Wichita eagle., 1888-01-20
NANCY.

tary travellers mounted the dusty, yellow
road on the two sides of the hill, each
looking up and urging his sweating horse
to the shade of wild cherry tree upon
the summit The one from the eastern
side reached the summit and gailoped to
the shade, just as tie other equestrian
reached the level space and turned toward
the tree. The two riders glanced at each
other carelessly, then with look of sur
prised recognition.
"John Jordan! sure as death Why,
hello, old fellowr' and the other responded
to the hearty hand clasp with, ''Can it
possibly be you, Hayward?'
81 believe so, sort of revised edition Of
me, leather bound, without any silver
clasps" The two young men slipped
from their horses and sat down upon the
parched grass under the tree, tanning
their flushed faces with their straw hats
"Well, Jordan, what in the name of all
that is holy are you doing on the top of
this God forsaken hill? Running from
the sheriff."
ono. My business here is probably as
legitimate as any that brings you to the
same place. j have finished my course at
the Theological seminary, and have been
appointed to this circuit since l left col
iege. am going to one of my churches
now, where hold services tomorrow.
"Oh, shades of the mighty How are
we fallen from our ideals! / am stalking
out an air line for branch road to the
river. Be some cutting through these
hills, won't there? My force went on last
night to Rocky Fork that's the name,
isn't it0 and j am going down to spend
the Sabbath with them. Am getting
hungry. We couldn't find boarding
house in these virgin forests, and have
had to camp. We were all cooks, but for
various reasons we've lived chiefly on
bacon and watermelon, and / pine for a
change, the flesh pots, you know, and
things that are made with ice. Being a
Clergyman, You probably pick a chicken
wing occasionally, but hen roostS are not
IN element of barbarism. Well, how
goes your preaching, old boyS How is
your crop doing, if that S what you call it?
Your souls, Imean; do they thrive under
your farming?''
A panied expression crossed Jordan's
sensitive face. He hesitated. Hayward
saw it ana bit his under lip with annoy
ance. He was continually approaching
himself for wounding Jordan in his old
college days.
"No, Tom, to be frank, am somewhat
discouraged over my work. don't seem
to get at my people. am trying to study
them as | never studied Homer and
Quintilan in the old times, and feel sure
that when put myself fully in sympathy
with them that | can influence them
gSatly. They need it. You cannot
imagine what field there is before me
here, if am only worthy to fill it,"
Hayward glanced at his friend as kindly
as he might have done at hurt child
"Old fellow" he said, cautiously.
'you're mistaken. You'd laugh at any
body who would come down here and buy
q hundred acres of this land for farm
and try to cultivate it. Why, the crows
weep over it; look at these hemlocks and
the blackberry bushes trying to find a
hold for their roots; look at that patch Of
stunted corn over there, and those bony
crags sticking through the soil You can't
grow souls on such soil. They're not
here; no wonder you're wearing yourself
out trying. Give it up and come into a
little better region"
Jordan looked over the wide view spread
before them and the panied look returned.
'Soul is rot a product of the soil, Tom
You always were advancing some strange
idea. OF course, the difficulty of living
here, the poverty and isolation, make
the people less intelligent, but they are
immortal just the same" Hayward
smiled. Jordan, Jordan" he exclaimed,
"tell me honestly, if, in all the churches
In your circuit, there is one soul" The
young minister hesitated. In the in
tellectual sense that you mean. there is
Got-that is, L cannot now recall one.n
so I thought. Now, if you will ex-
cuse me for mentioning it, one Of my
chainmen is going home, and you will
do more good to society, yourself and the
Lord if you will take his place and help
Us build a railroad that will open up
the country and cultivate souls thou
sand times faster than the present way
Now, my dear boy, you're pounding
away at a flint hill. and when you're
worn out you will have only pieces of
flint for your labor.
A sickening sensation of dread and
doubt orept over Jordan. He rose and
caught his horse. Come down to my
room with me and stop for dinner, then
co down 10 the Fork in the cool of the
evening", Hayward. | want to ask you
about the fellows and hundred things.
You're the first one I've seen since our
commencement day"
Hayward assented, and they commenced
the precipitous descent OF the hill Both
horses went down with slow caution
until they neared the foot, and then broke
into q gallop in the soft dust. Their feet
were almost noiseless, and as they rounded
huge bowlder that made sharp curve
in the road, kneeling figure seemed to
them to rise from under the horses feet
and turn frightened face TO them. so
suddenly were they upon her Jordan
drew up his slack bride, but too late:
the horses knees had struck the girl and
she fell heavily forward, rolling into the
deep dust of the road. With an ex-
clamation of horror Jordan flung himself
from his horse and followed her. Hay
ward was scarcely behind him. Together
they lifted the senseless form and carried
it to the shade Of the roadside
Her head struck that stone and she's
stunned" said Hayward, soothinCly. not
ing the anguish OF his friends face.
No. no; she's killed. I have killed
her. Oh, my God! Why have lived to
take the life Of fellow creature? | am a
murderer. There, dash the water in her
face. Nancy, don't you know mes Nancy,
open your eyes
But the eyes were fast closed and the
form was LIMP aud still. With trembling
hands Jordan knelt by her side, bathing
her face with water that Hayward had
brought from the spring hear by, while
Hayward, doing what be could, looked ct
them with a compassionate face.
''She certainly cannot be seriously hurt,
John; such a little fall, 1t wasn't your
fault. anyhow. Don't mind it, old fei
low. she is sos2s pc3r> creature whose lie