47o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
July 8 
ON A COLORADO RANCH. 
“ NED/' 
SAKAn K. HOWARD. 
Part I. 
It was nearly noon of one of those brill¬ 
iant days in January, that are Colorado’s 
crowning glory, when I turned from the 
table where I was preparing dinner, to 
answer the knock that sounded on the 
door of our claim building or “ shanty' 5 
that was attached to the house as an ell. 
As I opened the door, I saw before me a 
youth with a pleasant face and general 
attractiveness of appearance. I thought, 
“here is a tenderfoot”—a name often 
applied to newcomers. I noticed the 
clear complexion, with no trace of the 
“ Colorado tan” upon it, the bright eyes, 
the deep color in the cheeks—too much 
like a hectic flush, I thought, as the face 
brought to my mind the beloved features 
of a brother who had died when about 
the stranger’s age,of that terrible disease 
—consumption. 
“Is Mr. Grayson at home ?" inquired 
the young man. I informed him that my 
husband was at work with some other 
men, cutting ice at the lake two miles 
north of the house, and that he would be 
home to dinner. 
“ I heard he was icing,” said the 
stranger, “ and I walked out of town to 
see if I could get a job.” 
I assured him that I thought he could 
get work for a few days, as it was so 
warm we were fearful the ice would 
melt before we could secure a supply, 
lie declined my invitation to come in and 
wait, and walked on to meet my husband. 
I thought that he seemed very restless 
and anxious. I fancied that he, like 
many another young man in the country, 
was in pressing need of woik to provide 
him with the means to live. I found 
myself thinking of him with much inter¬ 
est, for his resemblance to my brother 
had awakened an unusual sympathy for 
the stranger. I was glad to see that Mr. 
Grayson had set him to work. When 
they came in to dinner I could but notice 
the evident satisfaction with which the 
stranger regarded the steaming repast, 
and before his hunger was appeased, I 
felt sure that it was some time since he 
had eaten all he wanted. He told us his 
name was Edward Wilson. Before the 
ice work was done, Ned, as we called 
him, had proved to be such valuable 
help, that Mr. Grayson decided to hire 
him longer. He seemed glad to remain 
with us, and worked faithfully at what¬ 
ever he was asked to do. Two things I 
noticed that troubled me, he never lost 
that restless, excited appearance, and 
he always carried a revolver in his hip 
pocket. 
“ Ned,” I said, one day, “ Why do you 
go armed ? We are all peaceable people.” 
“ I might see something I would like 
to shoot,” he replied with a laugh. 
“ With that dangerous weapon about 
you, you are more likely to shoot your¬ 
self tuan anything else,” I said. 
“ Perhaps I may,” was the laconic re¬ 
ply, with what I called a look of despera¬ 
tion in his eyes. A mile below us on the 
river, was a sheep ranch, where an old 
man lived alone, and watched his flock. 
An occurrence that nearly terminated 
fatally with the old gentleman, Mr. 
Johnson by name, sent him to us for as¬ 
sistance ; his sudden appearance had a 
noticeable effect upon Ned, which causes 
me to relate the incident. We were at 
breakfast one mornim., when the sound 
of a rapidly approaching vehicle startled 
us—for it was an unusual thing for us to 
have callers in our isolated situation, and 
when they did come, it was not usually 
with the horses upon the run. Mr. Gray¬ 
son and I sprang up and hurried to the 
front door to see what was the matter. 
Even then, in my excitement, I noticed 
that Ned left the table and went out of 
the “shanty” door, not pausing to give 
the advancing wagon more than a look, 
and disappeared behind the buildings. 
The occupant of the buggy proved to be 
our neighbor, Mr. Johnson. He looked 
very ill, indeed, was hardly able to sit 
up and drive. He talked but little, but 
asked to have some one ride into town 
with him, where his family lived, and 
where he wished t~ consult a physician. 
As quickly as possible my husband 
made ready to go with him. Meantime 
I carried Mr. Johnson a cup of hot coffee 
hoping he would drink it and feel better. 
He told me he was too ill to take any¬ 
thing. As I returned the coffee to the 
table I saw through the windows that 
Ned had taken a position where unseen 
himself, he could observe the person in 
the carriage. 
He must have recognized our neighbor, 
and when the two men started for town 
he went about his morning work as 
usual. I thought he displayed a remark¬ 
able curiosity, but gave the subject no 
further attention. 
By neon, Mr. Grayson was at home. 
Mr. Johnson’s sou left him at our door 
on his way out to the ranch to care for 
his father’s sheep, that had been cor¬ 
ralled all this time. 
“ What was that old gentleman’s hurry 
this morning?” was Ned’s first question 
as we met the home-comer, anxious to 
know of the sick man’s welfare. 
“ He was nearly dead of poison,” re¬ 
plied Mr. Grayson, “ and naturally felt 
in a hurry to get relief as soon as possi¬ 
ble,” he added laughingly. 
