The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-03-03
LOVES lkaikT

wner Of the general store IN a ;
Western settlement; its main street
to little more than trail
through the prairies with a few
hacks scattered along either side.
Once a month the town took on
very evidence Of real life-irdeed
he excitement ran to sensational
engths before the last cattle man
,ad filled his skin with red liquor"
and turned his faithful horses head |
toward the open country.
That one day and memorable night
happened when Diamond A Ranch
paid of its cowboys. Otherwise
the little town Of Coma slept undis-
turbed through the other days OF
the month. But the ranch payday
meant 80 much to the storekeeper ana
the half-dozen bars and gambling
houses, that the owners thereof were
willing to wait month at time TO
corral the pay of the cattlemen and
still declare q good sized profit on
the year.
Care-free, reckless, happy and in
some instances dissolute and incor-
rigable, the cattlemen answered only
to their own laws and set their own
standards of conduct, gagged gener-
ally upon the capacity of the lndlvI-
dual to hide away the most of liquor.
Of the rugged host Sky High was
the most reckless, playful and care
free.
Everybody had a nick name and
Edward K. Landers had answered to
the name of SKY High" for so many
years that he had almost forgotten
that he ever owned any other. But
his family name was recalled to him
one day in an extraordinary and un'
expected manner.
Sky High" received a telegram
that is 70 say, the telegram va:
addressed to Edward (. Landers, and
Say High" finally figured out that
his own regular name matched tae
writing on the Western Union enve
iope. But just at the moment OF III
receipt and acceptance Sky Nigh
was to busy too open it.
With a bunch of his fellow cattle
men he was busily engaged in pulling
"Skeeter" Milligan down from th'
water wagon. "Skeeter" was Six!
Highs" special pal. and it grievec
Sky" to realize that here was
monthly payday being utterly waste
by "Skeeter" in total abstinence iron
red liquor.
During the process Of restorin:
"Skeeter" to a state Of convivality
T TIC telegram was forgotten, bu
when the session began to slacken /
: the middle it was "Skeeter' VII
,, suggested that Sky High" ha
: better take look at the dispatch.
Better see what's happening t
you, Sky" said "Steeter." Tha
telespatch may be your death wal
! rant"
I / Then "Sky" tore open the env'
d lope and read:
Your uncle died in New York an
4 left you his millions on condition
= that you shall live FOX one year
Il the mansion on Fifth Avenue ar
Il manage the estate. Five hundri
n dollars at express Office. Come il
mediately."
d When Sky" recovered from I!
> shock he examined the telegram car
It fully noted the signature of
Unc!e's lawyer and then started t
the express Office. There he fou
IN confirmation of the dispatch in t
a, form of crisp, new green-backs
~ ~ the amount of $500.
Oh Coma, en- masse, stepped up to
i. bar and had many drinks. The tV
score inhabitants Of the town, p!
Sky Highs" companions, iqu
aled the first installment of the +
- tune during the time SXy's' te
gram for more money was in trans
The telegraph company paid 81
on, his second installment the next