The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-18
TEN MINUTES I'm
LAND4OF STORIES
BY ELMER RIGDON.

The health giving water and the
salubrious air of Ozone Springs
were of the kind that appealed To-
the weary tenderfoot, who, now and,
again, struggled in for a few weeks
to build up his falling strength.
But no one looked the invalid so
much as did young man who ar
rived one day and modestly an
nounced that his cognomen was
David Hughes. He was the most
cadaverous, attenuated individual
ever seen in the town, and he
didn't look strong enough to last
the month. Hughes walked with a
cane, but he appeared cheerful
enough and wasn't inclined to talk
about himself.
Fatty" as the boys called him,
never complained about his health,
and after his first few days no
body paid much attention to him
until he began to frequent the New
York cafe and make love to Birdie
Hall, the dashing waitress. Red
McAllister, a cowpuncher, had one
night stood in the shadow of the
porch of the cafe and Toasted his
eyes upon the dainty Birdie as she
fitted hither and thither, deliver
ing steaming viands and distribut-
ing her bewitching smiles impair
TALLY among hungry boarders. A
laudable ambition to corral her
some day for his bride seized him,
| and the sight of stranger monOp-
| olizing her society caused him to
groan with jealousy. He had de-
fled the ridicule of his associates
by wearing starched shirt in the
hope of winning the girls regard
and now she was accepting the at
| tentions of an interloper. But
| the traditions of the town prevent
| ed him from laying violent hands
upon the visitor. 1t is said that
| the boys would sometimes besiege
| Huckleberry Smiths saloon, clam
oring wildly for drink and then pull
| the chandeliers out by the roots,
and ride the bartender on a rail,
but it was an unwritten law III
Ozone Springs never to muss up
man whose health was impaired.
This yere miscreant," growled
Red, trucculently, has set and ct
three meals, one after the other,
Jest to talk to Birdie. Sentiment
must be moughty inspirin' for
whar Fatty puts so much grub at
one settin' is beyond me. or
course, eff this yere party was not
failin' physically, I'd double him up
like a jackknife and chuck him
into the rainwater barrel, but beinn
mere shadder he's exempt frum
maltreatment." COZ
The wraith-like Hughes contin-
| ued eating at the restaurant, get
ting more friendly with the walt
ress each day, and as Red was be-
coming desperate, the cowpunchers
decided to hold a meeting and con-
slider means to get rid Of the in
eruder. Cinnamon Bill raped for
order with the butt end of his .45,
and said: "Accordin' to the cards
this year lean critter is enjoyiR
moughty poor health, and that
same bein' a fact, Red Is placed In
an embarrassin' position, as he
can't amoose himself with a gum
play or sech-like frivolities. The
demon jealousy has been gnawin
at the vitals of Red fer about three
weeks because he can't decently
efface this attenooated youth from
the situation by grabbin' him by
the throat, and the best thing we
kin do is to sa'nter down to the
Moo York cafe and put the matter
up to Miss Birdie herself.
opines that when we tell her that
eff she marries the shadder it's
only a question of short time
when she'll be one of them air
widders, she will think more favor
ably of Red
This plan met with the approba-
ton of the boys, and they solemn