The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-04-13
The GREAT HESpER.
CHARTER
lY FRANZ BARRETT

III, movement oil nus DcGy anu arms
when he walked, ~ if he bad n load on
his back and a long way to goS. e man
with q black fed on the back OF his hands,
n dark Heard growing high upon his
ci.eek-boncs, and n great bush OF iron
gray hair sticking out all round his head
and a fo!elock hanging down over his
eye. One could see nothing of his fea-
lures but 4 long red nose and deep-set,
bcady black eyes. Ills fustian Jacket
was worn TO rags nt the elbows-and SO
was mine as for thnt-split in the seams
Nee tbs shoulders with the constant
strain OF the laboring arms. Once upon
II TIM his top-boots had been black, but
no. they were all the same yellow clay
color with the trousers that were tucked
into them, and just as badly in need Of
repair.
/ followed with Van Hoeck, He held
my arm, not for support, but fos guild
ance, because he was stone blind. He
was thirty or thereatouts, l believe; but
he looked twenty years older than /, who
am now about t~wenty-six. Though he
was Dutch by birth, he icnkcd like an
Asiatic, being a small, dark Jew, with
NIL the characteristics of his people; while
], with my fair skin, light hair, and
large frame, am pretty true in appear
ance to my modern race. He was better
dressed than any of us, for though he
had accompanied us, and roughed it SO
far Us board and lodging were concerned,
he had taken only a financial part in the
enterprise, his blindness naturally de-
barring him from a laborious part. His
clothes retained something of their orig
inal appearance. Albeit he had worn
them day after day for eighteen months
at the least; whereas mine, what with
ryy,,s1,vn II tl,ns ~ tln c,,Nn &c r-o-I-
rough usage, and the strange devices
employed in repairing them, were scarce
ly recognizable rs Christian clothing,
His a c gave more sign of strain AMI
fatigue than either the Judges or Mine.
which might well be, seeing low great
n relief to the mind physical labor is.
There was a furrow between his brows,
deep lines Discerning from the inner an
Eto OF the eyes, n pinched look about the
nostriis ard fleshless cheeks, hat gave
n fearful. strenuous cagerness to the
weird expression of his face. And that
expression was weird, nay, even repul-
sive. though his features were not i'll
shaped, and it was due chiefly to the pc
cul,a;ityo of his eyes. Most peopleo of dark
complexion, like his, have a dark iris to
the eye, but his was of a stcely-gray, and
was the more noticeable because there
was the iris and nothing. else; there was
no pupil-nothing but that gray patch
upon the yeliowish ball of the eye. He
kept his eyes open when his mind was
rrcoccupied. Often, when he was sit
ting near me while / worked, iave
changed my position that [ might not
see those ghastly eyes wide open to an
African sun, yet unconscious of its glare.
There was something terrible in his
blindness.
onr rear was brought up by the "Kid."
3t:c narle by constant use and familiari-
ty hsd long ceased to be slangy to my
c2r.
Poor little Lola! she was the raggedest
and most d~isreputable of the lot, though
it was not for that reason that she walked
behind us; indeed, had she suspected that
TO follow implied inferiority, she would
have marched ahead of her own father.
That was her character.
The child wore n ragged red flannel
pctticoat. a camisole that had once teen
white, and Il colorcd handkerchief tied
closely round her neck. She had a
string of col0red beads Upon her wrist,
but neither hat on her head nor shoe on
her foot. Her purple black hair grew
To-" dowp on her temple, and broke into
curis DER the ears at the nape OF her
nec6, and wherever it was uncontrolled,
1T was matted together in a thick, loose
plait that fell down to her waist, and
tied at the end with a strip of red fan
mel, torn from her petticoat, She had
the prettiest little hands and feet, a dark
olive skin, q large but beautifully-shaped
mouth, with the finest teeth / have ever
sect, and q pair of glorious black eyes
fui OF aulacity, and betraying only toe
faithfully her wild and uagovc-nable
disposition. Properly dressed land wash
sd, she might have passed for a Spanish
princess; in her present condition. there
was No installing her for anything but
the self-wi'led little savage she was.
Tho Kid had given us Il deal of trouble
had We foreseen how much, / do not
think Van Hneck orr would have put
in that postscript to the agreement which
her father, the Judge, induced US to in
scribe.
AGREEMENT cory.
CAPE Tow May 1. 1894.
VIC, tho undersigned, nErcc to work together
rs long as our strength and means hold out,
and we agree to share in equal parts whatever
profits may arise from the enterprise without
favor to the more or less fortunate partners:
the said profits to be divided ut such time q.
shaa be decided by majority, or by lot, accord
ing to circumstances.
II is further agreed that, In the event OF one
partner dying, or otherwise backing out of
the concern, his share shall be divided In e qua
thlNH tic WV iik.TS
and should one of tho remaining two die joi
otherwise back oup, The whole, iots, toois,
land, produce. etc, shall become ,hc property
relatives, friends or claiu'ants upon the de-
ceased Signed JANVAN EoECK.
Jos. BRUCE. Judge.
BERNARD VHpRNF.
P.S.-tt is understood between the above
partners that in the event OF a lucky nnd, the
hid s':ail not he forgotten.
X Tue Kid U.oLA BRUCE, her mark.
; "The Kid has eyes in her head for to
see with" the Judge said, in urging her
claim upon u future consideration,
END she kin use EN- as well as us in
loolin' for stones, end likewise, bein' a
female, she kin cook our meals for us;
she kin wash our shuts, end she kin sew
us up, end keep us nice and tidy
Whether she was capable of helping lis
in these matters / cannot say: all I know
is, that she didn't. "What kin you OK
pect?" asked her father, in extenuation;
'her mother was the darter of a burned
Ereascr, end it amt the Kids fault if
she's got greaser blood in her"
We III up with the Judge at the dock
gates, where he stopped to address a pc
!iceinan stationed there.
kin you tell me, my FRIEND" he SAID,
"where the best bank in this town is To-
cated?"
I thinkth noliceman's first impression,
rs he regarded us, was that we had fel.
onious purpose in asking this question,
for he did not reply Immediately, and
with reluctance directed us to the High
Street, and told us to inquire there OF
someone else.
CHAPTER II.
We marched on to the High Street, OF
appearance attracting a good deal of at,
t%cntion, and creating some amusement
and speculation doubtless. Persons or
The opposite side Of the road stopped tc
look across at us others regarded lis ask.
ant in passing and turned roundto watch
cur progress, a few children followed us,
thinking may be that we were about tc
give some kind Of street entertainment.
We found a bank and streamed in, g
small crowd collecting round the door,
as it swung to behind the Kid. The
clerks suspended their operations and
looked at us in open-mouthed astonish-
mcnt as we ranged ourselves along the
counter.
..Is the manager Of this concern ing'
asked the Judge-'Hands off, he added,
in a roar, as the Kid, slipping her 1.-THE
ln.,,l ,,,,lo. Tho hr,ce,-orl- x,gFn,y;,,- +l,r