Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-07

wild west, a 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 ex-
listing 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 like TO
live that kind Of q life just as one
reading an imaginative description OF
a battle would wish TO be in ii. 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 the dime novels OF his day.
when be came Of age. having fallen
heir to little money, concluded to go
west, have look at the country and.
If he liked 1t, would invest his legacy
IN stock OF goods and set himself up
for a merchant. So Johnny took train
and was pulled as far on his journey
as there were locomotives to 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 so further on horseback. He
had provided himself with wearing ap-
! parel made for him after the pictures
Of "Arkansaw Pete" or Tennessee
joe" published in the dime novels he
had read. so he put on the garments
| and cast about for a horse.
There weren't many horses In the
country at the time, and what there
were. were in daily use. Johnny
spent lot OF time trying to hire or
buy an animal and failed. Then 1t
occurred to him that the hero in one
| of the novels he had read, when fleeing
| for his life. had borrowed a horse to
speed him in his flight 1t seemed to
Johnny that the time had come to
put In practice some OF that daredevil
recklesSness for which he had como
west He would go to some mans
barn. take a horse and. when through
with 1t, send 1t back to its owner
Having located a barn during the
day. at dead of night he went there.
saddled a horse-a coal black steed,
Johnny's favOrite color for a horse
was black-and mounting cautered
gaily away.
Johnny pulled up In the morning at
a small town and. asking to 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 mought git in
thar. There amt no hotel hereabout"
Johnny went to the house and was
received by a woman with tousled
hair and garments decorated with
grease spots. who welcomed him and
prepared a breakfast for him He was
waited On during the meal by Madge's
daughter, who. had she been better
dressed. might have presented a come
~ 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 In a long while-seen any
thing so fine. She asked him what
sort of a costume 1t was he had on.
which surprised him, for II" had sup
/
country.
Johnny's first thought was to find
some one TO 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 room and was shown b.
one. There was a bed in it-that is.
IT was called bed though 1t 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 hewn rafters. There was mel
Their 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 sudden fit OF Inconsistencies
However. he laid himself down on the
odorOus cotton "comforts'-the only
bed covering-without undressing. re-
solving that he had already had
enough of the wild and woody west
and instead of sending back the horse
he would take it himself and go on
home. Having come to this comfort
ing resolution he 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
ii all meant One of the men took
hold Of hts arm and landed him on
the floor. Johnny fell. but was lifted
roughly on to his feet.
What do you want with meT he
asked. irritated By his treatment.
You'll find that out soon enough. -
said one of the men. and. taking him
by the coat collar, pushed him down the
steep stairway.
On the ground Ho0r there were Madge
and her daughter, looking surprised.
Laws mercy exclaimed the lat
ter Who'd "a thought be was boss
thief"
The remark was the first intimatiou
Johnny had as to the cause Of his treat
ment
"Shet up. Moll." said the mother
Horse thief" cried Johnny, VIII