The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-11-01

M SSAtg
Joe whitman, cowboy. rode up to
the Circle ranch house n day to see
old Colonel Meecham about some lost
cattle, and ten minutes later he had
lost his heart to Miss Rose, the colo
neIs daughter. who was then u girl of
nineteen and her father h-ousekeeper.
Circle ranch had been a great ranch
In its day. but the colonel had met
with all sorts OF bad luck and couldn't
pay his debts. lie had a few cattle
and one cowboy left. while a colorcd
woman assisted Rose about the house
work.
Rose Nreeeham had not been educat-
ed in the east. She had been born in
the ranch house and sent TO a school
not IA hundred miles away. and her en-
Vlronments had beer OF the %plainest.
As lac adorfng fatIier said OF her more
than once after his wife died:
Rosie is good looking and honest
hearted and win make some man a
good wife. There's nothing of the CO.
quette or fiirt about her. She doesn't
know what n Irritation means. shes
Just n plain girl. with her heart set on
doIng all size can for he= old dnddy.''
That was the ~coloneI's way OF put
ting it, and it simply shows how little
the average father knows of the aver
nge daughter. Miss Rose was good
looking and honest hearted, but she
would hirt with n cross eyed cowboy.
Any other girl In her situation would
have done the same thing. There
--osnsN ,nrntbn,. GIRL Fn. ffftnnU miles
around. while there were about fifty
cowboys within that distance. and, be-
sides there was the fort only five miles
away and soldiers passing on the roHd
every day.
Joe whitman may have been aboye
the average cowboy In looks md q
ucatlon. Miss Rose had decided with
in Ave minutes that shc ike him.
Within another live she was smiling
so sweetly and talking so nicely that
she had Joe stammerinE out his words.
That was the beginning OF things.
He had driven home Il bunch OF the
coloners cattle that he had cut ont of
his herd, and. though he wanted TO
Finger at the ranch aud talk about the
price OF beef on I'll" hoof, tie drop IN
hides and the dry suuutrIer. he wasn't
equal to the occasion and was almost
bucked or his pony in taking his leave.
Joe rallied when lac got back 70 his
cattle and began 10 lay plans. and rom
that d.ty on ii was a cold day when he
did NOT bring in some OF i colonei's
stray stock.
1t was n puzzle to the old gentleman
why HIS cattle should wander six or
seven miles after pasture when they
had better Mt home. but 1t was no nIys-
terry to Miss Rose. Every time Il bunch
of the missing cattle came back Joe
had to stop to explain and to call for a
drink Of water n hang around for
a good half hour and that girl. who
didn't know what n Irritation meant.
laughed to herself after he had de-
parted.
Jim Taylor. the lone cowboy in the
coloners employ. was past forty. had
a wife somewhere In the east and was
out OF the running, but he was no
wooden head. When those lost cattle
were driven up he would go to the
colonel and declare that somebody was
driving them Off that no might have
II privilege OF driving them back
and tina IL Miss Rose We're his
daughter he would put his foot down
the colonel would loo up In an
way and exclaim:
Lord love MS, but you don't think
drives on u cattle and then
drives them ack agnIn!'
mo, 1 don't. colonel. but don't 1t
you that Joe whitman Is com
hero mighty often?'
sIsshe? Well. he has to bring back
HE strays, you know, and 1t is very
Kind of him indeed. 1 don't always
see him, but l hope that Rosa returns
thanks In a proper way"
Joe was working the cattle business
for all it was worth and calling at the
Circle ranch betveen times with or
Rnges and boxes of candy sent to him
from Denver, when a rIval suddenly
entered the field.
Sergeant smith, from the fort. came
along one day with n squad of men and
stopped at the house to make some In
quIrles. Tho sergeant was a good look
Ing man. He had a taking why With
A Irritation was started almost
at once. and when he took mp his line
ofmarch again he promised himsef the
pleasure of another cali.
T1ree days later he rode out 70 the