Show I he sever reoelved anything He never would take It ! thought the governor would be the one to eee and that'! If father was entitled why I came to anything they might let It come to ma" 'Tt’e possible ma'am" eald Standifer ''that auoh might be tha oaae But moat all the old veteran and aettlera By O HENRY got their land oertllloatea Issued and looated long ago Still we can look that up In the land office and be aure Your father’i name now was— (Copyright by AioalM ltegaalae Co) "Amos Colvin air" N Texas yon may travel a rades who now trod other paths or “Good Lord!" sidelined Standifer I In a miles had of thousand tha rielng and unbuttoning bis tight coat ceased to tread any straight I line If your course Is a changes civilization and peace had excitedly "Are you Amos Colvin's Tm "rr crooked one It Is likely that of daughter? Why ma'am Amoa Colvin brought and maybe complacently both the distance and your the snug comfortable and camp and me were thloker than two hois rate of speed may be vastly pitched for him under the dome of the thieves for mors than ten years We Clouds there sail capltol of the state that had not Increased fought Klowas drove cattle and hie services aide by ilde nearly all over serenely against the wind The delivers The business of the department was I remember aeelng you once Texaa Its disconsolate cry with the lax Insurance was easy Statistics before now You were a kid about notes exactly reversed from were not In demand a little yellow pony up History was seven those of his northern brothdead Old Kauffman the efficient and Amoa and me stopped at and down er Given a drought and a subsequent perpetual clerk had requested an In- your home for a little grub when we Incited to the unwere trailing that band of Mexican lively rain and lo! from a glazed and frequent stony soil will spring In a single night usual dissipation by the Joy of having cattle thlevea down through Karnes fair successfully twisted the tall of a Conlilies miraculously blossomed and you're and Bee Great tarantulas necticut Insurance company that was Did you Amos Colvin's little girl? Tom Green county was once the standI have forgottrying to do business contrary to the ever hear your father mention Luke ard of measurement and Rhode edicts of the great Lone Star state ten how many New Jerseys Standifer — Just kind of casually— as The office was very still A few subIf he’d met me once or twice?” Islands It was that could have been stowed away and lost In Its chaparral dued noises trickled In' through the A little pale smile flitted across the But the legislative ax has slashed Tom open door from the other departments lady’s white face hardcounties of a Into —a handful dull treasGreen “It seems to me” she said “that I tinkling crash from the The him talk ly larger than European kingdoms near urer's office adjoining as a clerk don’t remember hearing tossed a bag of silver to the floor of about much else Every day there was legislature convenes at Austin the center of the state and while the the vault — the vague Intermittent some story he had to tell about what representative from the Rio Grande clatter of a dilatory typewriter — a dull he and you had done Mighty near fan tapping from the state geologist’s quar- the last thing I heard him tell was country Is gathering his and his linen duster to set out for the ters as If some woodpecker had flown about the time when the Indians his In to bore for his prey In the cool of wounded him and you crawled out to oapltal the Panhandle solon windsoverthe massive building— and then a faint muffler above his him through the grass with a canteen coat and kicks the snow from his well rustle and the light shuffling of the of water while they—” shoes along the hall the ‘‘Yes yes —well—oh that wasn’t greased boots ready for the same Jourthe hint to that sounds All this merely ney ceasing at the door" toward anything” said Standifer ‘‘hemming” of the southwest forms which the commissioner’s lethargic big loudly and buttoning bis coat again a sizable star on the flag and to pre- back was presented Following this "And now ma’am who was briskly the Infernal skunk— I beg your pardon pare for the corollary that things the sound of a gentle voice speaking sometimes happen there uncut to pat- words unintelligible to the commis- ma’am — who was the gentleman you tern and unfettered by metes and sioner’s somewhat dormant compre- married?” hension but giving evidence of bewilbounds “Benton Sharp" The commissioner of Insurance sta- derment and hesitation The commissioner plumped down The voice was feminine the comtistics and history of the state of a groan again Into his chair with Texas was an official of no very great missioner was of the race of cavaliers This gentle sad little woman in the The past who make salaam before the trail o! a rusty black gown the daughter of his or very small Importance commissioner is he for used Is skirt without considering tense the quality oldest friend the wife of Benton of Insurance alone Statistics and his- of its cloth Sharp! Bentou Sharp one of the most There stood In the door a faded tory are no longer proper nouns In the woman one of the numerous sistergovernment records In the year 188— the governor ap- hood of the unhappy She dressed all pointed Luke Coonrod Standifer to be In black — poverty’s perpetual mournbead of this