Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-29

Wonan's Love


he was down in the Matavas Valley
with neat little bunch Of horses
that was bringing him in more money
than he knew what to do with" SAID
the stocktender, as he soused a
breeding into pail of CASTLE suds.
"You know what I think, so there's
no need of me saying it." dslicately
remarked the Hair Circle Y boy
Honest to Henrietta Jane" pro-
tested the stock-tender ..Ie has to
let his wife handle it. She wouldn t
have it no other Stubby ; reform
ed"
on. if he's married" admitted tn
Half Circle boy.
sure, said the stock tender. "Oi
course, stubby'd know what to 90
With it if he was left 10 himself. He'd
give it all to the first tin-horn that
he met for the privilege OF pUshin ?
chips arsund over a liable Tor a few
wee small hours. Great little old
Study.
Still, that was the way he made
his stake Heard about that. d.dn t
you? Well, it was the time he got
fred from the Flying Dollar. He got
into a game at Iermosa with a
months pay, his saddle, bride, blank
cts, spurs, chaps and slicker, and
came out of it without EN- II the
marshal hadn't taken his gun away
from him. he'd have lost that, TOO.
Anyway, Sam Jacobs let him oat and
he was loafing around town wonder
ing if he wouldn't have to wash dishes
for the Bon Ton to pay his board,
when a Boston shoe millionaire came
in on the stage and braced Ed Nc
Wicker to find him guide that would
take him across the Limestone Range
70 Garnet Basin, where they stuck
him on some mining claims.
I'VE haven't got any professional
guide around here Just now, but l
guess l know gentleman who can
take you, though" says Ed SO he
sends for Stubby and introduces him.
This is the gentleman | thought
might accommodate YOU he says to
the affluent waddy. jerking his thumb
at Stubby.
Tn a plain spoken man." says the
Bostoner, sort of swelling out. Il
don't want no gentleman" says he,
and l don't want no accommodation
| want a handy man who knows the
country and can cook halfway de
cent meal and l propose to pay him
well for it. He won't be accommo-
dating me. He'll be doing what
want him to do because be needs the
money and I've got the money, SO
there's all there is to that If this
fellow is the best you can get and
you thirlz that he can take me to
Garnet Basin. I'll give him the job
but l can't say 1 like his looks.
He said that with Stubby right
there?' interrupted the Half Circle
boy.
The Kind of Fool He Was.
Sure replied the stock-tender
He was just that kind of a fat old
fool. Ed told me he looked for trou-
bic right there and got behind the
stove. but Stubby didn't make a move
He certainly seemed surprised, but the
next minute he said. as meek As
Moses, that he'd take the contract
and hoped to give good satisfaction
Very good, says Boston. Now
you. go out and get whatever is nee
essary for the trip. You can say
that FL Fay for it here. I'm not go
ing to take any chances of your tax
ing my money and spending it for
whiskey. You'll get your pay when
we get to Garnet and not before
That's perfectly agreeable to me,
says Stuhby, kind of husky but still
meek. So he hikes out and hires a
rsuple of horses and a pack mule, and
buys grub and a cooking outfit, and
they start out across the desert. Al
noon they camped and got dinner at
Parkers Coulee. and the Bostone1
kicked like bay steer at every last
thing. lie didn't like the alkali in the
water that Stubby boiled the coffee
in, he didn't like the flapjacks, and
he said that the way the bacon was
cooked turned his stomach, and he
cussed Stubby out for not gettin' him
a horse that rode easier.
I'm mighty sorry said Stubby
I'll try to do better
Stubby Takes Revenge.
"Along about shutdown, as they was
gettin' to Pass Creek. he began again
about the horse so Stubby reaches
out and grabbed him by the collar
and pulled him out of the saddle into
a bunch of prickly pear.
There, says Stubby. Now walk
darn you, and see how you like thai
for a change!'
You blasted rufianl" says Bos-
ton.
He started to say something else
but Stubby slid off his cayuse and
euffed him up to a peak. first one
side and then the other. Now you'll
try to be good, or We'll have a heaL
more difficulty, he says This is
the joyful moment i've been a-holdin
in for ever since l seen you.
Are you goirg to kill me?" says
Boston, Whimpenng.
That depends says Stubby. II
you behave. | won't much more than
half-ki1l you. You hike along fol
hat bunch of green yonder and II
Tell you the rest when We get there
Here, get UP and unsaddle these
horses and picket EN- says Stubby
giving him kick. I've never had q
millionaire funlcfy for me on the
trail yet, but I'm going TO now. Pick
ct the horses and then go and rustic
wood and water. and I'll tell you what
TO do after that. You and me is going
to take our time crossing the Lime