Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-08-06
MADGE
A Story of the
Former West
By JAMES G. FRIEBERC
By JAMES G. FRIEBERC

By JAMES G. FRIEBERC
What a change q generation has
made In whut was once "the westr
When wild west" shows first appear.
ed they represented what was really
going op between the Missouri river
and the Pacific ocean. or. rather. what
was then dying out. Now the western
half of the continent Is dotted with
cities containing mercantile establish
ments, manufactures and dwellings
with every convenience. including lux.
uries. The western settler has given
place to the ranchman. the prospector
to the capitalist. the gambler to the
teacher and the Indian to all.
These people of former times const.
tute unique society. They were good
and bud mingled. the good constantly
striving to throw of the bad. though
the line was not sharply drawn be-
tween them.
The women. though dlsproportionate.
" small In numbers. partOOk OF the
same general characteristics us the
men. There was type OF western
woman. personated on the mimic stage
In eastern cities during the latter part
Of the nineteenth century. who was
very popular-a diamond in the rough.
independent. free hearted, free handed
and supposed to be fairly moral She
could ride, shoot or throw lariat.
tackle a grizzly or bring down an unite
lone ut long range. Some had fought
Indians. and all were fearless.
When a very young man. desiring to
see people of whom had heard 30
much. I went to spend season among
them. The Union Pacific railroad was
being built. and I Travelled on a train
to the foot of the Rocky mountains.
Then went on by stagecoach till ]
reached a region in which gold had re-
Gently been discovered, and I put up
for awhile at the boarding house Of a
woman named Hayward. Madge was
her first name. and she was seldom
called By any other. Those who ad-
dressed her by the last name usually
prefixed a Mrs. but whether she was
married. single or divorced didn't
know No one there cared.
There was that freedom about her
and her house Of which l had read.
Certainly nothing was conventional.
And yet there was line drawn be-
you'd which no one ever passed. saw
one man attempt to pass 1t, and ! also
saw Madge put him out Of her house
with II revolver.
was not over nineteen years old at
the time and looked even younger
Madge took ME under her protection
The first man who appeared to guy
me for tenderfoot got O dressing
down from her that shut him up In
stanter. and from that time. being con-
sidered by the frequenters Of the house
as her pet. ! was let alone.
Every one In the community gambled.
and Madge was no exception to the
rule. Every evening after she had
washed and put away the supper dishes
she would sit down with whoever was
ready to play the national game OF
poker, and more or less money would
change hands. But at II o'clock. no
matter who had won or lost, she would
take the cards from the table and put
them away. She said she didn't pro
pose that the house should get the
reputation Of being gambling den.
On one occasion man who had lost
good deal of money protested at the
game being summarily closed, where
upon Madge Informed him that he
would not be permitted to play there
again. Had she been man there
would doubtless have been q fracas.,
but Madgc had the support Of every
man In the party. though 1t is question.
able IL she needed It. think she could
have taken care Of herself had the ne
cessity arisen
wished to take hand at some OF
these poker parties, but Madge would
not consent to my doing so. One even
Ing | begged 80 hard that she consent
ed When left the table had lost
$50 Madge handed me tho money
which refused to accept from her.
whereupon she forced 1t upon me- 1t
ls needless TO say that this was the
last time played the game In her
house.
OF course those who came and went
to and from Madge Hayward's were
floating throng. Now and then some
pne who played poker there would
drop out, and l suspected that he had
been cleaned out, though nothing was
laid about 1t, and II was generally un'
nerstood that any application for
small loan would be honored by the
mistress of the house. Madge was
considered an excellent poker player,
hut | never understood that she was
much ahead In the long run. She was
20 liberal that sometimes It looked AZ
If she must be behind
Nevertheless occasionally saw her
win large pots. One evening was
ooking over a game ut which she was
olaying with some miners who had
ZONE In during the duy loaded with
lust. The miners were anxious for
high stakes. and Madge was continu'
lily trying to keep the limit down
Presently n Jack pot began to grow
Ipon the table. A number OF hands
we're dealt. hut nobody got the requl.
lite cards to open the pot. and at every
lew deal the pot was sweetenedL
A man Ivy the name Of Plunket was
iealer when some one got hand that
warranted his opening the betting.
Every one at the table was 'in." and
everybody saw" the bets that wei
made till all were satisfied. Then
was proposed. since there was q goo