“ ne frightened me,” said Ned, “ driv. 
ing up at such a furious rate. I didn’t 
know but some of Uncle Sam’s Secret 
Service men were coming;” and he 
laughed as if there was really something 
very funny in the idea. 
“ Who poisoned him? ” I asked, hardly 
giving a thought to Ned’s remark. 
“ The fire in the stove and a mixture 
in a pail on a stove,” replied my hus¬ 
band, who saw my curiosity was aroused, 
and liked to tease me. “ He was very 
ill, that I know.” 
“ Now, John Grayson, do drop riddles 
snd speak in plain English, or I will be 
two hours getting dinner,” I added, 
playfully. 
“ You have the better of me there,” 
said John; “my ‘Colorado appetite’ never 
could stand that, especially after my 
long ride—therefore I proceed. When 
our friend and neighbor, Mr. Johnson, 
the sheep man of Apishapa Valley, arose 
from his lonely couch and looked upon 
the flowing waters of Dead Man’s Creek, 
he was in his usual health,” pronounced 
John in a declamatory manner, for he 
couldn’t at once drop teasing. “ The 
god of day, in his chariot of fire, as¬ 
cended the Eastern skies and smiled 
upon the awakened earth.” 
“ Now John, don’t ‘ soar,’ ” I groaned, 
“leave that to ‘Samantha.’” He lifted 
his hand with a warning gesture, and 
continued : 
“Peak after peak of the snow-capped 
Rockies returned the smile. Did Mr. 
Johnson appreciate the beauties of Na¬ 
ture by which he was surrounded ? He 
did not! His mind was held in thrall 
by the minor difficulties of his business ; 
a dire calamity threatened his wooly 
companions.” 
“ Were they poisoned, too?” I inter¬ 
rupted. 
“ Oh ! woman, you would bring to 
earth by your matter-of-fact questions 
the flights of a Tennyson. Give me some 
dinner, ask questions, and I will reply.” 
I placed the dinner upon the table—it 
was just ready to serve, and no cook can 
endure with patience the spoiling of her 
dinner by waiting. Besides, I enjoyed 
seeing John in a merry mood—it spoke 
well for his health, the recovery of 
which he owed to Colorado’s healing at¬ 
mosphere. 
“ The sheep were not poisoned,” said 
John, brought into a state of communi¬ 
cativeness by sight of his favorite des¬ 
sert, “ but a few of them showed s’gns of 
the scab. To prevent its spreading and 
to avoid the necessity of dipping the 
whole flock, sheepmen apply what may 
be called medicated lard. Mr. Johnson 
put the pail containing this mixture upon 
the stove to soften it. No sooner had it 
begun to melt than he began to feel 
deathly sick ; he experienced a strange 
sensation, as if his muscles were becom¬ 
ing rigid ; he instantly divined the truth. 
Something in the mixture was poisoning 
him. He threw the pail outside the door, 
let all the fresh air possible into the 
room, and then drank all the whisky and 
camphor he had in the house, thereby 
saving his life, the doctor tells him.” 
“ Why hasn’t some one been poisoned 
before ? ” I asked. 
“ They applied it cold last summer ; 
besides, Mr. .1 ohnson thinks that the man 
he had with him then, who was a little 
reckless in his experiments, must have 
put strychnine in the ointment, and that 
by breathing the portion of it set free by 
the heating process he was made so ill.” 
“ What a terrible situation for him,” I 
remarked. 
“ It was, indeed,” said John ; “ yet his 
coc lness was admirable. He wrote a short 
statement of the facts upon a slip of 
paper and put it where it would be found 
in case be died, then sit down to await 
developments. As he grew no worse, he 
managed to harness his horses and drive 
here alone. The doctor thinks he will 
be out to the ranch in a week’s time.” 
When Ned had left the table, John 
said to me: “ Did you notice Ned’s re¬ 
mark about detectives ? ” 
“ I hadn’t given it much thought,”! 
replied, “ but he did act a little queer 
this morning. He seemed uncommonly 
anxious to see without being seen.” 
“ If he wasn’t such a likely lad I should 
suspect that it meant something,” said 
John. 
“ What could it mean, John Grayson ? 
You are a little too apt to see suspicious 
things,” said I, taking up arms at once 
in defense of the boy. “ He thought he 
had made a joke that was all.” 
{lobe continued ) 
Because a Person has a Bad Cough It should 
not be Inferred that Consumption has set in. al¬ 
though a case of Consumption is rarely met with, 
unaccompanied by a distressing Cough. Where, 
however, a disposition to Pulmonary disease exists, 
a Cough, if left to itself, strains and racks the lungs, 
wastes the general strength, and soon establishes an 
incurable complaint. In all cases, then it is the 
saler plan to get rid of a Cough, Cold, or Hoarseness 
without delay, and for this purpose no remedy acts 
more promptly or surely, or with more beneflt to the 
organs of the chest than Dr. D. Jayne's Expectorant. 
— Adv. 
MORN'S 
SELF-ACTING 
SHADE ROLLERS 
Beware of Imitations. 
