grew dark; and I knew that the name was
mine.

Dreams and visions within the dream; turmoil and fire and pain;
Hands that proffered a brimming cup--empty, ere I could take;
Then the burst of a thunder-head--rain! It was rude, fierce rain!
Blindly down to the hole I crept, shivering, drenched, awake!

Dawn--and the edge of the red-rimmed sun scattering golden flame,
As stumbling down to the water hole came the horse that I thought
was dead;
But never a sign of the other beast nor a trace of a rider's name;
Just a rain-washed track and an empty gun--and the old home trail
ahead.
_Henry Herbert Knibbs._

WHISKEY BILL,--A FRAGMENT

A-DOWN the road and gun in hand
Comes Whiskey Bill, mad Whiskey Bill;
A-lookin' for some place to land
Comes Whiskey Bill.
An' everybody'd like to be
Ten miles away behind a tree
When on his joyous, aching spree
Starts Whiskey Bill.

The times have changed since you made love,
O Whiskey Bill, O Whiskey Bill!
The happy sun grinned up above
At Whiskey Bill.
And down the middle of the street
The sheriff comes on toe and feet
A-wishin' for one fretful peek
At Whiskey Bill.

The cows go grazing o'er the lea,--
Poor Whiskey Bill! Poor Whiskey Bill!
An' aching thoughts pour in on me
Of Whiskey Bill.
The sheriff up and found his stride;
Bill's soul went shootin' down the slide,--
How are things on the Great Divide,
O Whiskey Bill?
_Anonymous._

DENVER JIM

"SAY, fellers, that ornery thief must be nigh us,
For I jist saw him across this way to the right;
Ah, there he is now right under that burr-oak
As fearless and cool as if waitin' all night.
Well, come on, but jist get every shooter all ready
Fur him, if he's spilin' to give us a fight;
The birds in the grove will sing chants to our picnic
An' that limb hangin' over him stands about right.

"Say, stranger, good mornin'. Why, dog blast my lasso, boys,
If it ain't Denver Jim that's corralled here at last.
Right aside for the jilly. Well, Jim, we are searchin'
All night for a couple about of your cast.
An' seein' yer enter this openin' so charmin'
We thought perhaps yer might give us the trail.
Haven't seen anything that would answer descrip