The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-06-05

d pnlllplC-
Hell"
The red sun was pasted in the sky
like fierce wafer.
The tattered man stood musing.
We'll, he was regular jim-dandy for
nerve. want he," said he finally in
little awe-struck voice. A regular jim
dandy" He thoughtfully poked one
of the docile hands with his foot. 81
wonner where he got is stren'th from:
I never seen man do like that before.
1t was funny thing. Well, he was
a regular jim-dandy."
The youth desired to screech out his
grief. He was stabbed. But his
tongue lay dead in the tomb of his
mouth. He threw himself again upon
the ground and began to brood.
The tattered man stood musing.
Look a here, pardner," he said.
after time. He regarded the corpse
as he spoke. Hes up an gone, amt
e, an we might as well begin t look
out fer OF number one"
The youth, awakened by the tat
tered soldiers tone, looked quickly up.
He saw that he was swinging uncer-
tainly on his legs and that his face had
turned to a shade of blue.
Good Lord he cried, in fear, you
amt going to-not you too"
The tattered man waved his hand.
Nary die" he said. "All l want is
some pea-soup an good bed. Some
pea-soup," he repeated dreamfully.
The youth arose from the ground.
II wonder where he came from. l left
him over there!" He pointed. And
now find i'm here. And he was COM
ing from over there, too" He indi-
Gated a new direction. They both
turned toward the body as if to in
terrogate it.
Well" at length spoke the tattered
man, there amt no use in our stayin'
here an tryin' t ask him anything"
The youth nodded an assent, YEARLY.
They both turned to gaze for moment
at the corpse.
The youth murmured something.
well, he was q jim-dandy, want
'e?" said the tattered man as if in re-
Spouse.
They turned their backs upon it and
started away. For time, they stole
softly, treading with their toes. 1t re-
NAMED laughing there in the grass.
I'm commencin' t feel pretty bad"
said the tattered man suddenly break
ing one of his little silences. I'm
commencin' t feel pretty damn bad"
The youth groaned. ''Oh, Lord"
Was he to be the witness of another
encounter?
But his companion waved his hand
reassuringly ''Oh. I'm not goin' t die
yit."
As they plodded on the tattered sol.
der continued to talk. besides, if
died, wouldn't die tn way that feller
did. That was tn funniest thing. II
Jest flop down, would. | never seel
Teller die tn way that Teller did"
Then he made a calm announcement
There's two of en-. little ones. bu
they're beginnin' to have fun with nj
now. don't believe | kin walk mucl
furder."
They went slowly on in silence
"Yeh look pretty peelled yerself," SAT-
the tattered man. at last. Il bet yeh'v
got a worser one than yeh think
Where is it Iocated?" But he continued
to harangue vaguely without waiting
for reply.
The youth had been wriggling sine
the other had begun to speak o
wounds He now gave cry of eXas
peration and made a furious motion
with his hand. ''Oh, don't bother me,
he said. Now, don't bother me-" h
repeated, with desperate menace.
We'll. Lord knows l don't want
bother anybody" said the tattere
man. There was little accent Of de
spair in his voice as he replied. ''Lor'
knows I've gotta 'nough m own t 'tenc
to-"
The youth. who had been holding
bitter deb tie with himself and castin
chances of hate and contempt at tn
tattered man. here spoke in a har
> voice. "Good-by." he said.
The tattered man looked at him i
gaping amazcnent. ''Why-why
, pardner. where yeh goin'?" he asked
! | unsteadily. The youth looked at hin
I | could see LndI ne. LOO. like IhS olhc
: one. was beginning to act dumb an
animal-lille. His thoughts seemed I
be found, ring about in his head
Observation-Disclosures yOu-nOw.
> won't have this-this here won't do
Where-where yeh goin'?''
. The youth pointed vaguely. love
there" he replied.
well. now. look-a-here-now," sal
the tattered man. rambling on in Idle
= fashion. His head was hanging TO
40 ward and hi
~ ITEY words wer
(N(2SI WI slurred "Th
lDHdkN thing won't d.
M ANA now. Yeh want
NAFS go trompin' o
hS@s~1C with n bad hur
w - 1t amt right
. |Iz 9 7:S want. 5 iss;
: Nc me take keer {
a HE cor1D HEAR TIE yeh. 1t ain
rArTERED MAN BLEAT- right-it amt.
: ING. In reply ii
5 youth climbed a fence and starte
~ !