The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-20

A perfectly sober man would have said
the girls corsets must have undergone a
terrible strain, but the elder did not notice
her dumb CONFUSION. She answered
heroically:
"Perfectly, sir. 1t is an exquisite
match"
~ think You're whistlin' again. Nancy's
heads red red as a woodpeck's. Sorrel's
only halfway to the color of her top-knot,
an it do seem like red oughter to SCOT red.
Nancy's red, an the hats red: like goes
with like, an birds of a feather flock
together" The old man laughed until his
cheeks were wet.
The girl, beginning to feel little I'M
easy, and seeing customer entering,
rapidly fixed up the bonnet, took fifteen
dollars out of a twenty dollar bill, and
calmly asked the elder if he wanted any
thing else. He thrust his change some
where into his clothes, and beat retreat.
1t had occurred to him that he was nearly
drunk.
Elder Browns step began to lose its
buoyancy He found himself utterly I'M
able to walk straight. There was an
uncertain straddle in his gait that carried
him from one side of the walk to the other,
and caused people whom he met to cheer
fully yield him plenty of room.
BALKAN saw him coming. Poor Ba-
lam. He had made an early start
that dav, and for hours he stood in the sun
awaiting relief. When he opened his
sleepy eyes and raised his expressive ears
to a position of attention, the old familiar
coat and battered hat of the elder were be-
fore him. He lifted up his honest voice
and cried aloud for Joy.
The effect was electrical for one instant.
Elder Brown surveyed the beast with hor-
ror, but again in his understanding there
rang out the trumpet words,
Drunk, drunk, drunk, drer-unc, -erunc,
-unc, -unc."
He stopped instinctively for missile with
which to smi5e his accuser, but brought W.
suddenly with Jerk and q handful of
sand. Strengthening himself up with a
majestic dignity, he extended his right
hand impreSsively.
You're a goidarn liar, Balaam, and,
blast your old buttons, you kin walk home
by yourself, for Pm DANCED if you sh'll ride
me er STEP"
Surely Coriolanus never turned his back
upon Rome with a grander dignity than
sat upon the old mans form as he faced
about and left the brute to survey with
anxious eyes the new departure of his
master.
He saw the elder zigzag along the street,
and beheld him about to turn friendly
corner. Once more he lifted up his mighty
voice:
Drunk, drunk, drunk, drer- unc, drer-
unc, -erunc, -unc, unc."
Once more the elder turned with lifted
hand, and shouted back
you're a liar, Balaam, goldarn you
You're er iffamous liar" Then he passed
from view.
Mrs. Brown stood upon the steps anx-
iously awaiting the return of her liege
lord. She knew he had with him large
sum of money, or should have, and she
knew also that he was a man without busi-
ness IN 15hodS. She had long since repented
of the decision which sent him to town.
When the old battered hat and -four COW
cred coat doomed up in the cleaning and
confronted her, she stared with terror.
The next instant she had seized him.
'For the Lord sakes, Elder Brown, what
ais you? As live, if the man amt drunk
Elder Brown! Elder Brown: for the life of
me can't make you hear: You crazy old
hypocrite. you desavin' old sinner! you
black-hearted wretch! where have you
benz"
The elder made an effort to wave her off.
woman" he said, with grand dignity,
"you forgit yussef; shu know ware I've
ben 'swell's l do. Ben to town, wife, an
see yer wat I've brought-the fines hat,
ole woman, could git. Look It the color.
Like goes 18th like; it's red an you're red,
an it's dead match. What yer mean?
Hey. hole on. ole woman you! Han
nan you" one literally SHOOK MIN lntO
silence.
"You miserable wretch, you low-down
drunken sot, what do yon mean by coming
home and insulting your wife," Hannah
ceased shaking him from pure exhaustion.
"Where is it, l say: where is it,"
Bv this time she was turning his pockets
wrong side out. From one she got pills,
from another change, from another pack
ages.
1.-THE Lord be praised, and this is
better luck than hoped. o, elder! elder.
elder, what did you do it for: Why, man,
where is Balaam:"
Thought of the beast choked Off the
threatened mysteries.
BALKAN: Balaam:" said the elder, grog-
gilv. He's in town. The internal ole
fool suited me, an lef' him TO walk
home"
His wife surveyed him. Really at that
moment she did think his mind was gone;
but the leer upon the old mans face en-
ragged her beyond endurance.
"You did, did you? Well, now, reckon
you'll laugh for some cause, you will. Back
you go, sir-straight back; am don't you
come home 'thout that donkey, or you'll
rue it, sure as my name is Hannah Brown.
Aleck!-you Aleck-k-ki"
4 black boy darted round the corner,
from behind which. with several others,
he had beheld the brief but stirring scene.
'Put a saddle on err mule. The elders
gwine back 20 town. And don't you be
long about it, neither"
"Yessum." Alexis Ivories cleaned In
the darkness as he disappeared.