Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ler oaks VE. by- ~~ FREDERICK R-BECHDOLT Author of “John Slaughter’s Way,” etc. NOTE:—As you know, we seldom break our habit of printing fiction stories only. You prefer fiction on the whole, and in our magazine’s field it is particularly dif- ficult to ensure an article’s being absolutely true to fact. ventured an exception, without at all abandoning the rule. Occasionally we have We do so in the case of this series of articles on prominent figures in the development of the West, be- lieving that the author’s standing is sufficient guarantee of trueness to essential fact and*that your long displayed interest in our country’s early history is suf- ficient warrant.—A. S. H. AYBE you will get an insight into certain traits of the old- timers and so will find it easier to believe the facts set forth in this chronicle, if I begin with the tale of “Big Foot” Wallace. Away back in the days of the Mexican War this Big Foot Wallace, lusty then and in his prime, was taking part in some bush- whacking expedition into northern Chihua- hua; and his little company was captured by the soldiers of the southern republic. No one was losing any sleep in those parts over the laws of nations, and the officer com- manding the victorious enemy was in a hurry to be moving on. Wherefore, like many another handful of Americans, these prisoners soon found themselves surround- ing a jar-within whose hidden depths were white and black beans, in number corre- sponding to their own. . The idea was that each man must draw his bean, and he who got a white one lived, while he who picked a black kernel was lined up with his luckless friends before the nearest wall and shot within the hour. Thus the Mexican commander intended to 43 youth. reduce by one-half the number of his pris- gners, and at the same time afford his troops a little entertainment in witnessing the drama of the bean-picking. There was, in Big Foot Wallace’s com- pany, a young fellow with a wife and chil- dren waiting for him back in Texas, and as the tattered group crowded around the jar to thrust their hands within and draw forth their different fates this soldier broke down. The thought of the woman and those babies was too much for him. Big Foot Wallace had just plunged in his hand when the man began to sob. He glanced down at the white bean which his fingers clutched and turned to the stricken “Here,” he whispered with an oath thrown in to show his indifference to the heroics, ‘‘take this; I’m feeling lucky today.”’ With which he turned over his precious bean and—proceeded to draw another white One. Like the rest of this chronicle the incident is true. It has been used as the basis for at least.one bit of fine fiction, but in its original form, as it came from the lips of Big Foot COmicloo 5}