Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-19
BILL LKINNY, OF DRY FORK


ton, decided that he ought to be arrest
ed. But Bill objected, and when three
deputy sheriffs called on him he laid a
Winchester rifle across one corner of his
homestead, killed one of the deputies
and 80 painfully wounded the other two
that they strolled back to the Shady
Grove court house. Several days later,
while Bill was sitting in front of his
door, Mark Townsend, the sheriff in
chief, walked up to the fence and lazily
placed his arms on the top rail-, Bill
reached back and took up his rifle.
"Good mornin', Bill"
eli, Mark"
"Had good bit of frost last night
"Yas, ruther. Which way you trav-
elm, Mark?"
"Oh, no way in particular Lowed
you mout be lonesome, an 1 thought I'd
drap over and talk with you while.
Don't make no difference how lively a
feller is he's apt to get lonesome once in
while, specially this time of the year"
81 reckon that's true" Bill replied.
"Some fellers come out here the other
day, and one of them got so lonesome
that he just natchully had to lay down."
$50 | hearn," said the sheriff. "By
the way" he added, ''them fellers that
you speak about wanted you to 60 to
Shady Grove with them, didn't they?" .
''Yas, they lowed that jedge down
thar wanted to make my acquaint-
ance"
"You don't say sol" exclaimed the
sheriff. "W'y, the jedge is mighty big
man, an I'd think you'd like to meet
him, Bill"
81 would, but you see 1 amt in So
ciety this year"
"Sorter retired, air you?"
"Yas, thought I was a-gettin' a leetle
too old fur the bright foolishness an val
Ter trimmins of this here life."
eyes, that mout be-" the sheriff re-
piled. "a feller does withdraw might
lily as he gets along in age; but, say, the
jedge is friend of mine an want you
to meet him."
"No. I'm obleeged to you. 1 never
hankered after these here fellers that
pride themselves on their book larnin'."
81 don't exactly crave them," the
sheriff rejoined, "walloping" his tobacco
about in his mouth, sbut still I think
we ought to meet them once in while.
But say, Bill, there's man down at
Shady Grove that 1 do want you to
meet"
"Who is he?"
''Sam Powers"
"He's the jailor, amt he?n
eyes, an the best one you ever seen."
$50 they say" Bill replied, fondling
his rifle. SIN fact, them fellers that
was here the other day wanted me to
meet him."
$50 1 hearn," said the sheriff; ''but l
lowed that mebby they didn't extend
the invertation in a soft and gentle
enough way"
"Oh, didn't have no fault to find with
the invertation. I jest didn't wanter go,
an sorter pulled back little, an then
one of them laid down an the other two
limped nightly"
$50 hearn," said the sheriff. ssStill
I thought there mout be easier an
smoother way of putin the invertation.
Gentleness always pays. You can some
times lead man with string of beads
when you couldn't drive him with
hoop pole. You recollec old Wash
Bowles, that was once the sheriff of this
county, don't your
mighty we'll"
"Ah, ha! Well, that old feller lad
more gentleness and consideration for
the feelins of other folks than any man
ever seen. One time he had to hang
feller named Brice, an Brice sorter
kicked against it, bein' feller that was
hard to please anyhow, so Wash, in that
soft way of hisn, stepped up to put on
the rope, an says, 'Brice, you'll please
excuse me, but I'll not detain you but a
moment So thought that if I'd come
here today with strong consideration an
smooth gentleness you mout accept the
jailer's invertation to come an spend o
while with him."
"No, I'm obleeged to you. 1 don't
care about goin' today. I've got to 90
over the ridge an whip feller tomor-
rer, an if l don't do it I'm Altered he
mout be disappointed. Well, now,
Mark" he added, "ef you amt got no
further business with me reckon you'd
better be shown along"
"But have got some further bust
ness with you, Bill. want you to go
with me an see the jailer."
''Wall, amt goin'."
81 lowed you would, Bill"
''You don't say so"
"Yas, an want you to go with me-"
"How many men did you bring with
your
''None at all, but you air a-goin'."
"Mebbe; after all these here cartridges
is shot off,"
"No, thought you would go with
me without having to waste any of the
cartridges. You know the price of
brass an powder hav riz mighty of late."
"Oh, now here, Mark, L don't care
nothin' for expenses. don't mind
shootin' few balls into a feller that
wants to put me in Jail and afterward
hang me-"
'sI am glad you amt stingy, Bill.
Some of the boys over at the store said
that you was mighty economical, but
Pm glad to see you amt. 1t hurts
man nightly, you know, to have it
norated around that he is Close
'I know that, Mark, and I'm allus
tryin' hard to keep that charge from
bein' flung agin my reputation"
I'm pleased to know you think 90