Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-08-29
CHAPTER xvl.-(continued.)

Il, VAS a grim picture OF depravity
and desolatlon. the environment dul''
,,oomy. f%orlorn: all that was worthy
tho eve or thought being the pulslns
human element. All about extended
The barren plains. except where on
me side a rayine cut through an over
hanging ridge From the seething
stree, one could look up to the sum
milf. and see there the graves OF the
many uho had died deaths OF violence.
and been borne thither in their
boots" Amid all this surrounding
desolation was S~heridan-the child OF
4 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
tapping 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. aud the garish dens OF
vice tucked In everywhere The pen
dulum Of life never ceased swinging.
Society was mixed: no man cared who
bis neighbor was. or dared To question
on women worthy the name there
we're few. yet there were fitting te'
male forms In plenty. the saloon lights
revealing powdered cheeks n paint
ed eyebrows. II was a strange. rest
less populace. the majority here to.
day. disappearing tomorrow-cow
boys. half breeds. trackmen. graders.
desperadoes. gamblers. saloon keepers.
merchants, generally Jewish. petty OF
fcials. and a rin.rar no one could &C
count for. mere floating debris. The
owl was an eddy catching odd bits
Of driftwood such as only the frontier
ever knew. Queer characters were
everywhere. wrecks OF dissipation. De
relicts Of the East. seeking nothing
save oblivion.
Everything was primitive-passior
and pleasure ruled. To spend easil!
made money noisily. brazenly. was thu
IDEAL From dawn TO dawn the scarcl
after Joy continued. The bagnios an
dance halls we're ablaze: the bar
rooms crowded with hilarious o
quarrelsome humanity. the gamblinI
tables alive with excitement. Me-
s~ageered along the streets lookinI
'r trouble. and generally finding II
cowboys rode into open saloon door
ana drank In the saddle: troops q
eoneenial spirits. frenzied with liquoI
spurred %recklessly through the stree
hrlns into the air. or the crowd. a
meir whim led: bands played popula
AIRS on balconies. and innumerabl
oarkers' added their honeyed Inv
'auons TO the perpetual din. From en-
" end II was a saturnalia OF vice.
oaoel OF sound. a glimpse OF the Il
ieino. Money flowed like water; ever
man was his own law. and the gu
'e arbiter OF destiny. The tow
marshal. and n few cool-headed dep
ues moved here and there amid Il
'naos' patient. tireless. undaunte
'eeking merely to exercise son
ought restraint. This was Sherida
'nto me one long street just at du
'ode Keith and Neb. the third hori
uanlng behind. Already lights we
oesnhnlng to CLEAN In the crovd'
'd'oons. and they were obliged
r'oceed slowly. Leaving the negro
ue corral to find some purchaser
me animals. and such accommod
IONS Tor himself as he could achie'
ne"n shouldered his way on TO
urongh the heterogeneous mass
"drI The only hotel. a long two-stori
"oV"en structure. implanted. 'front.'
"e siitter of the Plnoeer Dance III
vpposite a noisy band was splitti
ue air with d%iscordant notes. a 10,
,o'ced barker" yelling through
aproar. but Keith. accustomed to sill
:" scenes and sounds elsewhe
s''ode through the open door OF {
ro'ei' and guided by the noisy. cont
aous claiier OF dishes. easily found
way to the dining.room. 1t was crov
GU with s.-- f-.. .-.x.A aantfnf