Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-22
Edna Enid Derby Book Re-
view, when a, Mans
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Dear Juniors:
am sending you review Of the
book when a Mans Man" by Harold
Bell Wright.
It was the day after the Fourth Of
July and the cowboys Of Cross Triangle
ranch were breaking bronchos in the
large corral when the stranger came
up He was walking and plainly show
Cd that he was from the city. Giving
his name as Honorable Patches, he
asked for work and was soon employed
by Phil Acton, the foreman, and Mrs.
Baldwin the owner, or Dean as he was
usually called.
The Dean, took him in hand and
taught him to ride, shoot and lasso. He
soon became acquainted with Kitty
Reid. girl on the neighboring ranch
who had spent few years at school in
tho east and who when she returned
was dissatisfied with her girlhood life
and lover Phil. She found out that
Patches had come from the life she
longed for and she loved to talk to him
about 1t.
In the spring a guest, Professor
Parkhill, came to the Cross Triangle
/
locking old man and because no one
at the ranch would talk much with
him he spent most Of his time with
Kitty.
1t was again the Fourth Of July with
the usual celebration. And at the cele-
bration Kitty saw Helen Manning, her
friend and companion of the school.
Her new husband had brought her west
and they were going to spend their
honeymoon camping. And 1t happened
that Patches and Helen met. Patches
chasing q wild long horned ono down
a mountain side when he saw a woman
at the foot. A moment later he recog-
nized Helen whom he loved with all his
heart. He had once asked her to marry
him but she had refused, making much
run OF his idle life and saying that she
would not marry man unless he were
q man. He determined to make himself
man and did what we already know
OF. To return, the animals charged
straight at the helpless woman and he
saw his only hope in saving her was to
catch up with and rope the steer. In .
powerful effort he did so and it fell 1T
thc feet OF the now fainting woman.
When she came to he poured out the
story Of his love and what he had done.
The news of her marriage came az
terrible shock to him but he bore up
bravely.
Another interesting factor in Patches
life was Yavapai Joe, the partner of
Nick Cambert, whose business was to
steal cattle and put his brand on them.
Joe was poor half-witted fellow who
had come up there u few years before
and was taken up by Nick who abused
and worked him fearfully. Patches
was sorry for him and always spoke
kindly to him, for he said he reminded
him of someone he knew.
Toward fall the professor proposed TO
kitty and then as she turned him down,
left. Then Phil asked her finally II she
did not think she could be satisfied
with him and her old life. She told him
she thought not SO he went away sick
at heart for all his life he had planned,
a home with Kitty. When Patches
heard that Phil had been refused he
thought he would try his luck So one
day when put riding he told her his
knew was a millionaire, and asked her
to marry him. She told him she would
because he could give her the life she
longed for
Then Phil was shot AMI seriously
wounded and the look in Kitty's eyes
when she heard it told Helen, who was
at the ranch. that she loved him. So
Helen told Patches to release Kitty
without hurting her which he did by
telling her he had shot PIN when they
were quarreling. The accident happen
ed this way. Patches out riding found
Joe by freshly branded calf and Nick
a little distance away driving away q
Cross Triangle mother. BY his words
Patches led Joe TO confess that II was
the Deans calf. While they were talk
ing Phil came up and accused Patches
OF being a hand in the business. While
they were quarreling Joe rode away
and told Nick who came and did the
mischief.
and he had taken the best horse with
him. Then everybody just knew that
he had done the shooting.
Slowly Phil grew better and Kitty
spent all her tirne with him. One day
when he was nearly well and they were
sitting under some trees q short dis
lance from the house. they saw q
strange procession coming. 1t was
three men single file and when it came
Joe was first and Nick Sec
ono. securely tired to his horse. and
Patches haggard and tired drew up the
rear. Riding up he introduced himself
Rs Lawrence Knight, deputy sheriff OF
the county, and told Phil he should
thank Nick Tor shooting him ana Tor
bringing Kitty to her senses. Then he
went on and made the same discovery
to the folks at the house, adding Also
that Joe was Joseph Parkhill, son Of
the professor, and Nick was prisoner.
A few days later he said goodby to
Helen and said he was going over the
skyline with Joe, his partner.
am O sophomore in high school ant:
this is the book review wrote Tor
English.
Edna Enid Derby, age u,
Abba, Iowa
Dorothy Ruggles-A Pfacd. /