Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-06-30

afore / heard footsteps up the road. A
man come outen the woods an inter the
moonlit clcarin. where l could sec he
was ole Hen B;ngle. ! whistied ngin
an called softlike to him. re enssksd
up to ths gate an looked agin
Hen, help l whispers.
who is You a-growin outen tho
aide o. Alb Rickahcck sahaaty z ecalls,
kinder hcarse and srared. With that
be pints a muslset at NC very threat
enin.
"'Heu Bingle. sais l. Don't yen
DAFT shoot It's ne. Alb Ricsabacs, AZ |
want you TO pull me out I'm so!n to
war.
'"Then it dawnod On hin what 7 was
up to, an be come over 40 lcoaa at me
l seen he he'd on bis blues. too, a. !
knowd oz he had given his womsn taa
sneak an was OF to hght S~P3nynr9s
He wanted TO laugh. but ] told him 81
were no time fer scch foo'in. but jcs,
TO break off that splinter n pull me
loose.
Now, Hens an obligiD. patriotic
kind o. n Teller. IN tho. aa be sayd. he
hadn't much time 70 waste, ez bis $50
man was likely TO wake mp eny MINT
an find him gone, be reached MP gu
broke of the splinter. But | ct tGt
hole so tight l couldn't bulge, an be
sayd he'd pail me out. So he gifts upon
the wall o. The well which was JET lie
low me an grabs me be both hands
an drawed. I'd moved about an inch.
when he kicked out wild!ike an hung to
me like a ton o. hay an gasped an
groaned. thought tibet yank he'd dis.
Tinted me all over, an yelis, Let gol
Don't you dast let got he sails.
lookin up at nc kind O. agonizin.
''Then ! see that neither ne nor Hen
Bingle was ever eoin to eight Spayn-
yards, fer bed stepped off the wall an
was hangin down into the well.
'splintcrsl Why, I'd ruther he'd n
splinter stickin in every inch o my
body an ole Hcn Bingle's 200 pounds
a-drawin me from NY natural height
o. 8 feet 9 inter a man O. Q feet 5
Thet's what It seemed like. Hen, be
asts how deep me well was, an when
sayd 40 feet, with Is feet o. wotter at
the bottom, he sayd he'd never speak to
me ag'in If l let so my holt ON him.
sayd / guest he wouldn't, an be let ont
a whoop tibet brought The missus an the
little ones a-tumblin outen the house.
"Marthy stared at US q minute. Then
she sails. 'Abner, where was you ago
in?
"'To fight spaynyards, sails l, sheep
ishlike.
IAN you. Hen Bingle2' she nsts.
same, gasps Hen.
Docs your wife know you're ont 7
sails the misses, stern as a jedge.
NO. sails Hen.
Then I've a mind to go over tC
your place an git her, sails Marthy.
ITS two miles, Hen %groaned. ar
I'll be drowned ag'in You git back
Lemme mp now, an Ill 80 home an stay
there
"kiarthy turns around quietlike
walks inter the house an comes out
with the family Bible.
"'Hen Bingle, she sails, solemnlike,
holdin the book to his mouth, does you
promise to tell the whole truth an moth.
in but the truth nm not to go TO war;
Hen didn't waste no time in kissir
that book SO loud / could hear an echo
of it over along the ridge. kissed il
pretty loud meself. TO be sure. The mis-
sus lifted Hen outen the we'll. IN be
slipped off home. His never
knowed nawthin about the trouble tel
she met my missus two weeks later al
protracted meeting over to Pine Swami
church. Ez fer me, but fer a splinter
I'd be in Sandyago now. st. Louis
Republic,