Wichita eagle., 1889-06-07
that was durn near due, an lin liz .1;s:. t. -

that was durn near due, an liz .1.... 1871 -
an not e1pectin' her for sevral days, OWN
to havin ben delirious an losin' track w the
fight o. time, so TO speak"
The girl who descended from the train at
Prairie City and inquired for conveyance to
Lone Mound was soon seated behind the half
wild ponies that Immediately began kicking
distance swiftly behind them.
Somehow" said Hank, confidentially,
"her face reminded me Nv these yere wild
blush roses that grow on the sunny slopes O
the little hollers, it was 80 pure an innocent
an bright. An her eyes, blue as fax flow
erS, er the sky when the summer rain clouds
break away fer a minute, SO to speak, was
as soft and sorto meltin as-as'-
At a loss for an appropriate sinlile, Hank
bestowed upon the half wild ponies sound
crack of the black snake whip.
"Wal," proceeded Hank, pretty soon after
we come in sight Nv his shack, l seed sump'n'
was up. The boys was a-standin' in a solemn
row in front Nv the house, an all Nv 'em had
their hats off. When we got up clost two
Nv 'em showed the cheerman Nv the boom
committee forward as if they wanted him to
be killed on the spot When the team stop
ped, the cheerman twisted about as if he was
spectin' to be whipped fer sump'n', an lookin'
at the girl beside me an jest openin' an shut
tin his mouth like cat fish, without sayin' a
word.
Hank sez he, all of sudden. he's gone
over the Range!' an got back Nv the others,
/ spite Nv their tryin' to make him stay ahead
Nv 'em.
''The girl didn't see what was up, but did,
! an fer a minute 1 rec.loned on turnin' this
/ yere ole blue blackboard around an gettin'
her away from the sorrer that was before
her, was that overcome by my feelin's, so
to speak. Then Doc McCord come out Nv
the shack and stepped forward.
Miss sez he, yer young mans ben
powerful sick, an'-an'-I-you-you must
prepare fer ther worst, am
Like fash she seed it all TIE next
minute she was in the shack an a-kneelin' by
her dead lover, with her head bowed on his
breast an her halr, which had come loose,
sorto caressin his dead face. None NV US
reckoned on intrudin on her grief, but tho
cry that come to me before could git out O.
hearin' was one that l never want to hear the
like uv ag'in, it was that full Nv anguishin'
despair, so to speak.
What did, began Hanks passenger.
AT that moment the mound that for about
two hours had doomed up before them was
passed sufficiently to reveal little settlement
just beyond it. A small cavalcade was leav-
ing it.
THAT thar's Lone Mound" said Hank.
''an' yere comes the fun'raL They started
their grave yard just over thar on the slope
Nv the mound, where it's always sunny when
1t is anywheres "
When the little procession reached them,
the team of half wild ponies was halted by
the roadside, and as it moved slowly past
both of the occupants of tho old blue buck
board sat with bowed and barred heads
The horses that drew the first wagon, the
substitute for hearse, were tastily draped
with black calico. The man who walked at
the bride Of each horse had a band of black
about his arm. In the wagon lay the dead
man, reclining on a bed of bright hued
prairie flowers, with his head resting in the
lap Of the girl whose pale, grief stricken face
now bore little resemblance to the bright
blossoms TO which Hank Fisher had hkened
it.
The next wagon bore the coffin. its somber
outlines softened By the wild flowers that
We're piled about and over it The pail bear
ers sat on the edge of the wagon box, on
either side. The few women of the little set
tlement rode in the remaining wagons of the
little procession, and the men followed on
foot. All wore bows of black ON their arms.
The old blue blackboard fell in behind
1.-THE boys reckoned ON dom it up right. il
it took all O. the boom money. An after
payin' the doctor, buyln' all sorts O. stuff fer
the sick man, payin' fer the mournin', and so
on, when the new schoolhouse that we're guin'
to build fer that girl to teach in is paid fer.
thar won't be enough Nv the boom money
left to swear by, SO to speak. an the school
house an the graveyard, with one grave in
it, will be all the signs tharu be Nv boom.
No banquet, an If the railroad officials come
an don't like it an sorto pick flaws with the
common, every day grub we've got, tharu be
the same pussy, plug HATED cusses thatill go
back to Prairie City some way beside on nv
ole blue blackboard An III sorto free my
mind TO EN- fore they start. and they kin
take their old railroads where they durn
please, an be hanged to theml"
In his wrath at the officials of the Trans
continental railroad, Hank w-as In danger Of
disturbing those Immediately tn front of him
with his expressions of ire.
When the grave was reached, Col BENDER
son came to the side of Hanks blackboard.
Stranger" he said, addressing the passen-
ger. ''beins thar's no preacher, did Tow TO
do my best toward the right thing st the
grave. but by yore looks you'd come nearer
film the BILL
1t was hardly a sermon that the stranger
spoke over the grave, but the simple, earnest
words brought comfort to the heart of tie +
bereaved girl, and caused the bystanders to
indulge in sundry solemn ratificaoory mods.
When the settlement was reached, and the /
ex-boomers gathered, g gloomy group, about /
the quiet stranger, Col Henderson stepped 4
forward.
Stranger" said he, If it h'ain1 too per
sonal question, who air you'll ! want 70
sorto be able to introduce you to my wife,
when take you UP to the house as my guest 1
for the balance Of your stay
MY name said the stranger, ''is Conwen
an the plain old president of the Transoon-
tinental railroad, which VIII be speedily built
to Lone Mound, instead Of TO New, Boston, as
our friend here seems to anticipate"
Hank Fisher, whom Mr. Couveu had dstS-
mated es ''or friend, p" was the picture OF as-
.onishmena
q 4