Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1911-12-14


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 fea-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
Frio 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
Rositas 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 fiocks 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, 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 al
its liveliest there descended upon II
Johnny Mercy, bitten BY jealousy
like one possessed.
I'll give you q 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, sheepman, pos
sessed a mind with triggers some
what well oiled and In repair. The
guns OF the wedding party had beer
hung, In their belts, upon nails In the
| wall when they sat at table, as q con
cession to good taste. But Carson
with great promptness, hurled his
plate of roast venison and frijoles q
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. II
was considered an improper act II
shoot the bride and groom at a wed
ding. In about six seconds there were
twenty or so bullets due to be whiz
zing in the direction Of Mr.. Mercy.
'Tll shoot better next time" yelled
Johnny; land thereIl be a 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 an,
away, shouting back curses am
threats as he galloped into the con
cealing chaparral.
n That night was the birthnight o
the Frio Kid. He became the "ba,
man" Of that portion of the state. Tn,
rejection of his suit by Miss McMul
len turned him to dangerous man
When officers went after him for tn
shooting of Carson, he killed two o
them, and entered upon the life OF al
outlaw. When he was. at last sho
and killed by little one-armed Mel
lean who was nearly dead himsel
from fright, the Frio Kid had tn
deaths Of Is men on his head.
Many tales are told along the boz
der OF his impudent courage an
daring. But he was not one Of tn
breed Of desperadoes who have Sea
sons Of generosity and even OF soft
ness. They say he never had mere
on the object of his anger. Yet a
this and every Christmastide II
, well to give each one credit, II II ca
be done. for whatever speck OF goo
! he may have possessed. II the Fri
Kid ever did kindly act or felt
; throb OF generosity In his heart It wa
once at such a time and season. An
this is the way It happened:
: One December in the FRO countr
rode the Frio Kid and his Satellit
and co-murderer. Mexican Frank. TIL
Kid refined in his mustang. and sat 1
his saddle. thoughtful and grim, wit
dangerously narrowing eyes.
Il don't know what I been thinkin
, about, Mex" he remarked In his usuf
mild drawl "to have fopaot all about