The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-06-14
CHAPTER xVI.-(contInued.)

II Was a grim picture of depravity
and d~esolation. the environment dull,
gloomy, forlorn; all that was worthy
the eye or thought being the pulsins
human element. All about extended
the barren plains, except where on
one side a ravine cut through an over
hanging ridge. From the seething
street one could look up to the sum
NIT, and see there the graves OF the
many who had died deaths of violence.
and been borne thither in their
boots" Amid all this surrounding
desolation was Sheridan-the child OF
q few brief months of existence, and
destined TO perish almost as quickly
the center of the grim picture. a mere
cluster Of rude. implanted houses.
poorly erected shacks. grimy tents
Mapping In the never ceasing wind
swirling across the treeless waste, the
ugly red station. the rough cowpens
filed with lowing cattle. the huge. un-
calmly stores. their false fronts deco
rated by amateur wielders OF the
paint brush. and the garish dens CT
vice tucked In everywhere. The peu-
Society was mixed: no man cared who
his neighbor was, or dared TO question.
or women worthy tho name there
were few, yet there were Hitting fe-
male forms In plenty. the saloon lights
revealing powdered cheeks and paint
ed eyebrows. 1t was a strange. rest
less ~populace. the majority here to-
day. disappearing tomorrow-cow-
boys. alf-breeds. trackmen. graders.
desperadoes. gamblers. saloon-keepers.
merchants, generally Jewish. petty Of
ncials, and a riff-raff no one could 40
count for, mere floating debris. The
town was an eddy catching odd bits
OF driftwood such rs only the frontier
sver knew. Queer characters were
everywhere, wrecks of dissipation, de-
relicts of tile East. seeking nothing
save oblivion.
Everything was neutrality-suspicious.
and pleasure ruled. To spend easily
made money noisily. brazenly. was the
IDEAL. From dawn to dawn the search
ss,er Joy continued. The bagnios and
dance halls were ablsxe; the bar
rooms crowded with hilarious or
~Gvarrelsoms humanity. the gambling
ubles alive with excitement Men
swaggered along the streets looking
Mr trouble. and generally finding It.:
cowboys rode into open saloon doors
and drank In the saddle; troops OF
cpngenial spirits. frenxed with liquor.
spurred vsclGOssly through the street
firing into the air. or the crowd. A.
their within led: bands played popular
afrS on balconies. and iAnumerab!e
'harkers" aided their honeyod invi-
tations 70 the J erpetual din. From and
70 end Il wtH q sAturnAlia Of vice, q
babel Of soshd. 4 glimpse Of the in
fsrno. Money flowed like water; every
n was his own Law. and che gun
tho arbiter Of destiny. Tie town
marshal. and . lew cooLheadsd dspu.
ties moved here and there amid the
chaos. patient t~irelsss. andauntsd.
seeking merely To exercise some
slight restrsini This vas Sheridan.
Into tho ole bag street Just 1t ausk
rode Keith ara Neo. the third horse
trailing behirA. Aissady nghts were
beginning Is xlsam h the crowded
saaoons. AMI hey we're Obliged to
proceed slCsty. Leaving the negro at
The corral 81 md some purchaser for
the animsh. and such accommods-
tions for 'siSAsslf ~ he could achieve,
Keith sh llhlered his way on foot
through hse heterogeneous mass 10
ward the usly hotel. q long two-storied
wooden kructure. Imprinted. fronting
tNe glittF Vt the Pfnossr Dance Hail
opposite A noisy band was splitting
he air with d~lscordant notes. a loud
voiced bayltea~ yslllag through the
sprocr but lleltA. accustomed to sint
tAr - mes and sousds elsewhere.
ltrods through the open door OF TIE
1otel and guided b. the noisy. ooaSn-
Sous xiatter y d1nosu. easily ioand ~
~ sscs6d SsstrsSen. - uas orout.
4 ~ - ~ wsnsn oeatnnv0