Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1911-12-14


o. y the prairie like
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
paint and q dea-bitten sorrel-two
wooers. One was Madison Lane and
the other was the Frio Kid. But at
that time they did not call him the
Erio Kid, for he had not earned the
honors Of special nomenclature. His
name was simply Johnny Mercy.
It must not be supposed that these
two were the sum Of the agreeable
Rosita's admirers. The bronchos OF a
dozen others champed 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 hocks of
Dan McMullen. But of all the cava-
Hers Madison Lane and Johnny Nc
Roy galloped far ahead, wherefore
they are to be chronicled.
Madison Lane, young cattleman
from the NueceS country, won the
race. He and Rosita were married one
Christmas day. Armed, hilarious, vo-
ciferous, magnanimous, the cowmen
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 1t
Johnny Mercy, bitten by jealousy.
like one possessed
"I'll give you a Christmas present"
he yelled, shrilly, at the door, with his
AS in his hand. Even then he had
some reputation as an offhand shot.
His first bullet cut a neat underbit
in Madison Lanes right ear. The bar
rel of his gun moved an inch. The
next shot would have been the brides,
had not Carson, a 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 at table, as a con.
cession to good taste. But Carson
with great promptness, hurled his
plate of roast venison and frijoles al
Mercy, spelling his aim. The second
bullet, then, only shattered the white
petals of Spanish dagger flower sus
pended two feet above Rosita's head
The guests spurned their chairs
and jumped for their weapons. Il
was considered an improper act t
shoot the bride and groom at q wed
ding. In about six seconds there were
twenty or so bullets due to be whiz
zing in the direction Of Mr.. Mercy.
'T'll shoot better next time" yellet
Johnny; "and there'H be a next time.
He backed rapidly out the door.
The cattlemen swept out upon him
calling for vengeance.
But the sortie failed in its ven
geance. McRoy was on his horse an
away, shouting back curses an
threats as he galloped into the cor
cealing chaparral.
That night was the birthnight @
the Frio Kid. He became the "ba
man" of that portion of the state. Tn
rejection of his suit by Miss MENU
len turned him to a dangerous mar
When officers went after him for tn
shooting OF Carson, he killed two c
them, and entered upon the life of a
outlaw. When he was. at last she
and killed by little one-armed Me;
lean who was nearly dead himse
from fright. the Frio Kid had Ii
deaths of 10 men on his head.
Many tales are told along the bo
der Of his impudent courage an
daring. But he was not one Of th
breed of desperRdoes who have Del
sons of generosity and even Of sof
ness. They say he never had ,SQerc
on the object Of his anger. YetNI
this and every Christmastide It
well to give each one credit, II II Ca
be done, for whatever speck OF goo
he may have possessed. II the Eri
Kid ever did g kindly act or felt