The Iola register., 1891-05-01
OLD MEEK AVENGED.

sided over by q wheeZing old fellow who
was known as Meek Bender. His whole
life seems to have been continuous
round of apology. His fear was not OF
a drouth, which might injure trade, or
Of an overflow of the creek, which
might wash his house away, but that he
might at some thoughtless time wound
the feelings of his fellow man His name
was John, but his habit of extreme care,
his manner, which had been refined into
eentleness and then softened into TIM
ididity, brought to him the name OF
Meek. His business was good, for there
was no other store in the community,
vet he was always hard pushed. The
fact ia, he was too tiuid and too much
afraid of giving offence to refuse credit,
and when credit had been given he was
too gentle to ask for the money which
was due him Even people that were
regarded as strictly honest were not slow
in imposing on old Meek.
The back room of Meek's store was the
wet day gathering place for the neigh
borhood- Contracts for the year were
drawn up there, and many an old score
had been settled in that dingy back roo
When the weather was cold and W
the fire burned low no one would .c.er
TO go out and bring in wood from the
rick, a short distance away, but some
strapping fellow would call old Meek, no
matter how busy he might be.
~Here, old boy, you will have to calk
upthis room to keep the fire from getting
cut il you don't mind
Gentlemen, he would reply in a
most apologetic manner, you must
really excEce me You'll pardon me-,
won't YOU? Will 20 better in the future.
One day 'Lige Parker came into the
store, and calling Old Meek aside, said:
Meek, I've got to have twenty-five
dollars
"'Lige, Meek answered with embar-
rassment. you know that if l had it
you could get it
"What, haven't you got it?7
Not to save my life, 'Lige.
~Oh, come now, Meek. Who ever
hearn of you bein' out OF money: The
rest of us mout be hard UP, but you air
allus fixed Let me have twenty-five.
~'Lige, 1 lent the last cent | had this
very mornin'.
Go and look in the drawer, Meek
Ireckon you'll find some sneakin' round
in thar.
Il took out the last cent, 'Lige.
3Wau, dang it, go an look when l
tell you
'Lige followed him to the money
drawer The old man pulled the drawer
open and said: Thar now, 'Lige, don't
You see thar amt none:
Thar amt none, sho 'nuf. Who dill
you lend it tor
Il don't like to say. 'Lige.
"Ch, it's all right What difference
can it make?'
None. only 1 don't like to be tellin'
who lend money to.
Come, tell me. l won't say a worl
about it "
Not a word, 'Lige?7
Not a single word.
wall, I'll tell you, just to 'commodate
you, but please don't mention it Jim
Henly come TO me this mornin' an lowed
that he must have twenty-five, an / let
him have If, although I've got bill that
1 must pay this week or shut up the
house.
Jim Henly, eh? Wy. he oughter
have plenty money. Hes got some colts
that he can sell any time fur a good
price Say, when he pays you back will
you let me have the twenty-fve:"
~Of course, Lige, you know I'll let
you have it as soon as l get it. >
That afternoon 'Lige met Jim Henly
in the road Hello, Jim, which way:'
~Oh, sorter ridtn' roun' for my health,
as the felIer lowed when he was gittin'
outen the way of the sheriff
Didn't know bat you was goin' over
to old Neek's.
Wall, don't know bus / mout ride
over that WY befo' the thing is done
with
Coin to pay him that money, I
reckon.
What money! Jim asked in sur
prise.
The twenty-five You borrowed from
him.
How the devil do you know bOr-
rowed any money from him.
You won't say uothin' about it, will
you?"
mo Go ahead
wall, was over to the store this
mornin' an the old man was sorter COM
plainin' about bill he's got to pay OF
shut up the house. Said he needed the
money he let you have. >
-Ah. hah. the old fool is paradin' ii
round that he let me have few dollars,
Is he?n
Not particularly paradin' it, Jim He
lows that he needs the money, an
reckon he do Don't say nothin' about
it, but if You can raise the money, wy
go an give it to him Wall, so long.
1t was a chilly evening a Number of
the ~boys" sat in old Meek's back room,
playing cards
You've got me faded now, said Alf
Moore, punching his cards Got me
down whar the ground is mighty rocky
Hello, Jim Healy, how air they comm:
Squat and take hand
-Whar is old Msek?" Healy asked
sGone out to git some wood, 1 b'lieve.
Meek came in and put back log on
the fire.
wy, howdy, jim. said the old man
Is ne :-dsheG of his sleeves -Sorter
shily an saft outside
jim stood looking at him After
awhile he remarked: Yes, q little
chilly. but not as much so as it will be
f people don't stop tslkin' about thar
belters"
Anything wrong, Jim?" the old man
askel
Yes. thar Is. Thar's a blame sight
Er-ng"