Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-11-07

hlidee no De ther ole oman an keeE
house. Me an Bill did Their huntin'
and she'd do Their skinnin' an cookin'
'ceptin oncet in ar while when we
didn't kill enough to suit her. she'd
grab the ole flint rife, go in Their woods,
an when it banged somethin' allus
drapped. WAL, yer bet she could shoot.
Things went on this way fer ar long
long time; playin' like, yer know. But
'twan't so many years afore we begun
to think bout sure 'nough.' That
same kim of somethin' what tells lettle
bars they amt cubs no longer begun
to tell US. yer got ter stop yer playin'
like
Zone mawnin', fer Their first time.
we got to talkin' bout the matter
Bill wuz allus ready to talk bout Kill
dee, so we set an talked ar long time
bout which OF US should have Kildee
for his ole oman. 'Twouldn't have
been Bill if he hadn't wanted ter give
her to me, cause he were jes that good
hearted; but, yer know, ledge,
couldn't, l wouldn't let him do that.
But we couldn't, agree on nuthin'; so
we said we'd leave Their whole thing
ter Kildee fer ter fix. an we'd do jes'
| like she said, didn't make no difference
what it were. So mex day when all
three of we-uns were in Big Bar Cave
ups and SEE:
"'Kildee. me an Bill air in trouble.
An when we tell yer what it's We air
afraid you will just holler, an will
make all sorts OF fun outen US. but We
ain a-carin'. It's jes this, we-uns hev
been cubs long enough. an now it's
time we be gittin' growed up. An we
amt perticuler smart, but we is got
gumption 'nough ter know two fellers
can't hev the same gal fer his ole
oman. You hain't never showed no
differuns in yer likin' of US. Kildee,
but you must fix some kinder way fer
one of us ter git yer. Now the one
which gifts left he'll hev ter go over
an work on Squire Carriers gal
Course, Kildee, don't nuther one of US
want ter hev ter leave yer land. Jedge
when l sed that my eyes begun to
get watery), but it's better fer one ter
git left than both. Now, whatever you
say we'll do without ar word: say yer
say, Kildee.'
Every thing war so still yer could
heer a { i tread. We knOw'd she
were ez peart an bright ez ar cricket
an would do right. She stopped.
thought ar leetle, then, raisin' her head,
with them eyes ar shinin', sed:
".No, fellers, Their amt nuthin' bout
that ter laugh over. he'd been
a-thinkin' bout that, too. don't like
Bill no better than yer. and yer no
better than Bill, but it's Ike yer SEE;
so I'll jes' do this:
{" Ole Squire Pearson has been talk
in lots to Dad an Nam bout cities an
larnin'. l dunno no more bout Their
things than ar squirrel does bout pot
Ticker, but they pears mighty nice.
Now Their one of yer that ull fin out
bout them fust, I'll slap this here ole
han right plunk in hisun.'
"Jedge. when she sed that, | SEE ter
myself, Bill, she's yourn.' Bill he
stood still an wuz thoughtful like. l
knOwed he wuz so glad ter git her, but
then he wanted me to hev her too. The
sweat begun ter run down my face, but
didn't say ar word. We'd sed we'd
do jes' like she sed. She didn't hev no
idea who she was trottin' down ter
Squire Carriers, but l knOwed.
''Ar few days arter that ar hard
lookin' mounting chap left hyar with
all his belongings swung on his back.
He had begged and begged me ter go
too, but sed no, I'd stay an take ker
of Their ole folks an keep my eye on
Kildee fer him. He didn't hev no min
as ter whar he war goin', but sed he
wuz goiu' till he found ar city. When
we sed good-by, we couldn't tell why,
but Their tears begun to sprout in our
eyes. Bill sed: Ike, keep good keer
of Kildee till come back. We may be
growed up then, but we-uns will still
be ther same ole Ike an Bill
After he left, me an Kildee KEEP up
our frolics. but 'twarn't like it ulster
be. When we'd think bout Bill the
tears 'ud bergin to come to Kildee's
eyes, but she'd pull up the corner of
her apron, wipe them erway an say:
Never min, he'll come back afore
many years an then we'll be so happy
again"
Bout ar year arter, there come
past here some men what called them
selves surveyors. They went up to
Squire Smiths an asked to put up ar
few weeks.
''Kildee war bout eighteen then,
nigh as recall. an pulitzer or pear
ter gal never slapped foot on the ole
Blue Ridge. Thar wuz ar young buck
in ther gang what wore a white shirt
an talked soft an putty like. From
the fust he 'peared ter like Kildee.
He'd ask her ter go long an help drag
his ole chain. Every time I'd go ter
see Kildee she'd be gone down that ra-
vine or somewhat with that thar Teller.
One day ez l wuz goin' home thought
] hearn somebody talkin' soft like up
among the bushes. l stopped, listened,
then went up sof' to whar l hearn Their
noise. Thar set Kildee an that Teller
He he'd his arm round her an was
talkin' mighty intrusted like. An
every now an then Kildee's eyes
would shine an she'd laugh an say:
Yes, Yes" l stood an watched them
for ar while but didn't say ar word.