The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-18

4 AZ infested tho Texas border
Isf SS snlongs the Rio ,Grande.
S NJ Peculiarly striking to- tho,
jssT VA optic nerve was this no.
ID r.(a torious marauder. His,
+ personality secured him
e the title sof Black Eagle. the Terror
ofsthe Border. Many fearsome tales
4 are ot record concerning the dolngs
Il OF him and his followers. Suddenly,
In thssspaca; OF q single minute. Black
8 Eagle vanished from earth. He was
Z never heard of again. HIS own band
never even guessed the mystery Of
shis disappearance. The border
ranches and settlements feared he
:; would come again 70 ride and rayage
the mesquite fats. He never Will.
4 re Is i to disclose the fate Of Black
y Eagle that this narrative Is published.
The initial movement Of the story
10 Sturnisbed by the foot Of bar.
tender ID st. Louis. His discerning
eye fell upon the form Of Chicken
Ruggies al me pecked with ayldity at
the free lunch. Chicken was a hobo"
a IIei had Ia long nose like the bill Of
u q & fowl, an sinordlnate appetite for.
d poultry. and 3as habit OF gratifying II
4 without expense, which accounts for
\ the name given him by his fellow
.vagrants. ~ .t;a
u Is PhysIcians agree that the partaking
& sof liquids at meal htimes is not a
lhealthy practice !. The hygiene OF; the
saloon promulgates the opposite.
Chicken had neglected to purchase a
drink to accompany the meal. The
bartender rounded the counter, caught
the Sinjudicious diner by the ear with
q lemon saueezer, led him to the door
and Kicked him into the street.
Thus the mind Of Chicken was
brought ito realize, the signs OF coming
y winter. The night was cold: the stars
shone with unkindlyl brilliance; people
were 5hurrylng along the streets in
1.-TWO egotistic. jostlins streams. Mer
had L donned their overcoats. and
y Chicken knew to an exact percentage,
the increased difficulty Of cooking
& dimes from those buttoned-in vest.
pockets. The time had come for his
\ annual exodus to the south.
h! AZ little boy. 1--WE OF. six years old.
{ stood looking with coyetous eyes In a
q confeciioner's window. In one small
hand he. held an empty two-ounce vial;
4 ins the other no grasped something
nat and round; with a shining milled
y dgessF The acene presented field OF
a operatiops commensurate to. Chickens
!. talents and daring. After sweeping
the horizon to make sure that no Of
E.ficial tug was cruising by, he insid.
\ fously acoosted his prey. The boy.
having been early taught by his house
hold TO regard Z; altruietic advances
+ with extreme suspicion. received the
oyertures coldly. "a 81
Then Chicken knew, that he must
make one Of those desperate. nerve
4 shatterifg plunges into speculation
4 that fortune sometimes requires of
+ those who would win her favor. Five
cents was his capital. and this he
must risk against the chance OF win.
ming what lay within the close grasp
Y OF the youngsters chubby hand. 1t
was y fearful lottery. Chicken knew.
But he must accomplish his end by
II strategy, since he had wholesome
terror;ot plundering infants by force.
Once. In a park. driven by hunger.
\ he had committed an onslaught upon
bottle OF .peptonizad Infants food in
81 the possession of an occupant OF
baby carriage. The outraged infant
h had so promptly opened Its mouth.
land pressed the button that ltommuuI.,
Gated with the 5welkin that: help ar
< rived, and Chicken did his thirty
lays ande In a snug coop. Wherefore
& 70 was. as he said. "leary4 Of kids.
beginning artfully to question the
boy concerning his choice OF sweets.
Il he gradually draw out the, informa.
Y ton he wanted. Mamma said no was
Ito ask thu drug store for ten cents
worth OF naregoric In the bottle: he
was ito keep bis hand shut tight over
I, the dollar; he must not stop to talk
e to anyone In the street: he must ask
the drug etore man to wrap up the
change and put In the pocket of his
trousers.sS Indeed. they bad pockets
two Of them! And he liked chocolate
creams best,
Chicken Ne,t into the store and
turned plunger. He invested his en-
N tire capital in C.AA. N. D. Y. stocks.
simply topaye the way to the greater
risk following: f.. Il.
wv He gave the sweets 10 the young.
ster, and had the satisfaction Of per.
ceiving that confidence was estab-
Il llshed: After that It was easy to OBJ
tain leadership Of the expedition: to
4 take the Investment by the hand and
lead ut to a nice drug store he knew
I,Sof dnS the same lblockysT There Chicken.
" with icy parental air. passed over tho
dollar and called for, thea medicine,
III while the boy crunched his candy.
glad TO be relieved OF the responsI.
K billy Of the purchase. And then the
! successful investor. searching his
pockets, found an overcoats button,
d the extent Of his, winter trousseau-
and, wrapping It carefully. placed tho
81 ostenslble change in the pocket Of
X conhding juyenil!ty. Setting the
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