department Standifer ing for lost Joys Her face had the years of age and a contours of twenty and the lines of was then Texan to the core His father had been forty She may have lived that Interone M the state’s earliest settlers and vening score of years In a himself had served Standifer There was about her yet an pionfters the commonwealth as Indian fighter aurum of Indignant unappeased proMuch soldier ranger and legislator that shone testing youth faintly through the premature veil of unlearning he did not cJklm but he had earned decline drank pretty deep of (he spring of ex”1 beg your pardon ma’am" said perience If other grounds wefe less abundant the commissioner gaining his feet to of a great creakTexas should be well vp In the lists of the accompaniment For ing and sliding of his chair glory as' the grateful republic “Are you the governor both as republic and state It has busisir?” asked the vision of melancholy ly heaped honors and solid rewards It from the who sons rescued Its The commissioner hesitated at the upon of his end bow with his hand In wilderness best Luke the bosom of his therefore Wherefore and “frock” Truth at last conquered Coonrod Standifer son of Ezra StandiI am not the govDem“Well no ma’am ranger fer I have the honor to be comernor ocrat' and lucky dweller In an unrepremissioner of Insurance statistics and sented portion of the Is there anything ma’am I history map was appointed commissioner can do fer you? Won't of Insurance statistics and history you have Standifer accepted the honor with a chair ma’am?” The lady subsided Into the chair some doubt as to the nature of the office be was to fill and his capacity for handed her from probably purely filling it— but he accepted and by wire physical reasons She wielded a cheap set out from the little fan— last token of gentility to be abanHe Immediately doned Her clothing seemed to Indicountry town where he maintained a cate a reduction almost to extreme by) scarcely maintained (andAwas She looked at the man who somnolent and unfruitful office of sur- poverty Before deWas not the governor and saw kindveying and parting he had looked up under the liness and simplicity and a rugged unadorned courtliness emanating from a I’s S'a and H’s in the “Encylopaedla Brittanlca" what Information and prep- countenance tanned and toughened by aration toward his official duties that forty years of out of doors Also she saw that his eyes were those weighty volumes afforded clear and strong and blue Just so they had been A few weeks of incumbency diminished the new comtnlssloner’s awe of when he used them to skim the horithe great and Important office he had zon for raiding Klowas and Sioux His mouth was as set and firm as It had An inbeen called upon to conduct been on that day when he bearded the creasing familiarity with Its workings old lion Sam Houston himself and soon restored him to his accustomed defied him during that season when his office was placid course of life In — was the theme secession Now in clerk a consecraan old spectacled noted “bad” men In that part of the Luke Coonrod who held bearing and dress able machine ted Informed Standifer endeavored to do credit to state — a man who had been a cattle his desk regardless of changes of administrative heads Old Kauffman In- the important arts and sciences of in- thief an outlaw a desperado and was now a gambler a swaggering bully structed his new chief gradually In tha surance statistics and history lie bad abandoned the careless dress of who plied his trade In the larger knowledge of the department without towns relying upon hls record frontier his country home Now Jils wheels the so and to do kept seeming hls gun play to of and black slouch the and his quickness hat a of without the cog slip revolving Seldom did “frock” made him not the maintain J’s supremacy Indeed the department of Insurance t®j the risk of going “up anyone imposing of the official family statistics and history carried no great least Even the law even If his office was reckoned to against” Benton Sharp heft of the burden of state Its main stand at the tall of the list officers were content to let him make work was the regulating of the busihls own terms of peace Sharp was a "You wanted to see the governor ness done In the state by foreign Inready and an accurate shot and as with surance companies and the letter of ma’am?” asked the commissioner penny at comthe deferential manner he always used lucley as a the law was to guide As for statistics Standifer ing clear from bis scrapes toward the fair sex —well you wrote letters to county ofwrondered how this pillaging eagle “I hardly know” said the lady hesificers and scissored other people’s rebe mated with Amoa tatingly “I suppose so” And then ever came to dove ports and each year you got out a rehls and Colvin’s little the drawn expressed by sympathetic wonder port of your own about the corn crop suddenly look of the other she poured forth and the cotton crop and pecans and Mrs Sharp sighed the story of her need pigs and black and white population "You see Mr Standifer we didn’t It was a story so common that the and a great many columns of figures and ‘‘acres’’ and public has come to look at its mo- know anything about him and he can headed ''bushels” Instead of Its pity The old be very pleasant and kind when he “square miles" etc— and there