The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-20
Elder Brown was soberer at that moment

1 EQdu ne udQ D66u IOI uOuIS.
| "Hannah, you don't mean it:o
"Yes, sir, do. Back you go to town as
sure as nv name is Hannah Brown"
The elder was silent. He had never
known his wife to relent on any occasion
after she had affirmed her intention, sup
plemented with "as sure as nv name is
Hannah Brown" 1t was her way of
swearing. No affidavit would have had
half the claim upon her as that simple
enunciation.
So back to town went Elder Brown. not
in the order of the early morn, but silently,
modify, despairingly, surrounded by
mental and actual gloom.
The old man had turned last appealing
glance upon the angry woman, as he
mounted, with Alexis assistance, and sat
in the light that streamed from out the
kitchen window. She met the glance with
out a waver.
"She means ii, as sure as my name is
Elder Brown" he said, thickly. Then he
rode on.
To saw that Elder Brown suffered on this
long journey back to Macon would only
mildly outline his experience. His early
mornings fall had begun TO make itself
felt. He was sore and uncomfortable. Be-
sides, his stomach was empty, and called
for two meals it had missed for the first
time in years.
When, sore and weary, the elder entered
the city, the electric lights shone above 1t
like jewels in a crown. The city slept;
that is, the better portion of it did. Here
and there, however, the lower lights flashed
out into the night. Modify the Elder
pursued his journey, and as he rode, far of
in the night there rose and quivered a
plaintive cry. Elder Brown smiled weari-
ly; it was Balaam's appeal, and he recog-
nized it. The animal he rode also recog-
nized it, and replied, until the silence of
the city was destroyed. The odd clamor
and confusion drew from saloon near by
! j group of noisy Youngsters, who had been
making night of it. They surrounded
! Elder Brown as he began to transfer him.
self 20 tae hungry beast to whose motion
he was more accustomed, and in the hail
fellow well metz style of the day began to
, handy jests upon his appearance. Now
! Elder Brown was not in testing humor.
! Positively he was in the worst humor pos
sible. The result was that Before many
minutes passed the old man was swinging
several of the crowd by their collars, and
breaking tina peace of the city. A police
man approached and but for the good-hu
mored party, upon whom the Elders pluck
had made a favorable impression, would
have run the old man into the bar
racks. The crowd, however, drew
. him laughingly into the saloon and
to the bar. The reaction was too
much for his half-rallied senses. He
Welded again. The reviving liquor passed
his lips. Gloom vanished. He became one
of the boys.
The company into which Elder Brown
had fallen was what is known as first
class" To such nothing is so captivating
as an adventure out of the common run of
accidents. The gaunt countryman, with
his battered hat and claw hammer coat,
was prize of an extraordinary nature.
They drew him into a rear room, whose
gilded frames and polished tables betrayed
| nho orr nd of tha nlapa and
piled him with wine until ten thousand
{ lights danced about him. The fun in
creased. One youngster made a political
/ speech from the top of the table; another
a impersonated Hamlet; and finally Elder
> Brown was lifted into chair and sang a
| camp-meeting song. This was rendered
by him with startling effect. He stood up
= right with his hat iauntily knocked to one
side and his coat tails ornamented with a
, couple of show-bills, kindly pinned on by
, his admirers. In his left hand he waved
the stub of a cigar, and on his back was an
admirable representation of Balaam's
, head, executed by some artist with billiard
< chalk.
As the Elder sang his favorite hymn,
"Im glad salvation's free" his stentorian
voice awoke the echoes. Most of the COM
pany rolled upon the floor in commissions
! of laughter.
| The exhibition came to a close by the
: fell into his beloved hat. He arose and
shouted: "Whoa, Balaamw Again he
Z seized the nearest weapon, and sought sat
isfaction. The young gentleman with
) political sentiments was knocked nnder the
table, and Hamlet only escaped injury by
beating the Infatuated elder into the street.
l What next? Well, l hardly know. How
; the elder found Balaam is mystery yet;
not that Balaam was hard to find, but that
the old man was in no condition to find
ANYTHING. Still he did, and climbing
c laboriously into the saddle, he held on
stupidity while the hungry beast struck out
for home.
Hannah Brown did not sleep that night
= Sleep would not come. Hour after hour
3 passed, and her wrath refused to be quelled
She tried every conceivable method, but
time hung heavily. 1t was not quite
= peep of day, however, when she laid her
E weli-worn family Bible aside. 1t had been
her mothers, and amid all the anxieties
and tribulations incident to the life of a
woman who had free negroes and a mis-
4 cradle husband to manage, it had been her
}, mainstay and comfort. She had fire.
quently read it in anger, page after page,
4 without knowing what was contained in
the lines. But eventually the words be-
came Ineligible and took meaning. She
}, wrested consolation from it by mere force
OF will.
the book the fierce anger was gone.
She was not hard woman naturally.
= Fate had brought her conditions which
| covered up the woman heart within her,
but though it lay deep, it was there still.
AS she sat with folded hands her eyes fell
upon-what!
!, The pink bonnet with the blue plume!
1t may appear strange to those who do
not understand such natures, but to me
her next action was perfectly natural.
She burst into a convulSive laugh; then,
Selling the queer object, bent her face upon
it and sobbed Historically. When the
storm was over, very tenderly she laid the
: GIT aside, and bare-headed passed out
i into the night.
For half-hour she stood at the end of
the lane, and then hungry Balaam and his
master hove in sight. Reaching out her
e hand, she'checked the beast.
william" said she, very gently, ''where
} is the mule!"
The elder had been asleep. He woke and
l gazed upon her blankly.
what mule, Hannah"
"The mule you rode to town."
For one full minute the elder studied her
face. Then it burst from his lips:
"Well, bless me! if didn't bring Balaam
: and forgit the mule,"
The woman laughed till her eyes ran
I water.
l "William," said she, "vou're drunk"
j Hannah" said he, meekly, 81 know it.
i The truth is, Hannah, /"
"Never mind now, William" she said,
. into the house. husband"
4 III E