NOTICE 
AUTOGRAPH 
ON 
Label 
AND GET 
THE CENUINE 
HARTSHORN) 
BEST LINE 
CHICAGO and ST LOUIS 
TO 
KANSAS Gin 
TWO TRAINS DAILY 
SAVE MONEY 
mrnmrmmm, 8150TopBuggy.875.00 
8100 Top Buggy.852.50 
885 Top Buggy.840.00 
885 Spring Wagon...843.50 
810 Single Harness....85.25 
828 Team Harness...814.50 
816 Texas Saddle.89.25 
ALL GOODS FULLY WARRANT 
ED and snipped anywhere to any 
meat WHOLESALE prices, with privilege to examine, 
We are headquarters for Buggies, Carta, Phaetons, Ex 
E i Wagons, Harness, Saddles, etc. Send at once Cot 
catalogue, CASH BUYERS* UNION, . 
W. Van BurenJ$S, B 56, Chicago,!]* 
Waltham and Elgin Watches. 
At greatly reduced prices for Rural New- 
Yorker subscribers only. 
Those who have received Waltham or 
Elgin watches from The Rurat. New- 
Yorker have been perfectly satisfied. 
The arrangement under which they are 
purchased is in the interest of our sub¬ 
scribers. The usual big profits are alto¬ 
gether eliminated. These offers are open 
only to Rural subscribers. 
If your subscription is already paid in 
advance and you want a watch, your 
n 
time may he extended or new subscrip¬ 
tions secured; or the watch alone may 
be bought by subscribers only at the 
prices named. 
* * * All are sent prepaid and insured, 
by registered mail. 
Every watch is guaranteed to be an 
accurate timekeeper. Money refunded if 
watch is not satisfactory and is returned 
within three days after receipt. Please 
write your opinion of the watches re¬ 
ceived. 
Offer No 164.—Waltham or Elgin, men’s size, With 
seven jewels, compensation balance and safety 
pinion, stein winding and setting apparatus and all 
the latest Improve 'Dents. The case is solid nickel 
silver, open face, and the crystal Is made of heavy 
plate-glass. The usual price of this watch is $8.50 to 
$12.50. We send it to subscribers by registered mall 
for $5.50; with three new subscriptions. $8. 
Offer No. 108.—A Waltham or Elgin 15-jeweled 
watch, containing all the great patents, such as com¬ 
pensation balance, safety pinion, stem winding and 
pendant setting apparatus. Breguet hair spring 
hardened and tempered in form, patent regulator, 
etc., fitted into a heavy nickel silver case, open face, 
like that mentioned In offer No. 164. The works alone 
In this watch usually sell at from $12 to $15. We send 
it by mall to any subscriber for $10; with three new 
subscriptions $12. 
Offer No 169.—This is a 15-year guarantee gold- 
filled watch case, containing a 15-jeweled movement 
and all Improvements mentioned under Offer No. 167. 
The case Is beautifully engraved and is made by 
placing two plates of solid gold over a plate of fine 
composition metal. This Is an open-face watch, and 
we cannot recommend It too highly. Sent to any 
subscriber by registered mall for only $15.55; with a 
club of five new subscriptions $19.25. 
Offer No-170.—Same watch as No. 169, but hunting 
case. Sent by registered mall to any subscriber for 
$18.50; with three new subscriptions a21. 
No. 4. C.—For those wno want the best and are will¬ 
ing to trust our judgment, we have selected a watch 
which combines richness with perfect finish. It can¬ 
not be surpassed as a timekeeper. It is full jeweled, 
the jewels being set In solid gold. It has the finest 
and simplest patent regulator known, as well as a 
patent safety pinion, compensation balance and 
Logan’s celebrated Breguet halr-sprlng, which Is 
bent to the required form and then hardened and 
tempered. It Is thoroughly adjusted so that it will 
keep accurate time whether hot or cold. It Is made 
by the American Waltham Watch Company, and 
called “ P. S. Bartlett.” Hundreds of people have 
paid as high as $125 for this watch, and the usual re¬ 
tail price Is now from $85 to $105. We offer It in a 14k 
gold, two ounces to 23^ ounces (40 to 45 dwt.) case, 
bunting or open face, handsomely finished. Price, 
$43.50; with a five years’ subscription, or five new 
subscriptions, $47.50. 
People who want this magnificent watch In a 
cheaper case can have it In gold-tilled case, guaran¬ 
teed for 15 years, for $22 In hunting case. and for 
$19.50 In open face ; for $19.50 In three ounce coin 
silver, hunting or open face ; for $12.75 In nickel 
sliver, open-face case ; a year’s subscription In¬ 
cluded with each one. 
No. 15.—A beautiful 11-jewel movement, full nickel, 
In a handsomely engraved hunting case made of 14k 
a. S. Assay solid gold, usual retail price from $50 to 
$75. One of the prettiest watches for a lady that we 
have ever seen. Price $25 net: with five new sub 
scrlptlons, $28.50 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
Cor. Chambers and Pearl Sts., New York. 
