Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-09
FOR GOOD REASONS.
Why Sarah and Ira Were Never
Married.

The story OF how nearly Sarah
Hochstetler came to marry Ira Tincher
in 1871 has grown to be part Of the
history of Oregon county, Mo. Ira is
still comparatively young man, and
Sarah is still well on the sunny side of
fifty, but Jim Burnes, whom she did
marry, has been under the gravel and
rocks that cover his forty-acre farm for
these ten years or more. Sarah Burnes
still lives on the farm, but in spite of
the fact that she is husbandless and yet
under fifty, she will never become the
wife of Ira Tinchcr, though for years
these two loved and swore a devotion
that should have its ending even be-
yond the grave, if tkcn.
Old jim Burnes lived near Alton, in
the center of the county, and young
Ira worked for him. Burnes was fifty
three and Tinchcr was twenty-five.
They had been together year, when
the young man surprised his employer
by telling him that he was soon to
marry Sarah Hochsteler, who made her
home with 1.-The folks" n few miles
from the Howell county line, on the
West Plains road.
:Goin' Ter marry Sary!" exclaimed
old Burnes. why, Try, she's older'n
you be, an weddin's or that sort allus
turns out bad"
The old man looked severely at his
young ''hand," and Ira looked at the
ground. BurRes was gray and bewhis-
kered, but his form was as straight as a
hickory sapling. His rough hands were
tucked under his trousers and he stood
with arms akimbo, eyiRG the youth
who stood before him.
AN besides went on old Burnes,
I've been keepin' comp'ny with Sary
m'sclf fer more'n two years, an she's
iist right fer eu man like me. I've got
ser farm, an I'm old ernuff, an-an' ter
tell Their truth, an not shock yer nerves
too much, Try, ! kinder reckon she
likes me-"
what" exclaimed the young farm
hand, you an my Sary!"
He stopped and buried his faco ia his
hands.
t.Yhar, boy" resumed old Burnes,
softly, don't fuss. Ez l said, Sary is
err year older n you, an she's only been
er foolin'. Sary thinks you as on'y her
boy, an she KANT hen her lool1in' up
ter me, yer know. My land an"
la slipped away while the old man
talked. True enough, he thought to
himself hQ WAS only a boy. lie put
his hand 10 his face. There was no
beard thor2-oaly little punches of
short, struggling hairs around his chin
and up toward his cars. He kept walk
ing for an hour, not thinking where he
was going-only thinking Of sary and
her pretty Waya-her clean, homcspun
dresses and her merry laugh. Then he
stopped.
''She said she liked me an she said
she'd marry me in Their summer, an
she never said nothin' er5out old Jim.
But he's or deacon IN Their church, an
he wouldn't lie erbout tan SaFy, SIZE
never got or 'Ggion, an SO she's been
err foolia' mo-
That was Ira's way of looking at it.
He studied the whole situation over
and over that afternoon. In the even
ing he went back to the Burnes cabin
down in the valley, and after BE- bad
done the chores he went to ~
asked for his ln"-- - I'LL anu
-..ere's or leetle comm, reckon,
he said, IAN I'm goin' down inter
Arkinsaw.
Coin ter quit?" asked old Burnes,
carelessly. 'Well, sorry yer KANT
stay fer Their weddin', but hyars yer
money, an hope yer'l have luck"
He paid his hand in shin-plasters-
he only owed him four dollars-wages
for month-and Ira put on his hat,
and gathering up the few things he had,
walked out of the little cabin. He left
| old Burnes seated in front of the rough
log fireplace, squirting tobacco juice
against the dying embers, close to
which the calloused soles of his bare
feet were being toasted The old Eel
low did not loo k up until he was sure
that Ira must be gone. Then he rose,
and putting on his cowhide boots, pre-
pared to leave the place.
Tibet war easy" he murmured-
'Now, eff he don't go over ter Sary's to
find out erbout it, I kin tell Their gal
most anything He'll jest erbout go
thar ter say goOd-by ter her-yes, he'll
do it, sure-sure he'll do it Yes, I'll
| 90 an beat him thar"
Old Burnes fastened into his best
coat, and grasping stout stick. went
out He slipped a yoke over his oxen,
and In a moment was IN the West Plains
road, urging the slow animals west
ward 1t was after eight o'clock when
he came in sight Of the Hochstetler
home. The folks had not gone to bed,
for there was light visible through
the open door and through the chinks
| in the cabin wall He stopped the oxen
ana jumping nImDIy rom MS Ola Trap,
stepped inside Sarah was there and
she voiced an exclamation upon seeing
the old man
seyyhy, Uncle Jim, y she cried, what s
brought you over here2 Try amt hurt2''
! 1 e3Felf. Sarr, 7espo1ded Tie Cd 1eI-