you notonyof an — In to wants married lived down We life made the little unhappy were History! The branch was pure- tale a brutal Benton came riding conscienceless so by husband town of Goliad Old ladles Interly a receptive one a down that way and stopped there ested in the science bothered y6u a robber a spendthrift a moral cowI reckon I was some while better ard and a bully" who failed to prosome with long reports of proceedings vide even the means of the barest exlooking then than I am now He was societies Some historical of their we come had a whole Yes to me down for in he after istence year good twenty or thirty people would write the scale so low as to strike her It were married He Insured hls life for you each year that they had secured But for happened only the day before — there me for five thousand dollars Sam Houston's pocket knife or Santa was the bruise on one temple — she the last six months he has done everyor Davy Crockett’s Ana’s authenticated — had offended his highness by asking thing but kill me I often wish he had rifle — all absolutely on live to too little And out He of a done money for that got money yet and demanded legislative appropriation she must needs woman-llkappend a for a while and abused me shamefulMost of the work In the to purchase plea for her tyrant — he was drinking ly for not having anything he could history branch went Into One sizzling August afternoon the he had rarely abused her thus when spend Then father died and left me the little home In Goliad My husband commissioner retllned In his office sober “I thought" murmured this pale made me sell that and turned me out chair with his feet upon the long ofI’ve barely been able sister of sorrow "that maybe the state Into the world ficial table covered with green Milliard reme some to to live for I’m not strong enough to give was smocloth might be willing The commissioner lief I’ve heard of such things being work Lately I heard he was making king a cigar and dreamily regarding done for the families of old settlers money In San Antonio so I went the quivering landscape framed by the I’ve heard tell that the state used to there and found him and asked for a window that looked upon the treeless This” touching the livid give land to the men who fought for It little help capltol grounds Perhaps he was thinksettled Mexico the and on her temple “Is what be gave bruise up against ing of the rough and ready life he had adled of the old days of breathless country and helped drive out the In- me So I cams on to Austin to see tha I one heard father say dians My father did all of that and governor of the com venture and movement A T f 'h i Departmental Case that there wai iome land or a pen- alon coming to him from the state that he nevir would tsk for" Luke Standifer rote to his feet and pushed hli chair back He looked rather perplexedly around the big office with Iti handsome furniture "It's a long trail to follow" he eald lowly "trying to get back duee from the government There'e red tape and lawyer and rullnge and evldenoe and oourte to keep you waiting I'm not oertaln” continued the commissioner with a profoundly meditative frown "whether thla department that I’m the ha a of has any Jurisdiction or not It’s vnly Insurance statistic! and ma'am and it don't sound ae it It oi aid cover the case But sometime a saddle blanket can be made to You keep your seat Just for a few minutes ma'am till etep into the next room and see about It" The state treasurer was seated within hls massive complicated railings Business for reading a newspaicr the day was about over The clerks lolled at their desks the awaiting closing hour The commissioner of Insurance statistics and history entered and leaned in at the window The treasurer a little brisk old man with and mustache beard Jumped up youthfully und came forward to greet Standifer They were friends of old "Uncle Frank" said the commissioner using the familiar name by which the historic treasurer was addressed by every Texan “how much money have you got on hand?” The treasurer named the sura of the last balance down to the odd cents— something more than a million dollars The couuhslcncr whistled lowly and hls eves grew hopefully 'bright “You know or else you’ve heard of Amos C'ohln Uncle Frank?" “Knew him well" said the treasurer promptly "A good man A valuable citizen One of the first settlers In the sttcb southwest" “His daughter" said Standifer "Is sitting in my office She’s penniless She's married to Benton Sharp a coyote and a murderer He’s reduced her to want and broken her heart Her father helped build up this state and it'a the state’s turn to help hls child A couple of thousand dollars will buy back her home and let her live In The state of Texas can’t afpeace ford to refuse It Give me the money Uncle Frank and I’ll give It to her right away- - We’ll fix up the business afterward” The treasurer looked a little bewildered Standifer” he ‘said "you “Why know I can’t pay a cent out of the treasury without a warrant from the I can’t disburse a dolcomptroller lar without a voucher for It” The commissioner betrayed a slight Impatience “I’ll give you a voucher” he de“What’s this Job they’ve given clared me for? Am I Just a knot on a stump? Can’t my office stand for It? Charge it up to Insurance and Don’t statisthe other two sideshows tics show that Amoa Colvin