Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-07
LAPSE FROM GRACE.
FErnes. Mcc,.fey in Inter ocean,

books in nv capacity shipping clerk for
| s. & Ca. when Nixy Virgins dropped in.
| 1t was in November, io7-. and st 4
| was snow-bouni. Nixy SAID he was go.ay
out to his Uncle Bits for a weeks hunting,
and lie wanted ma to 60 along il I could get
| of was mighty keen 10 go, for II Wa the
| popular opinion among the Wool
bins boys that Uncle Bill Dukes
farm was right in the dead center
of the happy hunting groun Mr..
Dukes lived about l20 miles from L Loui
on tbs line Of the Missouri Pacific railroad.
AMI seven miles from the nearest station.
l went upstairs and proceeded 10 tackle Mr..
p the hos, on the subject of vaca-
ton. Nixy whiting outside with his hopes
AMI fears at a fever heat Mr.. P finally
agreed To let me 90, AMI | went out in the
hail and BROKE it gently u Nixy. We leapei
| around on tiptoe, executing al impromptu
war dance with a pantomime accompani-
ment to express our delight, and then pro-
ceeded TO business. was 70 get pass %
| NJ and back for Nixy and myself. and
| Nixy was u load himself down with hot,
powder, caps wais, etc, and meet me at
the Union depot at o p. IN.
L went to the treasurer Of the Wooibine
club, Jack OBJ, and struck him for pass.
and got 1t without any trouble. Jack
WORKED in a raiiroa Office, ami his m tito
was, There's many good thing lost in life
by simply not a,king for it.D He never
failed to ask for what he wanted whether
he got it or not. Packing our valises full Of
ammunition. Nixy and bid goodbye to our
fearful mothers. -B, careful of your uns,
toys; don't climb fences with your guns In
your hands" we're the last words We heard
from our anxious mothers. Our sisters said.
81, IL. A.. Il.l 4
bits How can y GU he so cruel. And bring
us lot Of wings 10 trim our hats with" a
in the same breath. Some people thinL
sportsmen cruel and unmanly What a
mistaken idea A true sportsman is abov
all other men living man with a tender
heart Search the trades and professions
over and the men who love the rod ami gun
are the men to tie to-
We got To the Union depot at $50 p m
and boariei the train. At q o'clock the
Tell changed. the driving-wheels of the en-
gne whlrled rounl and round, the con-
ductor yellel ~All aboard whoo,h, /
whoosh, puff pufr-snd we wound out Of the 4
dark depot We passed tho chimneys of (
Cheltenham, dived into the timber that sur
rounded Webster Groves. and then drew VI
for little while at kirkwooi
Then We steamed out into the night. past
woods and prairie, and past little stations, 4
where the small boys gathered to see the .
train come in
Tney came each with lantern and som.
few with black glazsi caps They did moi 4
expect to meet any one and no one expected /
TO meet them But they walked jauntily
around the platform, talked about No. u and
No. 10, got on and of the cars, and got in the
way of the trainmen. They looked pityingly
MT ba r.,
them very small specimens of extremely
small potatoes. Finally. As the train pulled
out, they waved their lanterns and filed III
10 their respective homes, apparently CON
tented AMI happy. Each and every one Of
them yearned-yes, actually yesrned-to be
u brakeman.
About $50 O'Clock, as Nixy and were
playing California Jack, n sad, sweet muir.
muir fioatei through the car. Ii wa. til,
usual sncrer
He was, in this case, a heavy-set German, Z
with a most ferocious mustache His rep.
ertory was varied and interesting. Com
mencing with the echoes from the Broken,
he renewed his acquaintance with tradition
airy memories Of the chanting Lorelei. He
finally settled down to a steady thing by
tying himself up in knot and moaning like
a dsconsolate turtle dove.
Nixy and put up job to spike his guns
rs soon As We got t. NJ, provided ouI
cousin German still held the fort We came
To Nat last, and Uncle Bill was there &c
meet Us. An instant before the train
started Nixy discovered q that he had for.
gotten a box Of wads. He rushed back t.
the car-Fritz was still snoring
the little glass at the cooler, filled it with
cold water, poured it in Fritxs ear at one
Sla ,,,I - 81 81.
it drew out
Dear old Fritz; wouldn't he have given
several kreutzers most willingly to have had
Nixy in his clutches for few seconds. His
yellow hair streamed in the air as the train
ratified past His broken German and heart.
felt maledictions were waited to Us from the
back plat orm as We waved him fond fare.
well from the station.
Uncle Bill was glad t. SEQ us He stood
five feet seven in his store boots, and he was
nearly three feet wide. He was built from
the ground up like butchers block With
his curly shock of yellow hair. his yellow
beard, AMI big blue eyes, he looked like
descendant of Olin, or of Smid the son of
Troll.
He had fought at Chicamauza and been
in Libby prison, but had come back from
the war as sound as stayc of seasoned
hickory. Before and during the war Bill
Dukes was "one Of the boys SO to speak,
happy-go-lucky and reckless. He never
went to church nor cared anything for re-
lgion
He bought a farm and rented it to ten. .
ants, and spent his time riding around tbs
Specializing. At every dance he
was IL bo on hand, and at all barn
raisings, corn huskings, and hog-kiliings
The shotgun, rifle, and fishing rod held
many n charm for him. and hs had been a ,
mighty hunter in his day. Deer, turkeys
AMI prairie chickens had fallen before his
steady aim by scores, AMI many a teal NAL ,
lard, and springtail duck had died in miiair
ut the crack of his shotgun. ,
He knew where the black bass lurked and ,
that shining minnow was sure 10 attract
their attention His old scoonr dog RIM, 1
was the lest for miles around, and many {
moonli hit night had Bill and lot OF kindred ,
spirits, with axes and dogs, made the heavy
timber resound with the music of the chase. {
That was when he was young and wild. ,
bat time and circumstances hal changed s
and softened HIM. He had the good forums
t. meet Mary II at n quilting be-,
and the rare, COOL Judgment 10 fall in love
with her deeply. have heard Uncle Bill
say that Mary was pretty sunlight IN
water, and that she danced as
light as q fairy wien she a girl She .
had loft brown hair, blue eyes, and quiet,
manner that made every one WIG
knew her love her. {
She was OF rather religious turn Of mind
before she married, and afterward shs
Joined the Methodist church and became
shining light For Sister Dukes was good
and wumanly as well as religious. After
they had been married nine years Uncle Bill
began 10 be slowly drawn into the vortex II
religion. and when ] knew him he was all
but converted outright. The only reason
believe that kept him from joining the ,,
church was the occasional -laborings' they !
had with HIM. Very often Aunt Mary un.
o5tra,ively and silently draw from him
half promise. but the deacons would spoil IL
They wouli corue. and tn s.s.Srs, to-
rmet'me5. an, tabor" with him A. thsy
allei L Vow whea Uncle Bill saw a dsa- :
on coming 70 lator .yith him who had ,
athe- oyerreaciel him in q trad. 1t made ,
nm wild n q minute And n woman ,
ieglectei her cailiren and he- household ,
Iuiles t. labor IN the vineyari of the ,