Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-10-24
A DAY OF MARTYRD0M.

The colonel and the young reporter
were slipping their respective portions
Of cold bottle OF beer and listening
to the whir of an electric fan the other
night when the colonel grew reminis-
cent.
Away before the war" remarked
the colonel musingly, when was
just sprouting my first whisker--a
spindle.shanlScd, truant-playing prod
uct OF the cffetc east-my father sent
me out into southwest Missouri to get
braced up | don't know what was
the matter with me, but was all run
down, and my father was convinced
that season on the Missouri farm OF
my uncle would prove beneficial alike
to my mind and body might say be-
fore going further that it did.
II babe my mother sorrowful
good-by, away back in New York city,
and In due course OF time landed on
the farm Of my uncle. 1t was rcve-
lation, The vcrdure-clad hills, the
breezes smelling spicy and sweet, the
cold water from the we'll, wholesome
food in large quantities, horses to ride
and q lovely pool to 60 swimming in
made new boy OF me in week.
Barring the fact that was compelled
to retire with the rest Of the family at
nine o'clock at night and get up at an
hour in the morning when the dew on
the grass felt to my bare feet like ice
water, that farm was heaven 1t was
two heavens when got acquainted
with Mclvina Drake.
"Alelvina Drake was about the four
tcenth child Of farmer living about
two miles nearer town than my uncle.
Her father, Solomon Drake, was the
poorest man in the county, lie was
poorer than watered buttcrmilk, but
the incest, mildest-mannered old man
you ever saw. His wife was skinny,
sallow, forsaken-looking, over-worlscd
woman, with pleasure in store former
but death. both were hard. working
but honest but they had some kind of
hoodoo on them. They were old res
identers in that part of the country,
and their ancestors had been there be-
fore them, but as far back ~ the mem,
DRY Of man could extend the brakes
had always been poor--as my uncle
said-'pore as shucks. About all the
brakes seemed fitted for was increas-
ing the population and getting hold Of
horses that couldn't draw anything but
flies,
"As | was saying, Melvina was about
the fourteenth OF the Drake brood, and
she was dream guess she was
about sixteen years, big and sweet and
healthy. Her checks were as rosy and
clear as a Missouri apple, and her eyes
were big and blue, And she was SO
doggone innocent that hope | may
die II 1t didn't use to embarrass me like
thunder.
Consequence was got mashed on
Melvina; hard mashed. don't be,
lieve stronger case of calf love ever
developed In this whole state OF Mis-.
souri,. II ! saw one OF my cousins or
any other boy talking to her | would
go to some secluded spot and cry and
butt my soft NOODLE against tree. At
night used to lay awake and dream
myself hero. used TO imagine Mel
vina tearing down the road on fiery
steed with certain death staring her in
the face, and me coming up unexpect.
eddy, stopping the horse and rescuing
her, sustaining in the operation a
broken leg and sundry other bruises
Then I'd imagine Melvina nursing me
back to life and finally marrying me.
My head was full of such stuff
Zone day, along in June, there camo
put our way wagon loaded with cir
Gus bills, paste pots and bill stickers,
and they slathered the country side
with signs announcing that the great
fricano circus and menageries
was to show in town on the Fourth of
July. When left home my father
gave me ten dollars, and had most Of
It left. ! male up my mind that
would take Melvina to the circus, and
iirectly my dreams at night took the
'orm OF monster lion rushing at her
With open mouth. and me engaging
he lion just as he was about to grab
,er, and chohed him to death with
.ne hand.