University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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I 2 T II K F k KS II .M A X . Imt everything was against me. Kvery one knocked me and the only friend I had was an old drunken hanger on. ( ne day the hoys thought they would have some fun with him and the result was. when he resented it. they shot him. I killed the ringleader and tied to the mountains. From then on my whole nature changed. It seemed as if my very soul broke into small hits and then melted together in a solid mass. All pity was gone from my heart, love was a thing unknown, and I lived a life of crime, murder and robbery. I low I have sunk, no one but myself can tell. I grew worse and worse every day and when you tracked me out here I meant to kill you until I saw your face and knew the truth. ( nce again mv heart beat with the throbs of love: now the old Haines surge in my soul. Imt it is too late, too late for—’ 11 ere he broke down and wept softly as if hiding his grief from the curious rocks and crags. Williams arose and placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder said. “Cheer uo. old man. you’ve had hard luck, that's all. Come back with me and together we will live those years that never were.” I hit Lawton shook his head. o.” he said, “you’ve started out honest and I won’t spoil your career. People will discover the secret and all your ambitions will be lost. You’ve something to live for. I haven’t. I have lived my life and soon I will pass from this desert of pain, happy now that we have met. Leave me go. and I’ll light out for the Mexican border. Yo. you can’t come, bov. Co back and make a name for for vourself. but for Cod's sake not th? kind I made. You’ve got a chance to make good. I haven’t. Co in and win.” In vain did Williams expostulate and plead. Lawton was firm, and as their hands met in a last clasp his pent up grief burst forth. 11 is lips quivered, the tears gushed dow n his seamed cheeks a he said in a low broken voice. “Goodbye, Jack, and Cod bless you.” Slowly W illiams mounted his pony and rode to the head of the valley, where he paused and looked back for the last time on his brother’s form, then spurred his horse onward. The narrow defile was reached and before him. through the rocky portals lay the desert. I le paused for a moment and then rode out on to the whitened plains, soon to be lost in the enveloping clouds of dust. When Lawton rose and followed his brother’s path to the mouth of the canyon the sun was slowly sinking to rest behind the Heecy clouds of the horizon. Twilight now shed its grew some pall over the vast tract of sand, enveloping alike dune and hill in its stygian pallor. Leaning against his pony’s Hank he gazed upon the scene with glistening eye. The sands, lit by the moon’s bright beams, seemed as if thousands of dull gems had been scattered broadcast. Here and there a bleak cactus stood forth, half covered by the inky cloak of night, half immersed in the moon’s silvery rays: while the somber hills burst forth in a shaft of light, only to melt into a shapeless mass of rock and sand, rearing theii lofty forms to the star-bedecked heavens. Before him lay the desert, smiling and glistening with the rays of heaven as if urging him onward. Before him lay his hopes and ambitions, and what was dearer to him than life itself, his brother. Behind him lay sorrow and death, lie paused for a moment and clasping his hands muttered a childhood prayer, then mounted his ponv and rode up the val-lev. Not once did he falter, not once did a sigh escape his lips, as mounting the precipitous mountain trail that led to the Mexican border he was lost to view in the encircling gloom. RORKRT L. Cl IA MItRRS.

