The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-27
A Story Of Texas.


Fleetfooted Joe stood shivering on
the south side of a huge rock cliff.
1t was the only shelter afforded him,
far away to the north stretched the
boundless prairie and on the south
lay a strip of bottom land skirted
with timber edged by the Colorado
river, the waters of which could be
heard above the moaning of the north
wind. rushing and foaming over the
rock shoals. The timber was fenced
and Joe was left to seek shelter be-
meath the cliff In the narrow lane.
He who had once been free to roam
with others of his gang across the
prairie, or along the winding stream
now saw the sleek horses of the thrift
ty farmers of that section, grazing on
his own pastures from year to year
and hungered for the ripened grass
so scant in the lanes near by.
One by one Joe's companions had
fallen since civilized men had cut the
country into sections and quarter sec
tons; built houses and planted crops,
until he had fingered along those
lanes alone. Nipping grass from the
river. and running from those who
attempted to lariat him. He had been
too fleetfooted to be caught, SO they
had given him the name "Fleetfooted
joe" as tribute to his swiftness.
Three boys with their dogs and
guns appeared at the point of the hill
above the horses head. He seemed
to be sleeping, yet waking, at inter-
walls to shiver from cold, and cast
look down the road-now growing
darker with the coming Of the night
in search Of those VINO would disturb
his rest. AS the boys drew near and
peeped over the projecting rocks he
was sleeping peacefully and thought
lessly gathering some sharp-edged
rocks they hurled them toward the un-
conscious horse with shouts Of "Hur-
rah Joe! Hurrah!" Joe started, snort
ed violently and sped swiftly down the
road. Willie the boys shouting tri-
umphantly, whistled to their dogs and
rolling under the wire fence made their
way toward a neat brown farm house
plainly visible in the distance, I'M
mindful Of the chilling wind and dark
ening sky.
Down the road Joe skinned toward
the river, when suddenly q mule ear
rabbit sprang up and loped gracefully
across the road, Joe stopped, wheeled
quickly and ran back the other way
with the air of one accustomed to re-
ceiving blows from every source. He
climbed the steep hill and faced the
norther bravely as he ran. On, on, he
was getting slower, his feet faltered
as though he were weary, almost to
falling.
There's Fleetfooted Joe, watch me
scare him!" The speaker, a boy,
stepped forward and whirled large
white hat across the road Just in
front Of the frightened horse, who
whirled about and quickened his pace,
again going toward the rugged rocks
where we found him. Darker and
darker the sky. had grown until the
earth was almost wrapped in dark
ness, while the wind moaned around
the houses and among the scanty
bushes.
No one ever knew just how, GER
tainly none cared how, but Fleetfoot-
ed Joe reached the end Of his Journey
that night. They found him the next
day half wrapped in sleet with his
head bent under his shoulder. his
blood cold and dark staining the pure
Wilderness of the snow At the foot of
the clin. And for the first time men