Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-01-07

of the Santa Maria upon the shelving
beach of San Salvador had awakened
the western werld to the dawn of a new
day. The peace between these two
families, sealed: anew with each day,
seemed to exteHd even to the dumb
'brutes, and Browns cattle neser tres
passed on Smiths fields of green corn,
NO matter how tempting, and no more
did Smiths swine envy the isxuriant
clover fields of neighbor Brown.
But an evil spell fell upon this happy
neighborhood. It may have come from
Mrs. Brown seeing the new moon over
the wrong shoulder, or Mrs. Smith hav-
ing a bad dream. after late supper on
mince pies. caanot answer for that.
But this much is certain; the trouble
begun soon after an evil genius in the
guise, of Bill Snooks, from beyond the
ridge, over in the ihoop-pole district,
had driven his old gGay mare down into
the valley and deposited his scanty cant
load aflhousehold gceds. and half doz-
en- sore eyed children, in little, tum-
BILE down shack, that stood not a hall
mile away from the Bcown and Smith
homesteads.
Bill Snooks II use thss name because
it fits hial better than his rightful pat
ronymic9 was a little, Insignificant in
dividual, with squint eyes, and an un-
certain. hang-dog look that made very
good picture of bad luck. He had not
been in the community long until he
had formed the acquaintance of the two
prosperous families around whom the
interest in this narrative chiefly Gen.
ters. He would slouch over to Browns
place, and after complimenting him on
his good prospects for crop, and incl
dentaHy making some comparisons be-
tween the respective methods of farm.
ing employed by the two neighbors, and
which were never hattering to the alb
sent Smith, he would borrow some arti-
Gle of household necessity. Imme.
diately afterward he would wend his
way over to Smiths. and after praising
his fat cattle and condemning Browns
scrub stock. would borrow something
else to replenish the Snooks larder.
Gradually Bill enlarged upon his
criticisms of Smith or Brown, as it
might happen that he was talking to
Brown or Smith, and insidiously be
began to intimate to the one or the 9TH
er, as the case might be, that the ab-
sent neighbor had been making slight
| ing remarks about him; and when he
| told Brown that Smith had actually
| laughed at a new pedigreed bull Brown
had set his heart upon and bought, Mr..
Brown made up his mind that he would
snub Smith when next he met him.
Smith felt quite as sore toward Brown.
when Bill Snooks innocently informed
him that Brown had said he didn't
know as much about raising corn as bis
(Brown's) little boy. When the two
neighbors next met, as they were driv.
ing along the highway, each turned his
face away and each gave his horses a
vicious cut with the whip, as these
staid animals. recognizing their old
friends, had from force of habit stop
ped, that their owners might exchange
the usual greetings and gossip moment
about stock, crops or other matters.
From that time on the i'll feelings rap.
idly grew. until the neighbors became
enemies. Snooks, as a go.between.
kept tanning the flames of passion on
both sides, and borrowing more provis-
ions to feed the brood of little Snooks.
The enmity between Brown and Smith
soon extended to their respective fami
lies, and the women folks ceased tc
speak even when they met at church,
and when the Smith children went dowI
to the old swing the Brown children
would jeer and throw stones at them
Smiths hogs would get into Brown.
clover, and many a morning Smith
would awake to find the fence down anc
Browns cattle in his corn, and so mao
, would be become that he never saw ths
duck like tracks of Bill Snooks' bar.