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T II E F R ES II M A X . ii drawl, from which the accent of the East had not wholly heen eliminated. “W’al, stranger. I guess you aren't wise that we hoys always carry a little vest pocket edition for sociability's sake.” W illiams gazed ruefully at his gun, and then at the man. too overcome with chagrin to speak. Why had he heen so anxious to overtake him? W hy had he allowed his youthful enthusiasm to carry him beyond the portals of safety? lie knew this grim looking figure would have no mercy, his every act showing he was devoid of all such gifts. Lawton picking up his gun motioned toward a clump of trees at the entrance of a small valley, for they were now at the base of the mountains. Wiliams entered. the other following close behind. When thev had seated themselves in the - shade of the trees Lawton spoke, still in the soft low tone, “My broncho's lameness was only a stall to get you to catch up with me. for I knew you were a tenderfoot, and your acts would give me more than enough chance to plug you, I set the trap and you in your would-be bravery fell for my bluff. Williams started at these blunt words, his cheeks turned pale, not through fear but with excitement, and his breath came in gasps. “Well, for God's sake, whv don’t vou + do it. you murderous dog, and relieve tt me. Lawton’s eyes lit up with furv. and when he spoke it was in a low. hard voice suppressed with rage, “Shut up. you cur. or I’ll save you the trouble. You call me a dog. and yet it was you and those like you that drove me to this life. You. with your high ideals, what you call your fine sense of honor, and your false doctrines made me a murderer and a thief. I started out right but the sneaking, lying coyote skulks in the garb of man drew me down to mv doom. I lost money, friends and what was dearer to me than life itself, mv honor. Oh! you can sneer at me and say, how can a range loper jhjsscs honor.' but a range loper has to he made by sin and misfortune, moulded from a man to a blackguard. That's how I came to take to this life, driven t« it h you of the civilized East. Forgotten was Williams’ anger, forgotten was his desperate errand. All hatred changed to pity for this wretched being, and in a voice tinged with sorrow he asked. “What do you mean? Speak out and tell me about it.” “This is what I mean.” and snatching a small picture from his pocket Lawton threw it on the ground at the other’s feet. He picked it up and gazed at it with bulging eyes, for it was the same that had adorned his mother’s room long ago. It was a picture of himself, his parents and elder brother whom he had never seen. Now he understood why the outlaw’s face seemed familiar: what there was about those eyes and chin that claimed resemblance to the thoughts of his mind, for before him. a murderer and thief, sat his brother, his own flesh and blood. They gazed upon each other for a few moments and Lawton’s face softened, his eyes lost their steely look and the hard lines disappeared from his brow. Slowly their bands met in a fond clasp and their hearts were filled with a t range tenderness, foreign in every respect to their outward natures. For a short space not a word was spoken, each wrapped up in thoughts of the years gone by. Then W illiams spoke in a low voice, not entirely devoid of emotion. Tell me about it? “There’s not much to tell. said Law-ton. “W hen I was a hov of sixteen and you were only a kid. I got into a scrap with my parents and they turned me out. I came out West and tried to start right

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iflmmliitht mt llir Drfirrt i JTTllK shimmering landscape fades W a va and tile long, arid wastes arc concealed in the bosom of the night The silhouette of the distant mountains appears vividly in the pale light of the rising moon, as o'er the peaks it sends its slanting rays adown the undulating drifts of sand that sparkle and reflect its soft light. A solemn, sepulchered stillness pervades the scene. Xo hooting owl or crying coyote or sweet nightingale is heard within these hounds. The dull whir of the constellations pursuing their certain course through the heavens seems to break the silence. Save this, untiling stirs. L'p the mystic desert skv mounts the orb of night, disclosing a ghasth trail lying like a long pale scar across the desert’s ghostly face. It leads to a distant range, black, stark, and im- penetrable. The inky shadows of the cactus alternating with the silvery light spots are thrown in spectered disorder along the way. and I tremble to pursue mv course. I hit the satiny orb of the midnight hour smiles above me and floods the scene with her rippling waves of silver. How peaceful seems all! The dark, sombre hills rear their forms to the star-bedecked heavens and the lone tree on the far-away crest seems ashine with a shower of diamonds. Such is the desert wrapped in the moon’s bright beams. Mere apart from the maddening whirl do we behold Hod's creation untouched by man. unpolluted by the march of progress. Mii.ton IIai.ky. £iutart Sunset has turned To wastes of glittering gold, The wooded peaks That tower in the air; As down the slopes They cast their shadows rare. And to my heart Sweet beauty they unfold. ’ Wm. J. Kkm.y.