The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-12-23

v
WN W, qasS of IT, IL possess
]. !" !. !. !. 4. !" J. !.
H(qNE1NI) Cd a quantity OF
lMEJ PS4@x1 jet black hair a
lSWNF b pair of extremely
AENk II frank. deep brown
eyes and a laugh
that rippled across
~ T. the prairie like
the sound OF a hidden brook. The name
OF Il 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, 10 be more explicit, on
paint and a hea-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.
IL must not be supposed that these
two were tho sum OF the agreeable
Rosita's admirers. The bronchos OF
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 caya.
Tiers 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 IL
Johnny Mercy, bitten by jealousy,
like one possessed.
"I'll give you a Christmas present"
he yelled. shrilly, az 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
I'm 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 been
| hung, In their belts, upon nails in the
/ wall when they sat at table, as con.
! cession TO good taste But Carson.
/ with great promptness. hurled his
! plate OF roast yenison and frijoles at
| Mercy. spelling his aim. The second
| bullet, then, only shattered the white
petals OF a 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 TO
shoot the bride and groom at wed.
ding In about six seconds there were
twenty or so bullets due 10 be whiz-
ziug in the direction Of Mr.. Mercy.
"I1l shoot better next time yelled
Johnny: and there'll 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 Mercy was on his horse and
away. shouting back curses and
threats as he galloped into the con
cealing chaparral
That night was the birthnght Of
the Frio Kid He became the bad
man" or that portion OF the state. The
rejection OF his suit by Miss McMul
len turned him 20 a dangerous ma
When officers went after him for the
shooting OF Carson, he killed two oil
them. and entered upon the life OF ar
outlaw. When he was. az last sho
and killed By little one.armed Mex
lean who was nearly dead himsel
from fright. the Frio Kid had III,
deaths OF rs men on his head.
Many tales are told aloag the Dor
der OF his impudcnt courage an,
daring But he was not one OF th'
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 4
we'll TO give each one credit, II Il cal
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 Il wa
once at such a time and season. ant
this Is the way Il happened
One December in the Frio countr.
rode the Frio Kid and his Satellite
and co-murderor, Mexican Frank. Tn
Kid refined in his mustang, and sat Il
his saddle. thoughtful and grim. wit
dangerously narrowing eyes.
Il don't know what been thinkin
about. Mex" no remarked in his usua
mild drawl, Ito have forgot all about