Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-22


till We struck water; this was another
simple trick, / should have dug the
well first, but then, you see. had
reckoned on the stream-and that went
bac.- on me.
lit was while We were cooped up
there. and the rain driving through the
cracks in the floor (Which now stood to
the north, of course.) that John said:
"'Dan. didn't you say this was the
northwest quarter of 1922 (He was
sitting there on the side of the over
turned stove, despite the way the light
ming flashed, just as uncOncerned as if
things were right side up.)
Yes said.
&" Seems to me mighty strange said
John. Why our place is on SO, in the
next town" west
This set me to thinking. and sure
enough, when l got a land agent down
the next week to survey it out. he just
said that old Lockyear was d fool, and
had worked me for a sucker The
land that | had filed on was over TWO
miles away. So | had to fife on the
same piece over again as a 'pre-emp-
ton and lose my homestead right
for nothing, and didn't get the money
back either.
when we set the shantee up again
we put her down solid. you bet!
Il got John to break two acres for
(o.- 70
put in a patch of beans. Then the
drought set in. The beans came up
about four inches and there they stood!
Where in thunder was to get sticks
from? That was a thing l hadn't
thought of; but it didn't appear as if
they would ever need any, anyhow.
Il was out one day after antelope q
'rustled' all my meat, except a ham
now and then as a luxury, when l
happened to come across large patch
of suniiowers. where an old sheep cor
raj had stood, and just happened to be
struck with the idea, why shouldn't
these sunfOwers make the best kind of
bean sticks? So | came the next few
days and dug up young ones, about a
foot high, and set down one TO every
hill of beans.
There they stood. For a month
neither of 'em grew an inch, but the
beans just twisted round and took
hold. l could see that my scheme was
going to work like charm!
AT the end Of the month we had a
good storm, and l looked out with sat-
isfaction on the crops. How they did
shoot up in that one day!
but the next day was a scorcher. l
thought toward afternoon that those
beans looked sort O. sickly-and sickly
they were, When l came to investi-
gate the matter. the sunhowers had
grown at least two feet, and had taken
every last bean up with 'em-by the
roots-and their name was Dennis!"
Mr.. Dunstan paused, and then went
on:
a had to go thirty miles after my
mail. Sometimes [ used to go up and
back in a day, and sometimes up one
day and back the next. Sage was a
pretty poor place to stay at, and what
few people there were there used to
say with a smile when they saw me:
".Hello, Dan! How's crops down
your way?' You see that bean racket
had got out on me. But they don't act
that way now.
although when l was at home at
the shantee no one would ever come in
sight except John. yet, somehow, when
was away they could find the place
right enough.
.'One time when l returned from
Sage all that was left of my chickens
q had two hens and a rOOster) was a
plateful of bones and the old rooster
! Che was a tough old cuss). The shantee
was full of feathers, and the two heads
and insides laid on the table-but my
guests had gone.
Single blessedness didn't suit that
old rooster q believe he had deal
more sense than [ had), for day by day
he wilted; until one morning, when he
could crow no more, l found him on his
back. dead. with his head turned up
and his feet stretched out, one behind
the other, pointing to the east in an
attitude of derisiOn. Perhaps you don't
believe it, but missed that old rooster
as if he had been something human.
Then a skunk took up his abode
under the floor of the shantee.
And the grasshopperS came, and
take my word for it. gentlemen, they
would have eaten all the siding off the
house (there was a fine crop of sun
flowers, but they didn't appear es,
thetic), but, luckily, strong wind got
up and took them farther west (tC
perish, l hopeD before they had their
job finished.
Another time rode up to Sage ano
back the next day. As | got near home
l saw several ponies standing round
outside the shantee; when l got there
and looked in there sat four Cow
puncher5' as unconcerned as you please
round the table. playing seven up.
The fire was out, a pile OF dirty cups
plates and dishes stood on the stove
they were all chewing tobacco, and The
place was in fine mess, | can tell you
One of them saw me standing there
looking astonished. so he said:
Come in. Don't stand knocking.
boys / said, looking round at th'
mess there was, why don't you come
out here with the spade and go Il
shovelling dirt in