came to this state when It was In the hands of and and rattlesnakes Greasers and fought day and night to make a white man’s country of It? Don’t they show that Amoa Colvin’s is brought to ruin by a vildaughter lain who’s trying to pull down what shed our you and I and all old Texans blood to build up? Don’t history show that the Lone Star state never yet failed to graut relief to the suffering and oppressed children of the men whomade her the grandest commonwealth In the Union? If statistics and history don’t bear out the claim of Amos Colvin’s child I’ll ask the next legislature to abolish my office Come now Uncle Frank let her have the I’ll sign the papers officially money If you say so and then If the governor or the comptroller or the Janitor or anybody elee makes a kick by the Lord I’ll refer the matter to the people and see If they won’t indorse the act?" The treasurer looked sympathetic toiow but shocked Th commissioner's votos had grown louder as be rounded off the sentences that however praiseworthy they might be in aedtlmont reflected somewhat upon the capaolty of the head of a more or leu Important department of state Th olerke were beginning to listen “Now Standifer" said the treasurer soothingly "you know I'd like to help In thin matter hut stop and think a moment Every cent In the please treasury Is expended only by appropriation made by the legislature and drawn out by check! Issued by the I can't oontrol the use a comptroller cent of It Neither can you Your isn’t dlsburslve — It lu’t department even dmlnlstrattve— It's purely clerical The only way tor the lady to obtain relief Is to petition the legislature and—" "To the devil with the legislature" said Standifer turning away The treasurer called him back “I'd be glad Standifer to contribute toward a hundred dollars personally the Immediate of Colvin’s expenses daughter" He reached tor hie “Never mind Uncle Frank” eald the tone In a softer commissioner no need of that She hasn’t “There of that sort yet asked for anything Besides her case Is in my hands I bobtail see now what a little I’ve been put department In charge of It seems to be about as as an almanac or a hotel Important But while I'm running It It register won’t turn away any daughters of Amos Colvin without stretching Its You Jurisdiction to cover If possible want to keep your eye on the department of Insurance statistics and his- tory" The commissioner returned to hls office looking thoughtful He opened and closed an Inkstand on hls desk many times with extreme and undue attention before he Bpoke “Why don’t you get a divorce?" he asked suddenly “I haven't the money to pay for It" answered the lady “Just at present" announced the in a formal tone “the commissioner powers of my department appear to be Statistics considerably string halted seem to be overdrawn at the bank and history Isn’t good for a square meal But you’ve come to the right ma'am The department will 'place see you through Where did you say your husband Is ma’am?” “He was In San Antonio yesterday He is living there now" abanSuddenly the commissioner doned hls official air He took the faded little woman's hands lo hls and spoke In the old voice he used on the trail and around campfires "Your name’s Amanda Isn't It?" "Yes sir" “I thought so I've heard your dad Well Amanda say It often ’enough here’s your father’s best friend the head of a big office In the state government that’s going to help you out of your troubles And then here’s the and that old bushwhacker your father has helped out of scrapes to ask you time and time again have you got Amanda a question money enough to run you for the next two or three days?” Mrs Sharp’s white face flushed the least bit “Plenty sir— for a fevdays" Now you "All ight then ma'am go back where you are stopping here and you come to the office again the day after tomorrow at four o’clock In the afternoon Very likely by that definite time there will be something to report to you” The commissioner hesitated and looked a trifle embarrassed “You said your husband had Insured hls life for $5000 Do you know whether the have premiums been kept paid upon It or not?" “He paid for a whole year Jn advance about five months ago” sail! Mrs Sharp “I have the policy and receipts In my trunk" Mrs Sharp depaited and soon afterward Luke Standifer went down to the and little hotel where he boarded looked up the railroad time table In Half an hour later the dally paper he removed hls coat and vest and strapped a peculiarly constructed pistol holster across hls shoulders close under hls leaving the receptacle Into the left armpit holster he reshoved a volver on bis clothes again Putting he strolled down to the station and caught the five twenty afternoon train for San Aronlo The San ntonlo Express cf the following morning contained this sensational piece of news: BENTON The SHARP MEETS HIS MATCH Most Noted Desperado In Southwest Texas Shot to Death In the Gold Front Restaurant — Prominent State Official Successfully Defends Himself Against the Noted Bully — Exhibition of Quick Magnificent Gun Play Las! night about eleven o’clock Benton Sharp with two other men entered the Gold Front restaurant and seated themselves at a table Sharp had been drinking and waa loud and boisterous as he always was when under the Influence of liquor Five minutes after the party was seated a