The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-21
now. / don't know how it'll seem. Nv,

!
But hain't seen the time could get a
set, and l couldn't now if 'twan't fol
Henry Hustled giving me some work
want expecting-corn-shocking and
one thing another. don't know how
it'll SEEM" Squar' Brown repeated, the
simple pleasure in his face warming to
exultation, ito have teeth to eat with. y
He put the carefully-refolded circular
back in his pocket and got up, his art
less object ended. He had few idle
moments.
you'll look like another teller,
Squar," said Vet, whiting rail
splinter.
81 amt thinking about the looks, u
said the squar. 81 want to eat some
thing besides spun-victuals."
GOSH" said Vet, slapping his leg
with guffaw, I'D know you was
clean took up something er other.
squar. You hain't said nothing about
Lowry ner Oregon"
The great episode of Squar Browns
life had been journey to the Pacific
coast twenty years ago. The business
which had been his object had failed,
but the trip had been to him piano.
rama of keen pleasures "reminiscences
of it were still large part of his talk.
Vague things reminded him of it, and
when nothing served he introduced the
subject barefacedly.
"Well, no, l hain't, Sylvester" he said,
rubbing his chin, in enjoyment Of the
81 aJL = off al
lowship between them, founded on a
kindred kindness of heart or humorous
sense-or on their human, brotherhood
alone.
Vet whitfield on when Squar Brown
had gone, sitting with his feet sprawled
apart and his elbows On his knees, his
horse, looking to be the worthier,
standing patient. Vet worked only
when he could not keep clear of it. He
lived with daughter and an unwilling
son-in-law, and spent what money he
could get for whisky.
Squar Brown vent up the road.
Meeting neighbor on gig he made
al excuse to step over the ditch and
speak to him.
I'm going to Pomeroy next week and
see about getting my teeth" he said.
and got out and spread open the cir
cular.
A few days later the news went
through the neighborhood, not the less
briskly for it's being an old story, that
Vet Sawdey had gone uptown and got
drunk again; and in a short space the
details became known.
The limitations of She country spree
are narrow. Vet Sawdey's usual Gus
tom, and his were the blacklist trans
gressions the region knew, was to drive
up town with a horse of his son-in-
laws, point for the one saloon, and
there drink as much strong stuff as he
could pay for; to stagger around the
street little, with incoherent talk and
loud laughter; later, his alcoholic in
sanity rising, to mount his buggy and
drive up and down the main street at
such speed as Intellectual mad flashing
at his horse urged her to; to give forth
senseless whoops and squeals: to be a
grisly object of terror to children and
serious warning to all.
All this he had done this time, and
more. He had arrived at the quarrelsome
stage and. deserving his buggy, had at
tackled an observant group boisterously,
offered to fight them each or all to-
gether, and made shaky attempt atit.
And there the marshal had interfered,
having been watching for his first ex-
cuse; he had opportunity for arrests sell
dom, and this was welcome. Men look
upon pitable things and smile, with ILL
conditioned pride in the ability so to do;
the general sentiment was one of graft
fcation. A crowd of little boys, eying
Vet as a chained tiger, had followed
him and the marshal to the lookup; and
ten a paragraph, using his unvarying
formula for such cases, to the effect
that Vet Sawdey had come to town,
got outside of too much of the O-be-
joyful, and been landed in the cooler.
Squar' Brown heard the news and the
particulars, and went over tow ard
night to see Daniel Leach, Vets SON.
in-law. He was chopping wood in the
back yard.
Eyes, sir, Squar', he's been right at it
again." he said wasn't but five
weeks ago. the last time I wasn't to
home, that's how it happened. He
wouldn't have got off with my horse
and buggy another time, if l had
been"
Il heard they'd got him in the lock-
up" said Squar' Brown
HE was getting frisky-wanted to
fght-and they run him in" Leach re-
Joined, ''and tomorrow they'll haul him
up and fine him again. Shouldn't won
der if twas ten dollars this time" He
struck his ak into the knot and his
fists together. 81 don't 60 near him!
I've paid two fines for him in a year,
and I've done it the last time. I'd never
ought to paid one. Pin q poor man,
and I've got a family 10 see to and
debt on my place. My children don't
have half what they ought to; do you
think I'm going to fairly take the vic
tuals out of their mouths TO pay for Vet
Sawdey's whisky and fines? That's
done with it, and there can't anybody
blame me. Hes a good-for-nothing,
dog-gone old rascal"
He was not hard man, but being
goaded to the point of rebellion he
stood firm. He went on chopping.
Squar' Brown looked at him timidly.
Used to be so you could work out
your fine on the roads," he said, but
it's been changed Have to go to
county Jail or the workhouse, won't
hep"
Don't know Ghere he'll CO." said