The daily Alaskan., 1912-12-31
The Wild West It Was Different From What Johnny Bruce Had
 Expected
By EVELYN rHURBER

wild west, horse was about the most valuable thing a man could possess consequently horse thieves when caught, were hanged by the neck.
 The tales picturing the conditions e1. isting in that country in those days tales usually written by elderly la dies living in civilized eastern homes were fascinating to youth. They made the boys feel that they would Ike to live that kind of a life just as one reading an imaginative description Of battle would wish Co be fin it The real western life and the real battle are entirely different from these fancy pictures and altogether unattractive.
 But Johnny Bruce, a city boy, hay ing read Che dime novels of his day, when he came of age, having fallen heir Co little money, concluded to 60 west, have O look at the country and. if he liked i., would Invest his legacy in a stock of goods aud set himself up for a merchant So Johnny took train and was pulled as far on his journey as there were locomotives Go pull him, then got into a stage coach and went as far as that means of conveyance lasted Not finding anything rough enough to suit him he thought he would go further on horseback He had provided himself with wearing ap- parel made for him after the pictures of "Arkansuw Pete" or Tennessee Joe" published In the dime novels be had read, SC he put on the garments and cast about for a horse.
 There weren't many horses in the country at ehe time, and what there were, were in daily use. Johnny spent a lot of time trying Co hire or buy an animal and failed. Then it occurred Co him that the hero in one of the novels he had read, when fleeing for his life. had borrowed a horse Go speed him n his flight lt seemed to Johnny that the time had come Co put in practice some of that daredevil reckIessness for which he had como west He would go to some mans barn. take a horse and. when through with it. send it back Co lts owner.
 Having located a barn during the day, at dead of night be went there. saddled a horse-a coal black steed, Johnny's favorlte color for a horse was black--and mounting cantered gnily away.
 Johnny pulled up lu the morning at a small town and. asking Co be direct ed to a hotel, was shown a house, the person doing SO saying:
 "Madge Barker, she keeps boarders in that ar house; you thought git in thar. There amt no hotel hereabout.' .'
 Johnny went Co the house and was received by woman with tousled hair and garments decorated with grease spots. who welcomed him and prepared a breakfast for him. He was waited on during Che meal by Madge's daughter, who, had she been better dressed. might have presented a come. ly appearance. She was just Johnny's age and it was evident from her man ner that she was much pleased with the young man. She had never-at least, not m long whlle-scen any thing SO fine She asked him what sort of a costume it was he had on, which surprised him, for he had sup posed it wns the kind woru In that country.
 Johnny's first thought was to find some one tc take the borrowed horse back to his owner, but he had not been to bed the night before and was very sleepy; SO he deferred returning the animal till he had had a nap. He asked for a room and was shown Co one. There was a bed in lt-that is, it was callei a bed though lt was real ly bunk built against the side Of the room. which was not plastered and had no ceiling to cover its bare and rough hewu rafters. There was mel ther carpet nor furniture, except a washstand with a tin basin on it
 A reaction came over Johnny. Some how there was no dime novel glamour about the place, and he was seized with a sudden at of homesickness However. he laid himself down on the odorous cotton "comforts"-the only bed covering undressing, re- solving thnt he had already had enough Of the wild and woolly west and Instead Of sending back the horse he would take it himself and go on home. Having come to this comfort ing resolution be fell asleep.
 He was awakened during the after noon by several men, who crowded into the room. "Come. we want you"
 Half awake, Johnny blinked his eyes at them. not understanding what lt all meant One of the men tock hold of bh arm and landed him on the floor. johnny fell, but was lifted roughly on to bis feet
 "What dc you want with meT' he asked. irritated by his treatment.
 "Youll find that out soon enough" | said one of the men, and taking him by the cont collar, pushed him down the steep stairway.