Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, December 18, 1911, Page 10

PAGE TEN ri§l:mas \ HE original ciuse of the troubie was about twenty years in growing. At the end ol that time it was worth it. Had you anywhere 50 miles of down ranch would huve he of it. It po: ed a quantity jot black hair, within Sun. of a pair of extremely frank, decp brown eyes and a laugh | that rippled across | the praitie like the sound of a hidden brook. The name of it was Rosita Bullen; and she paAbE old 1man McMul- heep ranch, »riding on red roan B be more explicit, on a a fleabitten sorrel—two Kid. But at that time the call him the Frio Kid," honorg ‘ef: ) ‘ nume\if,lmpl’y Johtiny McRoy. not be supposed that these His It mu two were the sum of the agreeable Rosita's ad )yt The bronchos of a dozen o ' éismped their bits at the long hitching rack of the Sun- down ranch. Many were the sheeps’ eyes that were cast in those savannas that did not belong to the flocks of Dan McMullen. But of all the cava- llers Madison Lane and Johnny Me- Roy galloped far ahead, wherefore they are to be chronicled. Madison Lane, a young cattleman from the Nueces country, won the race. He and Rosita were married one Christmas day. Armed, hilarious, vo- ciferous, magnanimous, the cowmen and the sheepmen, laying aside their hereditary hatred, joined forces to celcbrate the occasion, But while the wedding feast was at its liveliest there descended upon it Johnny McRoy, bitten by jealousy, like one possessed, “I'll give you a Christmas present,” he yelled, shrilly, at the door, with his 45 In his hand. Even then he had some reputation as an offhand shot. His first bullet cut a neat underbit in Madison Lane’s right ear. The bar- rel of his gun moved an inch. The next shot would have been the bride's, had not Carson, a sheepman, pos- sessed a mind with triggers some- what well oiled and in repair. The guns of the wedding party had been hung, in their belts, upon nails in the wall when they sat at table, as a con- cession to good taste. But Carson, with great promptness, hurled his plate of roast venison and frijoles at McRoy, spoiling his aim. The sccond bulitt, then, only shattered the white petals of a Spanish dagger flower sus- pended two feet above Rosita’s head. The guests spurned their chairs and jumped for their weapons. It was considered an Improper act to shoot the bride and groom at a wed- ding. In about six seconds there were twenty or so bullets due to be whiz- Zziug in the direction of Mr. McRoy. “I'll shoot better mext time,” yelled Johnny; “and there’ll be a next time.” He backed rapidly out the door. The cattlamen swept out upon him, calling for vengeance. But the sortie failed in its ven- geance. McRoy was on his horse and away, shouting back curses and threats as he galloped into the con- cealing chaparral. That night was the birthnight of the Frio Kid. He became the “bad man” of that portion of the state. The rejection of his suit by Miss McMul- len turned him to a dangerous man. When officers went after him for the shooting of Carson, he killed two of them, and entered upon the life of an outlaw. When he was, at last shot and killed by a little one-armed Mex- fcan who was nearly dead himselt from fright, the Frio Kid had the deaths of 18 men on his head. Many tales are told along the bor- der of his impudent courage and daring. breed of desperadoes who have sea sons of generosity and even of soft- ness. They say he never had merey on the object of his anger. Yet at this and every Christmastide it is well to give each one credit, if it can be done, for whatever speck of good he may have posses If the Frio Kid ever did a Kkindly act or feit a throb of generosity in his heart it was once at such a time and season, and this is the way it happened One December in the Frio country rode the Frio Kid and his Satellite and co-murderer, Mexican Frank. The Kid reined in his mustang, and sat in his saddle, thoughtful and grim, with dangerously narrowing eyes. “] don’t know what I been thinking about, Mex,” he remarked in his usual mild drawl, “to have forgot all about & lived | d But he was not one of the | THE EVENING TELEGRAM LAK ELAND, FLA, DEC. 18, 1911. The Big CHRISTMAD SALE $5000 Worth of Ladies’ Ready-to. Wear to Close, at BARDIN From Dec. 12th to Jan. Ist My stock is too much for this time of year Boughttooheavyonsome articles | _ Christmas present I got to give. I'm | going to ride over tomorrow night and shoot Madison Lane in his own house. He got my girl—Rosita would have had me if he hadn’t cut into the game. ! 1 wonder why I happened to overlook | it up to now?” | “Al, shucks, Kid,” said Mexican, | "don't taik foolishness. You know you can't get within a mile of Mad Lane’s | . house tomorrow night. I see old man | f.