Wichita eagle., 1889-06-18

Then. as the others returned at his call, he
whispered sternly to Abe:
Remember, thar want no witnesses t.
what's jest passed"
"Jedge," he said, ''this yere gent lows he
was mistook Reckons 1t was some Other
boy that shot the quail Haint sayin' il
right, ole manF'
eyes" quavered old Abe, in frightened
way.
'Wau," remarked the justice, in tones OF
great relief, that puts another face on the
matter. Bdb, you're discharged I'm glad
Nv it, and-I don't keer cent whur you got
that thar quail"
'sNow, ole man." said Roney, as he fixed q
wise like grip on Abe's shoulder, ''you take
the highest track fer home, an don't you &c
often yore place today. If you do people
will have it to say that the meanest man in
seven states was the worst whipped one, tool'
The hurried manner in which old Abe
Jackson obeyed orders proved that he had nc
desire for the doubtful distinction of being
the "worst whipped man in seven states"
By the side of the covered wagon, near the
bend of the creek, Ben, the lesser shaggy
haired man, had hndled fire without arous-
ing the sick woman in the vehicle, and over
the cheerful fame the quail was fast turn
ing to appetizing broth
When the savory mess was done, Ben
poured some of it into one Of the several tin
plates be found in the ''grub box" on the rear
end Of the wagon.
| Then he climbed on to the tongue of the
vehicle, and, with his best bow, and the ex-
posure of his shock of matted hair, profered
the broth to the invalid.
| AS she slipped feebly Ben communed with
himself.
''She hain't no SLOUGH for looks, even if she
is thin an peaked, " he thought. Looks right
purity yit. Looks sort Nv familiar, too"
Presently the sick woman piped out her
story.
The death of an improvident husband had
thrown her upon her own resources. She had
barely managed to keep body and soul to-
gether until the foreclosure of the mortgage
that the shiftless husband had placed on the
homestead.
Then, with her few poor effects and her
son-the young quail shooter-she had start
ed in the covered wagon back to her child
hood home.
Suffering had come in plenty, and as she
concluded the little story, SO simple and yet
SO full of pathos, the widows eyes filed with
tears
Like as not I'll never see the dear old In
diana home again." she quavered.
''What part Nv Injianny?" asked the man.
"Slaterville, in
Remember Ben Hollis, young, pig head
ed fool?'
Remember Benz Why, I should say did.
And he was no fool, either, so he wasn'tn
biggest fool on top Nv earth" persisted
the shaggy headed man. 'Say you remem-
Der hing
eyes, indeed!" answered the sick woman,
eagerly. Why, I-we-nothing- went
away, am
Eyes," broke in the other, hoarsely, che
went away, jist like sap headed fool, to git
mad at nuthin'r'
The shock headed man paused, drew long
breath, as if to strengthen his determination,
and blurted out suddenly:
"Marthy, don't you know me-"
''Benr'
Twenty minutes later, when the combined
horse doctor and jurist, the ex-prisoner, Ro-
ney and Buck arrived at the wagon, they
beheld sight that made the big man ex
claim that he would be ''dad-gummed"
The sick woman's face was very close to
Ben's, and she was feebly endeavoring to I'M
snarl his shaggy mop of hair. She paused
and looked into his eyes with look of ineffa-
BILE content that made her wan face bright.
Rooney" queried the justice, as they
paused some distance away from the wagon,
lis your pardner fixed fer money!
'Fixed? Owns half Nv the Yaller Bird
ranch, replied Roney.
(which I've herd is the best ranch 'twixt
o,,, TOD <bo
oval" answered Roney, modestly, ''in my
opinion, it's not Only the best but the valua-
blest ranch to be found in two years. huntr'
eyer pardner got airy wife?" 4rs
"Nary. Talks in his sleep sometimes, an
packs around with him all the time little
tintype marked 'Marthy'"
''My mothers names Marthy," said the ex-
prisoner.
The justice and Roney held an earnest con-
ference
Then the former sent Buck hurrying toward
the house, where he mounted a pony and
dashed away across the prairie.
When Buck returned, an hour later, tri-
umphantly bearing marriage license, there
was a unique wedding at the old covered
wagon.
Ben Hollis stood on the hub and srinned
happily while the justice pronounced the
words that made him the husband of the in
valid, whose hand he tenderly held and whose
wan face glowed with joy.
Thirty minutes after the impressive cere-
mony, all but Buck and the quail shooter sat
about the table in the house of the judicial
horse doctor The latter persisted in heaping
upon the plate of the sick woman, who was
supported by her husbands strong arm,
enough corn dodger and side meat for three
well women
who owns the other half NV the Yaller
Bird rancho" the host asked, suddenly, as if
the thought had just struck him.
II do" answered Roney, promptly. 'sMe
an Ben was strikin' fer the railroad, an then
fer the ole home stampin' grounds, to see if
anybody that knowed us was Twin Struck
one that knowed one Nv us fore we got fairly
started"
And he gave a great grin at the newly
made bride, who blushed happily.
Dunno what the arrangements will be
now" went on Roney. But little Dick
thar's got new father-an'-an' I-why, 1
s'pose I'm bout the same as his uncle, any
how
The voice Of Buck interrupted him.
''Diok," he said, you needn't feel stuck up
count Nv ketchin' two relatives at one clip.
Yer ole musket won't shoot scarcely an -
browning INSULT kin fling you side holtsn
Almost instantly there came the sound of
boyish bead hitting the floor, and Buck said,
sheepishly:
Reckon l was sort Nv mistook n-Tom P.
Morgan in Golden Days
"a billiard cue used by George Washing
ton in this city in $780, was sign tackled on