Wichita eagle., 1889-09-17
LUKE JUDKIN'S END.

now a-pfayln CFOhg-ue al hSHcTy oiceH!
Henery is babe as compared with Luke, an
Henery is over 10 Yell never open the new
cem'tery with Luke, tell ye. Tain't no use
waitin'.n
The undertaken moved a quid of tobacco
slowly from one side of his long lantern jaw
to the other as he replied, obviously: 1.-The
new cimetery folks say tibet the folks to East
Village amt respondin' as they he'd ought to
the new enterprise"
.'Waal, they hedn't ought to cal'late on old
Luke, anyhow"
The speakers sat on the steps of Enoch
Johnson's store in East Village, and looked
across the green to where two old men were
playing croquet-a game not yet extinct in
the mountain farming districts Of Vermont.
Pretty soon a quarrel seemed to spring up
between the players; loud words rang out
under the elms; then came a fierce inter-
change of blows The undertaken and Enoch
johnson stood up on the store steps to watch
the contest at better advantage. Presently
Enoch said, as if apostrophizing: "Thet Luke
Judkin's the consarnedest, cussedest peskiest
old critterl Henery is hurried, and here comes
Luke with broken mallet. Shouldn't Won
der eff he'd say Henery was all to blame.
Spry? Amt he spryl Dye ever hear about
his dog? He's cutter than old Luke himself.
Here the old reskill comes. H'lo, Luke!"
''H'lo, Enochl How's folks?"
Luke Judkin briskly walked up to the store,
holding the parts or a broken mallet handle
in his hands. He was the picture of that
agile, athletic old age which so often obtains
at the present day among the mill farms" In
Vermont. His nose and chin betrayed
ludicrous intimacy. His back was bent with
the weight of years. His hands had grown
into long, unsightly claws. The day was hot
and it was midday but the sun at ITO de-
grees only sufficed TO pleasantly warm the
bald head Of the old man, whose sharp lit
tie eyes in their cavernouS sockets cleaned
up at the storekeeper in keen recognition.
Been a-playin' croky!" answered Enoch,
not replying according to East Village ETH
ouette to the old mans inquiry concerning
his folks"
'sYas; beat Henery Green three games
runnin'," said Luke. Would a beat a
fourth only Henery he said l cheated.
'Twant no SIGH thingl" and his eyes blink
ed savagely, like the eyeballs of an antiquat-
ed parrot. Il didn't cheat no more n no
less than he did. :"
'sCome to blows, eh?"
"Yas 'TwanJ nothin'. Stuck our NAL
lets together leetle. Say, Enoch, measure
me out a cents worth O. glue-Henery broke
my handle"
I'D like to see that cent" drawled Eneeh,
slowly rising and meandering within his store
for the glue.
Luke took seat on the steps, near the I'M
dertaher, and proceeded TO wipe his perspir-
inc face with his shirt sleeve. The under
taker looked him over professionally mo
ment; then said, musingly, Luke, what is
your measure? Five foot seven an a harf
or five eight an harf?' lie put the ques-
ton casually, as if not personally interested.
Mr.. Staples, you got money in thet new
Gem tery enterprise, amt yea
Mr.. Staples allowed he had-'a few hun
derd."
WAL, faint nothin' to you what meas
ure. | cal'late | ken tire out any cen'tery
enterprise as has started to East Nillage, an
when | decease l purpose bein' buried to
Weston"
.'Sho!" Mr.. Staples leaned over and
picked UP a straw, to conceal his feeling of
disappointment and vexation.
I'm agin al them new tangled patent
iron Monuments an iron fixin's an agin all
this ere flummery folks is talllin' about. The
old fashioned marble head stuns is plenty
good huff Theirs altogether too much fancy
fixin' to the new cem'tery. I'm agin fountain
play into a cem'tery-yes / be! an eff the old
berryin grounds full, as they say, I'm a-goin'
to Weston"
"Sho." again calculated the undertaken, in
an undertone Shouldn't think you'd like
to make yourself so unpopular.
whats folks to East Village ever done
for me? amt a-gcin' to do nothin for them
no | ANTI"
I'VE had hoped" urged the undertaken,
'that you'd open our new cimetery, an We
cal'lated t. have the Weston band"
faint 40 Use argufyin'," said Luke,
stubbornly.
"A band, an address by the Methodist
an Presbyterian ministers" softly smiled
Mr. Staples.
Luke moved uneasily on the step.
"A adress maxim mention of your noble
carrickter an praisin' of it, an maxim out
as how you were a great phiIanthropeed,
smiled Mr.. Stapples, aiably.
"a what is't!" asked Luke, quickly turn
ing his sharp, discreditins eyes full upon the
undertaken.
"A phi-lanthropeed-I cal'late one what is
sorter magnlt.'
himself Me 4 niagnit n East Nillagel' he
gIinned. Why, can't get trust Tor bag
o oats.'
Enoch came out with the glue done up in
bit of brown paper Guess re hurried Hen
eI-v, We old sinner" said he, looking across
the green. There's Marier a-doin' his head
I'D in a hauizsaer. LOOKS though his skull
was cracl1ei-4aTn me CT dont.'
Hope lis" said Luke. He'd no biznesS
to say l cheated Why, croky amt Eo fun
onless We cheat some; an Ranery, he's wusS
u l be-
WAL said Enoch, slowly, folks know
veou! an guess Henery's Dostwise in the
r;-ht. Say, Luke, here's the glue; now where's
the cents"
Old Luke felt about in his brooches pockets
for some moments, apparently TO no purpose.
Then he felt IN his boot TOP and pulled out q
dirty aud much 2angled s. bill
Here. Enoch. give me four dofler and
! uinetv-rila cents cEa1se'-snd Luke handed
I'd the bin.
Eaoch laughed sickly laugh ''Yeou know
! ! hain't got the change, hs said; ''but III
! cabbage enter this bill. an yeou can let it go
! arir our gAoant--thet there fcrty-aine GollsT
/ an eightv-slx cents for sore projuce as has
} staod fer-les sse-taree year an over
Luxe quickly thrust the bin intoiis troUs-
! ers pocket u c2ll We u witness, Mr.. Slap
/ lee. l tendered TIE cash. Yes, SD; an now.
/ EGceh. les have the glue
LIS hev TIE I'll. Luke. Guess ken get
be change Cd - tbs ssvin's baaS'
| Luke 50 ck BIS head
/ No bill. 20 glue, insisted Ezcch.
/ WAL. 10 glue, no eeatT" replied Lake,