The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1911-12-21

the sound of hidden brook. The name
Of it was Rosita McMullen; and she
was the daughter Of Old man McMul-
len Of the Shutdown sheep ranch.
There came riding on red roam
steeds-or, to be more explicit, on a
paint and a flea-bitten sorrel-two
vooers. One was Madison Lane and
the other was the Frio Kid. But at
mat time they did not call him the
H7rio Kid, for he mad not earned the
nolors Of special nomenclature. His
name was simply Johnny Mercy.
1t must not be supposed that these
Two were the sum Of the agreeable
Rositas admirers The bronchos OF
dozen others champsd their bits at
the long hitching rack OF the Sun
down ranch Many were the Sleeps
eyes that were cast In those savannas
that did not belong TO the flocks OF
Dan McMullen. But Of all the cava-
liers Madison Lane and Johnny Nc
Roy galloped far ahead wherefore
they are to be chrOnicled.
Madison Lane, s. young cattleman
from the Nueces country, won the
Christmas day. Armed, hilarious, yo-
ciferous. magnanimous, the ccwmen
and the sheepmen, laying aside their
hereditary hatred, Joined forces to
celebrate the occasion.
But while the wedding feast was at
its liveliest there descended upon it
Johnny McRoy, bitten by Jealousy
like one possessed.
I'll give you a Christmas present"
lie yelled, shrill.', at the door, with his
IS in his hand Even then he had
some reputation as an offhand shot
His first bullet cut neat underbit
in Madison Lanes right ear. The bar
rel of his gun moved an inch. The
next shot would have been the brides,
lad not Carson, q sheepman, pos
sessed a mind with triggers some
what we'll oiled and in repair. The
guns of the wedding party had been
hung, in their belts, upon nails in the
wall when they sat az table, as q con-
cession to good taste. But Carson,
with great promptness, hurled his
plate OF roast yenason and frijoles at
McRoy, spelling his aim. The second
bullet, then, only shattered the white
petals &C a Spanish dagger flower sus
pended two feet above ROsita's head.
The guests sprrned their chairs
aud jumped Tor their weapons. 1t
vas considered al improper act to
shoot the bride and groom at we'd
ding. In about six seconds there We're
twenty or SO bullets due TO he wliiz-
King in the direction CT Mr. Mercy.
It'll shoot better next time yelled
Johnny; and there'll be next time"
He backed rapidly out the door.
The cattlemen swept out upon him,
calling for vengeance.
But the sortie failed in it's ven
geance. McRoy was On his horse and
away, shouting back curses and
threats as he galloped into the con-
caaling cnaparral.
That night was the birtbnight o.
tie Eric Kid. He became the bad
man of that portion of the state. The
rejection OF his suit by Miss NIclfuI-
ler turned him to a dangerous man.
When officers went after him for the
shooting OF Carson, he killed two Of
tLSul5 IiIu SIteISG upon Ike iil3 CT an
outlaw. When ne was. al last shot
and Killed By 3 little ore-arn,ed Mex
lean who vas nearly dead himself
! from fright, the Frio Kid had the
deaths Of Is men on his head
Many tales are told along the bor-
der Of lis i'npudent courage and
daring. But he was not one Of the
breed of desperadoes who have sea-
sons Of generosity and even Of soft
ness. They say he never had mercy
on the object CT his anger Yet at
This and every Christmastide it is
we'll to give each one credit, if it can
F., be done, for whatever speck of good
he may have possessed. If the Frio
/ Kid ever did a kindly act or felt a
| throb OF generosity in his heart it was
, once at such a time and season, and
/ this is the way 1t happened:
One December in the Frio country
| rode the FRO Kid and his Satellite
ana co-murderer, Mexican Frank. The
/ Kid refined in his mustang, and sat in
! his saddle, thoughtful and grim, With
/ dangerously narrowing eyes
Il dom kncy what / Seen thinking
about, Mex, he fs...5sr:- "a L. MS usual
lnild drawl, to has; go So. 81 about 2