Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-01-07

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CHAPTER VI
he MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF JOE
HIGGINR
The village Of Ashton Centre lay in a
level niche among the hills, which fell
away In irregular terraces to the south
and west toward the river and ascend
ed north and east toward the mountains.
Here four roads met from the four points
Of the compass. and the common center
was the half rotten watering trough fed
from running spring on bill near by.
and which stood in tho middle Of an
open square bounded, ~ the biographies
ray. on the north by the church, the
i store and tavern, and the aristocratio
houses Of the town, on the west by a
tumbled down barn and dwelling said
to be the Oldest in town, on the south
by the graveyard, it, moss covered tomb
stones overgrown by tall grass, and BY
the blacksmith shop which stood in
corner Il the graveyard where the south
road came up, and on the east by smooth.
we'll kept fields which rose in a gradual
slope and were sprinkled by the neatest
and most substantial farmhouses Of the
whole town.
The store and tavern shared equally
a square, brown painted modern build
ing which stood not a rod from the
church and seemed to rival it az the
most conspicuous and important point Of
the village. Some pronounced the secret
bar land not 80 very secret either,
though Ashton was q prohibition town.
the lair Of the devil, and the store was
certainly the rendezvous Of all the loaf
ers In town. This may account for the
imaginary rivalry. As q matter Of fact,
while the church was the religious cen.
ter, and as such oil important, the store
and tavern was the secular center, and
recognized as such by the respectable
citizens Of the town as we'll o. the loaf.
ers. The proprietor was Q bluff, good
natured man not at all suggestive Of the
devil. and a very good friend to every
one With his long, grizzled beard.
stopped shoulders and devil may care
eye, he was q refreshing example Of
cynical Indifference to the woes Of the
world, though indeed he was always
talking about them.
well, sonny, what can I do for
your" he had said to Alec when he
came the night before.
The young man, not overwell pleased
at being called sonny, considering his
8 feet 10, inquired with digniAed re-
serve the price Of lodging in The "ho-
TEL"
well, sonny, that depends on what
you've got to pay" answered the man,
utterly ignoring the dignihed reserve
ave amt one Of your cheap one price
lodging houses here II . man hasn't
got but quarter, we don't charge him
80 cents. What's the usel You can I get
blood out Of stone. You'll probably
stay here all night and pay what you've
got, and the charge will DO according.
That'll save row, and rows exhaust a
mans nerves.
I'm 30 rheumatic I can't stand rows
very WE'LL" be added to the bystanders
with wink.
Alec could not help smiling at the
good humor Of the man, for be could
see that the keen eyes of the old fellow
had been taking him in from top to toe,
and evidently the inventory had not
been unsatisfactory.
"Well, il a quarter will satisfy you,
I should like to turn in at oncs," an
swered Alec, and the man, whom the
townspeople, respectable ~ we'll as I'M
respectable, called Joe Higgins, always
pronouncing the last name out Of re-
spect, numbered stifiy, but rapidly, off
toward the back door, calling.
"All right, all right. sonny Como
oni The quicker you turn in the better
it'll suit me, for then | shall have you
off my mind, An honored guest in the
hotel Is always weight on q mans
mind until he's packed off 10 bed"
When Alec found himself alone in
bis little whitewashed chamber, he felt
less forlorn than ut any time since be
left home, and tired 40 he was, with
aching joints apd heavy head, he found
the springless bed wonderfully comfort.
able. In five minutes he was sound
asleep.
The little sleeping room had an east
window which looked ont past the
white church. with it's tall, serious
spire, and up the green slope Of the hill
beyond, over the brow Of which the sun
rose. The next morning Also was wax.
ened early by the olamorous singing Of
The birds, who seemed holding regular
,orcart IL Was not vat 4 o'olock On ha