Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-01-04
DUoKwoRTHs CONVERSION.

Calhoun, Ca, Letter in Globe-Demo'
crat.-Old Ben Duckworth lives near y
the little town of Allatoona and is u
recognized as the toughest q
character in the community, or, ut
least. was so considered until his re-
cent reformation. Ben has, like other
celebrities in most mountain com ,
earned title, and is called
Maj. Duckworth by his famlliars. he
Is a man of about 60, small and shriv.
eled, and will tip the beam at about
90 pounds.
He is blear-eyed, bald-headed, ex
cept for narrow bristle OF red haii
around the base of his skull, bow
legged and generally out OF plumb
but he is as game as the gamest, and
when he gets ON one OF his periodical
sprees he is as full OF fight as a s.."e
cock. He has long been regarded as
champion in nock-down-and-drag'
out fight, and many larger and more
comedy man has come to grief at thu
hands of Maj. Duckworth before hs
learned of his fighting powers.
He lives about five miles from the
little town, in the neighborhood OF
Rehobeth Hardshell Baptist Church
and one of his neighbors is Elder
Langworthy, a shining light in the
church and community Elder Lang
olthy is the opposite OF Maj. Duck
worth in every respect. Tall, solemn
and sedate, he is one of the quietest
of men,and has ever looked wiz. ais
favor on the pranks of his fussy lit
tie neighbor. He is man much given
to thought and deep introspection,
and he is SO careful of hsi daily walk
and conversation that the slightest
lapse t. ON what he considers the patti
of moral rectitude causes him much
grief and modification, He has two
buxom daughters, who look after thu
work of the household, and for somt
time they had been complaining OF thu
weight of the heavy well bucket
, which works with "a rope windlass
, The we'll is 40 or 50 feet deep and to
. draw full bucket of water from thu
bottom Of it is 10 easy task, especl
, ally when the bucket is big and heavy
The girls had been at the old mar
] for long time to remedy the mat
t ter, but he was too deeply absorbed in
e things spiritual to pay much heed h
, matters material
e Some time ago, during an unusu
/. ally warm spell OF weather, Maj
2 DuckwortA paid visit 10 the littl'
town and spent the day loafnl
: around the places of refreshment
where he could keep his skin full o
corn liquor. 1t was on Sunday AMI
the Major was unusually hilarious
4 picking row with the town marsh'
g and narrowly escaping a night in tn
4 lookup. he strutted about the street
4 and tapped his wings and crowed lik
rooster and cut up all sorts
Il shines, but he failed to get such
W pitched battle as he desired, and LAT
q. in the night, when the last grogger
!, was closed, he betook himself hom
II ward very much disappointed that
10 had failed to get mixed up in scra
,r of some sort.
IN He was just about as full OF col
whisky as his hide could hold, but u
= night was warm and pleasant and j
h. had the big road all to himself SO
al took his time and stopped to rest 0
st casionally when his feet Wa -s.td
IN little too much. Finally he gre
60 thirsty and began to cast about for
~, drink of water 1t then occurred
NJ him that he had crossed the la
NV stream about mile behind and
Nv was still two good long miles to b
-. cabin in the clearing. But by b
Nv ~ path turned off from the main ro
~ about that point which led to t
.ai residence of Elder Langworthy, al
". Mai. Duckworth recalled with mu
rs1 longing how cool and sweet was t
'ar water from that deep well.
'''s The more he thought of the wat
ia' the thirstier he grew, and he decid
ute to try the venture, although the ea
, ue' ern sky was beginning to bright
n with the first blush of dawn, and
lhe honest folks should have long a
as. been abed and enjoying Sund
OF morning nap. Maj. Duckworth
" membered the aversion which Lar
~ worthy had toward all rowdies, hi
'all self especially, but he thought Il
zee. as it was too early for anybody to
OF astir, he might venture on the
ing tempt to secure a drink OF wa
tne from the well. So he staggered
II the path and climbed over the fel
lew and found himself at the well.
nat Chen new difficulty arose. The v
vas was deep and the bucket so hei
the that he felt doubtful Of being able
and draw it to the surface once it
nat filled.
Another thing, the racket maze
the windass would arouse every S
mt, about the place and Elder La
var. worthy would hop out of bed
preach him a sermon before he co
escape. As he pondered on tn
things, his thirst increased to S
an extent that it became tort
ann and he grew desperate, Sezinl
oKe gourd winch hung on the wen U
b! he climbed onto the curb and be
hicl to descend the well by the use OF
con, step holes cut in either wall, after
sok fashion Of country wells. He I'm
nee reached the bottom and gulped d
ppl! several clippers full of the delic
n : beverage, clinging to the step b
= II with his feet all the while.
ioke Now, it so happened that !
% " Langworthy was unusually wro
perry up that night. He lay awake
i've, ver tossed and tumbled and muttere
Inc. his distress until after all the G
IL, !, aai in the neighborhood had annou