-\lh'n day before yesterday, and he Mad is going to have Christmas do at his house. You remember | | how you shot up the festivities when ! Mad was marricd, and about the | throats Don’'t you sup- | pose Mad Lane'l! Kind of keep his eyve opin for air. Kid? You | plumb make me tived, Kid, with such remurks. “I'm going,” repeated the Frio Kid, without heat, “to go to Madison Lane's | Christmas doings, and Kill him. 1 eht to hizve done it a long time you snade? Lo i | “There's other ways of committing | y suicide,” advized Mexican. “\Why don’t vou go and surrender to the sheriff?” | “I'll get him,” said the Kid. H Christmas c¢ve fell as balmy as April. Perhaps there was a hint of far-away frostiness in the air, but it tingled like seltzer, perfumed faintly prairic blossoms and the mesquite grass., ! When night came the five or rooms of the ranch house were hr six ht- Iy lit, In one room was a Christinas | tree, for the Lanes b a hoy of three, | and a dozen or more gn were ex- pected from the nearer ranches, The guests had arrived in buck- | ¥ boards and on horseback, and were |3 making themselves comfortable inside it The evening went along pleasantly | The guests enjoyed and praised Rosi- | ta’s excellent supper, and afterward | the men scattered in groups about the rooms or on the broad ‘“gallery,” smoking and chatting. The Christmas tree, of course, de- lghted the youngsters, and above all were they pleased when Santa Claus himself in magnificent white beard and furs appeared and began to distribute the toys. “It's my papa,” Sampson, aged six. Berkly, a sheepman, an old friend of Lane, stopped Rosita as she was pass- ing by him on the gallery, “Well, Mrs. Lane,” sald he, “I sup- pos§ by this Christmas you've gotten over being afraid of that fellow Me- ———————— —— announced Billy RICES on every article in the entire stock will be cut. Some Coats, Cloaks, Capes, Sweaters, Shirt Waists, Etc., will be sold BELOW COST. Remen: €D! ber The Ladies’ Store--Bardin’s. Coat Suits, Coats, Cloaks, Capes, Sweaters, Dresses, Kimonas, Hose, Ties, Shirtwaist Muslin, Silk Underwear, Corsets, PRICES WILL BE MARKED DOWN Come and see! What is nicer to give foran Xmas present than a nice Kimona. a Sill Underskirt, a pair of Silk or Kid Gloves, a nice Shirt Waist, some Silk Hose, a Silk Scarf, Auto Veil. Wool Fascinator, a set of Beauty Pins, Linen Handkerchiefs or one of thosd new Ties or Collars. It is impossible to quote prices on all the articles to be found here .. “Oh, Thank You!” Roy, haven't you? Madison and I have talked about it, you know.” “Very nearly,” sald Rosita, smiling, “but I am still nervous sometimes. I shall never forget that awful time when he came so near killing us.” “He's the most cold-hearted villain in the world,” said Berkly. “The citi- zens all along the border ought to turn out and hunt him down like a wolf.” “He has committed awful crimes,” A —————————————— JUST A REMINDER :::kkf:::-:' ;h‘:t_.,l,o.gd ::‘t‘-;t;o;m; 50 $1.00, $1,25 and $1.50 Shirtwaist, $ 69 | | Our $1.50 and $10 White Serge Dresses closed ! §549 where in everybody. He was not al- 3 ! \ ing 83 & from ways bad—that T know.” 24 82.9% Silk Underskirts. 1.89 l | 40 Long Coats, regular price §2.9% to $1% 1 sl Rosita turned into the hallway be- ! [ $1.89 up to y tween the rooms. Santa Claus, in muf- 91 &1 1= Kaney : i s’ | fling whiskers and furs, was just com- 24 §3.48 Fancy Outing Kimonas, 2.49 il Remembee 6 oz bottles ot Peroxide Hydros: 09 'nglt:::(slh;vhn ‘you said through the 12 $3.48 Silk Kimonas, 249 (some stores charge 23c for 4 oz, bottles! . window, Mrs. Lane,” he said. “I was o e ¢ Also Colgates Cashmere Boquet and Violet Ta jcul:r‘lsll‘:::: ::;:n:n[:yyf‘?:k:;';:; 130 30¢ and Tac Ladies’ Ties, Jabots and Collars, cum Powder, the regular 25c boxes, ! . But I've left one for you, instead. It's to close, v JS or?2for g - in the room to vour right.” “Oh, thank you, kind Santa Claus,” sald Rosita, brightly. Rosita went into the room, while fanta Claus stepped into the cooler air of the yard. She found no one in the room but Madison. “Where is my present that Santa «aid he left for me in here?” she asked. “Haven't seen anything in the way of a present,” said her husband, laugh- ing, “unless he could have meant me.” The next day Gabriel Radd, the foreman of the X O ranch, dropped into the post office at Loma Alta. “Well, the Frio Kid's got his dose of lead at last,” he remarked to the postmaster. “That so? How'd it happen?" “One of old Sanchez's Mexican sheep herders did it—think of it! the Frio Kid killed by a sheep herder! The Greaser saw him riding along past his camp about twelve o'clock last night, and was so skeered that he tup with a Winchester and let him have it. Funniest part of it was that the Kid was dressed all up with white Angoraskin whiskers and a regular Santy Claus rig-out from head to foot. Think of the Frio Kid playing Santy!” (Copyright, 1910, by F. L. Nelson) 50 Silk, Satin and Serge Dresses at a Price That Will Surprise You enmrsc—. A Chance to Get Your Xmas Presents Chedf BARDINS Bryant Block, # Lakeland, Fla.