Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-03-13
DAILY SHORT STORY
tOTiginal.1
BUTTON.


generally With US the rattlesnake is
the most dreaded Of reptiles, but out
there they have what they call the
ella monster, that is more terrible than
the RATHER. Its bite is almost certain
death, and men have been known TO
end their lives with a revolver rather
than endure the agony resulting from
a ella bite When l went out there l
had never heard Of a ella, but after l
had seen one and its effect l never
wanted TO see another.
One afternoon while riding past
house. or. rather. hut, belonging 10 one
of the herders Of a ranch near by
heard 4 clatter and, turning, saw
man come gaIloping down the yoad. \
child about two years old had just come
out OF the house and was toddling
across the road. The horseman paid no
attention to it. / thought lie didn't
see the little fellow, but he did, for
just before reaching him he gave
whoop, cutting at him at the same
time with his quirt The child, too
young TO heed, stopped TO pick up some
thing that pleased its baby fancy. The
horseman rode straight over him.
The boys mother came TO her door
just IN time TO see what had occurred.
With a shrek she rushed TO her child,
picked him up and ran with him into
the house l would have followed to
administer TO her, but there We're 9th
ers with her. and, TO tell the truth,
had no heart for the work. The man
rode on to Il saloon farther up the road,
where he dismounted and went inside.
have never felt so ashamed of my
self for emitting TO 30 what honor
seemed to call for as in this case. In
the east / would not hesitate to protect
n lady from Il ruffian. Vet here WIS
woman whose child had been purpose
ly trampled before her eyes. and / did
not raise a hand TO ayenge her. But
what could | do? ANY interference on
my part must result either in my death
or that of the man who had committed
the outrage.
/ reported the matter to the owner of
the ranch, who told me that the boys
father was in his employ and was then
away herding cattle. There was feud
between him and the man, worthless
and desperate vagabond who had
ridden down the child to ayenge some
fancied injury. When the father re
turned one or the other would doubt
less bite the dust.
And if the father falls there will be
two victims instead Of one" re
marked.
we can't help that out here" re-
piled my informant. There's too little
law to cover such cases"
The next morning while riding over
the plain l came upon the childs moth
er. She carried a stick and Il coarse
bag and was evidently looking for
something. / did not see her face, for
her back was turned. Suddenly l saw
her raise the stick and strike at some
thing on the ground. In few no
ments she picked up what resembled Il
young alligator, holding it by the tip
of the tail. dropped it in the bag. tied
up the bags mouth and carried her
burden away, holding it apart from
her Then she turned and came toward
me- l would have liked to ask her
what she had been about, but there
was a look in her face that decided
me not to question her, and she passed
on without seeming to be aware of my
presence.
Curiosity got the better of me, and l
turned and followed her. She went to
the saloon up the road, and before
reaching ii l saw man asleep on the
porch. though 1 could not see who he
was. The woman drew near him
stealthily, pausing occasionally, witt
her eye fixed on him, till at last, com
ing upon him from a point where he
could not see her, she united the mouth
OF her bag, held it above him, and the
alligator thing it contained fell on his
breast
The man started up and on seeing
what had awakened him gave a cry as
piercing, as full of despair, as had
been given by the woman when her
child was run down. 1 saw him strug-
Cling with something that had fastened
upon one of his hands and finally throw
it from him. 1t crawled away, and l
saw il no more. The woman turned
and walked toward her home.
had seen the dreaded ella monster.
The woman had learned that her enc
my was asleep on the saloon porch and,
going out on the plain. had found
ella. When attacked the monster
feiCned TO be dead. She had therefore
no difficulty in carrying out her pur-
pose She knew that when her hus-
band returned the man who had run
down his child would expect to die or
Kill his adversary. Her husband, not
knowing of the outrage, would be taken
unawareS. She had resolved on her
own method Of foiling their enemy and
avenging her child.
was surprised 10 learn that the
child had not been killed. 1t had not
seemed to me that there was one
chance in a thousand for its survival
Perhaps il was that the horSe-one Of
the noblest and kindest of dumb brutes
tried not to touch it; perhaps it was
good luck; perhaps an interposition of
Divine PFOEfdauro Re- this az II may