Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-20

the tanning of bad men in Florence
and O truce declared In the guerrilla
warfare between the cattlemen and
the sheepmen on the range.
Sims seemingly superduous flesh
was really Of great advantage to him
It served as a mask for his remarka-
BILE athletic abilities and SO lulled the
outlaws with whom he had to deal
into n false sense Of superiority and
security.
Slow and lethargic in his ordinary
movements, in an emergency he was
quick as panther, never falling to get
the drop on his man.
Furthermore. his fat exerted a ben
efcial influence on his character In
keeping him humble minded. Being
the most popular man in the county,
he would probably have been swollen
with vanity had there been any space
left vacant for 1t In his huge frame.
He was especially admired by the
women, but was at ease only In the
company Of those who were mar
ried. Ii was his fate to see the few
girls Of the region. with every one OF
whom by turns be was in love. grow
up to marry each some less difiident
wooer.
"Dangnation take IT." he used to
say. 81 don't git up enough spunk to
cut heifer out O. the herd until some
body else has rOped her an slapped
his brand ON to her Talk about too
many irons in the fire! Why, I've only
got one, an It's het up red oil the
time waitin' fer the right chanct to
use it, but somehow l never git 1t out
O. the Goals. What's the use, anyhow?
Nobody loves fat man."
Slim was inordinately pulled up by
Polly's preference for him, which she
showed by all sorts Of feminine tyran-
nies. and he was forced continually
to slap his huge paunch to remind him
self of what he considered his dis
abling deformity. Miss Polly" he
would aDostrophize the absent lady,
"you don't know what volcano or
seethin fiery love this here mountain
OF flesh is that you're walliin over.
Some day I'll erupt an jest eternally
calcify you If you don't look out"
The sheriff took no stock In Buck
McKee,s professed reformation and
was greatly worried over the influence
he had acquired over Bud Lane. who
had before this been Sims protege
Accordingly he readily conspired with
her to break off the relations between
the former outlaw and the young
horse wrangler. but thus far had met
with no success.
Payson, feeling himself absolved by
the death of Dick Lane from all obliga-
tions to his friend. began openly to
WOO Echo Allen, but without presum-
Ing upon the revelation Of her love Tor
him which she had made at his prcpo-
sition to 20 into the desert to Lanes
rescue. She responded to his courteous
advances as frankly and naturally as
bud opens to the gentle wooing OF
the April sun. Softencd by her GRIEF
for Dick as for departed brother rs
the flower is by the morning dew, the
petals Of her affection opened and laid
bare her heart Of purest gold. The
gentle, difiident girl expanded Into
glorious woman, conscious Of her pow
ers and proud and happy that she was
| fulfilling the highest function Of wo-
manhood-that Of loving and aiding
with her love noble man.
Jack Payson, however. failed to get
the proper credit for this sudden flow.
ering of Echo's beauty and charm
These were ascribed to her years
schooling In the east, and her proud
mother was offended By the way In
| which she accepted the young ranch
| mans advances. "You hold yourself
too cheap" she said. lit is at least
due to the memory Of poor Dick Lane"
whom. now that he was safely dead,
she idealized into type Of perfect
manhood, "that you make Jack walt as
long as you did him." When Payson
reasonably objected to this delay by
pointing out that he was fully able to
support a wife, as Lane had not been,
and proposed, with Echo's assent, six
months us the limit Of waiting, Mrs.
Allen resorted to her old expedient-
tears.
"Boohoo! You are going to take
away my only daughter!"
The colonel, however, though he had
loved Dick Lane as II he were bis
own son, was delighted to the bottom
Of his hospitable soul that 1t was
man not already in the fnmily circle
who was to marry Echo. especially
when he was a royal fellow like JacI
Payson. So he arranged compro
mise between the time proposed by
Mrs. Allen and that desired by the
lovers, and the date Of the wedding
was fixed nine months ahead.
1T will fall In June" said the ole
fellow, who knew exactly how to han
die his fractions wife, 1.-THE month
when swell folks back in the east dt
all their hitchln' up. Why. come tt
think of 1t, 1t was the very month
ran of with you In. though / didn'
know then that we was elopin' 81
strictly accordin' to the book Of eti
kwet"