tall elderly gentleman entered the restaurant Few present recognized the Hon Luke Standifer the recently appointed commissioner of Insurance statistics and history Going over to the same side where Sharp was Mr Standifer prepared to take a seat at the next table In hanging hls bat upon one of the hooks along the wall he let It fall upon Sharp's head Sharp turned being In an especially ugly humor and cursed the other roundly Mr Standifer apolMr ogized calmly for the accident Standifer was observed to draw near and speak a few sentences to the des so low a tone (hat no ana th worda Sharp sprang In th meantime up wild with rage Mr Btandller had stepped soma yard was and away standing quietly with hls arma folded acroee the breast of hie looaoly hanging coat With that Impetuous and deadly rapidity that mad Sharp ao dreaded h reached for th gun h carried la hla hip pocket— a movement that haa preceded th death of at least a doaen men at hi hands Quick as tha mo tlon waa the bystanders assert that It wee met by the most beautiful exhibition of lightning ever wit nessed in the southwest As Sharp' pistol was being raised— and th sot wee really quicker than the eye oould follow— a glittering 44 appeared as If by some conjuring trick In the right hand of Mr Standifer who without a perceptible movement of hie arm ebot Benton Sharp through the heart It eeeme that the new commlseloner of Insurance statistic! and history has been an Indian fighter and ranger for many years which accounts for the happy knack h has of handling a 44 It la not believed that Mr Standifer will be put to any Inconvenience beformal hearing to yond a necessary day aa all the witnesses who were present unite In declaring that tha deed waa done In perado fn else caught When Mrs Sharp appeared at tb office of the commissioner according to appointment she 'found that gentleman calmly eating a golden russet He greeted her without emapple barrassment and without hesitation at approaching the subject that was th toplo of the day “I had to do It ma’am" be eald “or get It myself Mr Kauffsimply man” be added turning to the old clerk "please look up the records of the Security Life Insurance company and see If they are all right" “No need to look” grunted Kauffman who had everything in hls head “It’s all O K They pay all losses within ten days" Mrs Sharp soon rose to depart 8hq had arranged to remain In town until the policy was paid The commissioner did not detain her She was a woman and he did not know Just what to say to her at present Rest and time would bring her what she needed But as she was leaving Luke Indulged himself In an official r re- mark “The of Insurance st& department ttstlcs and history ma’am has done tho best It could with your case 'Twaa a case hard to cover according to red tape and history Statistics failed missed fire but If I may be permitted to say It we came out particularly oiW stroii" purance" COSTS An S0itr2£X Outlay of Many Thousands Neces-arIf One Would Become ' Proficient are still beyond the Aeroplanes reach of the middle class for It takes both money and leisure to own and operate one To be strictly correct If you are fjolng to use a foreign machine you must attend an aviation school abroad This course will cost including passage to and from Europe and a month on the other side not lees than $1000 for the course at the school la $500 The cost of a machine Is from $5000 to $7000 and you are likely to smash up one or two at least before la you become proficient “Experience the only way to learn In aviation" declared Count de Lesseps "The instruo tor may explain but you must actually do the work yourself" “You may break a few of these blooomlng buses" said Mr Radley the original English aviator who always speaks of hls as a “bus1' "but If you try you will learn and it’s Jolly good sport you know” The cost of gasoline Is another item A Curtiss biplane In the flying game requires six gallons to keep It In the air an hour The French models r esSome machines quire even more pecially the French are not so quick In leaving the ground and require considerable space In landing which must consist of level ground — a long stretch — so the value of such a piece of land must be added to the cost of aeroplau lng Which type of machine Is the safer and better flyer Is a matter of opinion as each aviator Is loyal to bis dwn car They all agree however that In ordei to be successful a man must know and trust hls aircraft being free from feai and nervousness and that he mustnol have a nervous Jerky touch as a li quick Jerk to aeroplane machinery Above likely to have serious results all he must attend strictly to bust ness while be Is in the air for eternal vigilance Is the price of safety when visiting cloudland — Mrs C R Miller Is Leslie's Somewhat Similar and his small Mr Motorton eoa were In the natural history museum ga?!ng at a skeleton of a chimpanzee “Gee pop exclaimed the boy “we humans are certainly built on a similar chassis aren’t we?” Touche! Rankin — If I had your mop of hall keep It cut short Fyle — You’d make a mistake if you did It would show the shape of you I’d head' Chinese Business Hurt Collapse of many rubber companies in which Chinese capitalists specuwith buelnees la lated has Interfered China Plenty of Occupation No man who minds hls own business ever complains of having nothing to do a L |