,
the red tint set in an olive cheek. not
withstandng that her hair was frowZy
and her apparel dirty, were very beau
tiful to Rivard-much more so, he
thought, than the girl he had left be-
hind bin. But only one who has seen
no women for six months can realize
how beautiful they are. Frank met
Blanca and made love to her, Of course.
That he should not do so was not to
be expected under the circumstances.
Few people commit great. blunder all
at once; there are usually successive
steps one morning after having been
with Blanca the night before in moon
light be woke mp conscious that he was
betrothcd He was Mortified at first
and kept away from the girl for two
days, at the end of which time they
were sitting ag1in in the moonlight
wrapped In each others arms and both
perfectly happy. From that time for
ward the lover considered the Mexican
girl necessary TO his happiness
Rivard was not the only fool Of the
two The girl had everything her own
way i'm a matrimonial point of view
She would probably not be very happy
under such an unequal marriage. but
this she did not realize. 1t was plain
to her that she would get the best OF
the bargain Nevertheless she threw
away the opportunity. she was consid-
cred petty in that region and could
have all the attention she desired. A
cowboy came along and made love to
her in such desperate fashion that she
rather enjoyed it. Instead of telling
him that she was engaged she tempo
rized with him until he came to consid-
er that she belonged to him. Then
when the damage was done she was
afraid to tell him that she was engag-
ed to Frank Riyard for fear the cow
boy would XIII him, SO she dismissed
him without any good and sufficient
reason.
The affair ended as such affairs occa-
sionally do-in q tragedy. The cowboy
sought her ont so often and so flercely
that she begin to fear Rivard would
hear of his attention. One day the
puncher told her that If she didn't
marry him he would kill her. She look
ed I'm his eye and saw that he meant
what he said and tried to escape. She
was too late 4 pistol ban solved the
problem for her and another prevented
trouble between her slayer and Rivard.
T The cowboy sent it into his own foolish
brain
When the catastrophe was broken to
/ Rivard he was crazed He spent a
week trying TO get over his loss.
decided TO try change OF scene. Lcav-
ing his docks in the care OF others. he
went home. The gradual approach to
civilization interested him and crowd
ed ont his sorrow. There is nothing
better TO alleviate grief than travel
BY the time he reached home he had
so far recovered that lie began TO real
ize the inequality of his intended union
At any rate, he would say nothing
about it.
The first woman Rlvard met after his
return was Julia Woodbury.. He wa:
sitting on the piazza in the spring sun
shine when she -ostensibly {,
see his sister Mary. When she came
up the steps and saw him her fac,
broke into a smile Of pleasure. Some
how a contrast between her ladyhkl
appearance and the souchy Blanci
came up before his eyes and he coulC
not get rid Of it, though the contras
annoyed him. The image Of Blanca die
finally die away leaving a real imag
Of Miss Woodbury. which was yer.
pleasant to look upon.
A week later a telegram came 70
Frank Rivard stating that his presenc
was needed on the ranch at once. III
had seen a great deal in a short tim
of Miss Woodbury., and by mutual con
sent of all parties they were left aion
together on the evening before his in
tended departure 1t was moonlighi
but Frank forgot that such was til
case on the night he proposed I
Blanca. At any rate, he proposed t
Julia and was accepted.
The next morning another telegrnr
came, saying that the danger had pass
ed, and Frank decided to remain Ion
enough TO take his bride back wit
him.
Frank" said his father on the da
Of his wedding, your mother wa
afraid the loneliness out there migl
lead you to do something stupid matr
monially, but l knew you had MOI
sense"