The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-12

COut0ctS Va V9lAOuO AAAA0s no J00S
stayed by Elsie's side. and took her
from stand to stand buyin' her every ;.
thing In sight. |,
Mexico Charlie always took first
money on these occasions. him bein' :,
the star roper and rider In these
parts: but today he couldn't win moth.
in. and when at last q bronze
throwed him. he got up with wicked |
look, and never even smiled when FL /
sic rushed over to ask II he was hurt.
Just before shutdown when It was
al over but the biley, which was to be
In the schoolhouse that night, the /
crowd had dispersed and . little |
bunch Of three or four cow.punchers |
In front Of the hotel was all there |
was in sight.
Chick was leanin' against . post
listenin' to the rest Of us auger. |
when Mexico Charlie walks out Of the /!
hotel and stands on the gallery lookin'
down at Chicks feet.
"Fellows," he says short, do you
know why got throwed today?"
Course we didn't.
6Om6 lUW.uv0O 6Ou-OAs0-8OA4
snapped his dull spurs for my sharp
Ones" he says, and there they are"
, he says. pointin' to Chicks feet ''You
all know EN-"
Nobody says . word, for shore
enough Chick is wearin' different
spurs from the ones he bought down
| at Headwater about q month before.
and shore enough they're just like
Mexico's.
Chick looks up at Mexico to see
what kind of q joke It is. then he
crooks one leg and begins to spin the
rowel around foolish.
"These here" he says, ARE my
spurs. traded for 'em today with
Wild Cat Mike"
"And Wild Cat Mikes gone home. I
suppose" says Mexico suggestive.
| Eyes, he's gone home." answers
Chick still twirlin' the spur.
Mexico steps down and forces Chick
to look at him.
I'm goin' for my gum" he says
furious. 'Ill fix you for this" And
he rushes of toward the store.
Chick looks at US kinder be.
wildered.
"Now what did he mean?' he asks
innocent.
Then we all explain at once. for we
know this Mexico of old and that's
why nobody else has ever throwed In
too much with Elsie.
"Have you got gum" l asks ex
cited.
Chicks puts down his foot and
! reached back to his hip pocket.
Eyes," he says, DRAWN out, not
As, but sack of tobacco and bool
of cigarette papers.
Heavens. man." says Johnny Car
ton, where is it,"
: In my pocket" says Chick. COO
+ as a refrigerator. Il guess I'll hav'
y time to roll cigarette before h
q gifts back" he adds in his injured
8 tone. "Tve got a date with Elsie TO
q the dance, too" he says regretful.
q Well, we all looked foolish.
This was the coward we had laughe
'e at, and tortured, now ready to fac
u the Bad Man Of Floretta in the w0ra
II of his moods!
" The whole group sauntered of b
&c from the hotel, for there were ladie
e. inside and they must not be disturbe'
It was only step to the store, an
II Mexico was comm back now. Nobod
ne made move while he walked up
II within twenty steps of where "
W. stood, his back to the hotel gallery.
e. Chick spat out his cigarette.
Mexico whipped out his gun, and
IS. glanced at the tenderfoot.
u' It was all over so quick, and ma
can't see everything at once. l r
Dr. member Chick had his gun-then
OK saw the widest look of misery con
into his eyes. Almost at the san
OF moment came the sound Of a shal
so step on the gallery, there was VIII
ne Of polka-dots, and then heard q
oo report Of Mexico's gun.
NC Chick had failed to shoot.
=. We all looked from one of the CO..
~ batants to the other, too dazed
"a speak, for there stood Chick unhu
~ while Mexico was lookin' at q pla
on his right arm from which we cou
-. see the blood was tricklin', him hav
the sleeves of his shirt rolled up.
Little Elsie Dalhart was stand
~ there. A pair Of spurs was In B
hand.
-" Here's your spurs, Mr.. Mex
Charlie" she was sayin'. I'm Sol
I cut your arm. but 1t only serves
LuA right. Between the mattress and
MA spring." she says contemptuous.
lno no place for a pair Of spurs.
oot my own hand on 'em while putin
the clean Sheets" she says, putt
ngs her hurt hand to her lips like
his woman does when she burns. or CT
got or scratches 1t.
nat Way down the track we heard
whistle of the evenin' passenger
ose, in west. 1t was the only sound tn
or was "Supper's ready" says Ell
Just kinder peevish. And we all turl
-eer and went In the house like bad b
that'd been caught stealin' green
to pies. All, that is, except Me,
fire. Charlie. amt never seen
cad since