The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-22
What Bob Haley Did.

only OF q few cabins. a blacksmith shop
and an b. 10 general store, the pro-
prietor Of which. being also postnas-
ter set himself up as an authority, In
consequence upon many another point
foreign 10 his general caliings. vs. hat
seemed to aggravate Hobson the worst,
in this matter Of The canal, was the
turning of Coon creek into a feeder for
it.
I'D give $1,000 to the man that would
have the courage "a blow that feeder
tunnel out" Hobson had said time ana
again, whether he meant it or not.
The canal was the making OF Coon
Hollow. In five years it was talking o.
taking out corporation papers, and 10
one in il had done so well as H0bson-
He could afford now 70 keep clerk nd
greatly enlarge his building But one
great drawback was settling down upon
the vicinity and town-the shakes"
Everybody was in for the malaria.
And it's nothin' but that old feed der
dam has PATCHED the ager," said Hob
son. III give a thous-"
Look here, Hobson, ever since I was
first In your town I've heard that offer,
and I'm tired IF hearin' It. Seems to
me If 7 was you I'd raise the offer, or
blow it out myself You know you
don't mean it. wouldn't dare to mean
it" and Bob Haley, after this dry n
terruption, got up and reached for the
pound Of sugar he had come after
Seems to me ef WIZ a big. strong
feller like you, comm twenty-one, ard
sneakin' around after the best-lookin'
gal in the country. I'd do somethin' for
myself, so her folks wouldn't be 50
down on me for shiftlessness. There
goes Old man Davis an the old woman
by now. soin to mill. Nows your
time, sonny, TO slip over to see LISA"
Bob squared around 'Hobson, its easy
for you TO talk, nobody to see after but
yourself. I've done the best l could.
Nothing to start with and a bedridden
father and crippled mother to Ike D,
and with this parting retort, Bob went
out. Down the towpath he turned off
into the woods. coming out near
whitewashed house, in front Of which sat
young girl pairing apples. Springing
lightly over the fence, he suddenly stop
ped, as. from out behind the bench up
on which the girl sat, a great white dog
came Sinking, his broad, ugly Jaws, his
red eyes showing up against his white
coat in dangerous prominence. call of
your dog, LISA. What do you want to
keep such a dog for?" "Ah, now COW
ardly calf, I thought you were not
afraid of anything. You know I keep
him and love him because he once saved
my life from a wildcat CO and lay
down Bull. Be ashamed of yourself
Don't you know I love this boy? You
can go after Charley Dalton if YOU want
10, and the girls black eyes dance1
with pleasure at seeing her lover. Has
Dalton been bothering you lately?" ASK
ed BOB. as he took a seat very close 70
her
oh, yes. and our folks are bound that
[ shall marry him. What will I dc?
ID
one as I do you" and her laugh was
changed TO a. waiting cry.
All night long Bob lay and tossed and
thought He could not let another have
LISA 1t is awful to be poor.
The next morning he went slowly down
to Hobson's. The clerk had gone home
shaking his toenails off, Hobson lacon-
ically put it. and. Hobson himself sat
shvering and blue over the stove.
Did you know Jerry DObbins was dead
died last night in a sinkin' chill? That
makes two gone that way In less'n a
week Old Mis-
Jerry Dobbinsl No" And Hobson
looked at Bob Mortified over the news
he brought. There was nobody so afraid
of dying as HObsOn. THE chlIs a
comm on me. Bob, youn have to stay
today an help me out. Go IN the tack
room there and straighten up a little.
I've lost Miss Davis lard can some
where in there"
Shortly Hobson came to the door. Bob
mad rolled three powder kegs off to
themselves.
what YOU dom that for?" asked
Hobson, surprised.
ITO blow up that feeder with tonight.
Have you the thousand handy?" and
Bob Strengthened up.
Good heavens! Yes. but do you think
if you'd do it You could keep the secret
till Gabriel blOws?"
It DO. A Haley never goes back on his
word" Oh
''Weu, that's about all they ere good
for. 1 reckon a person might as well
be drowned as die in sinkin' chill"
Bob glanced mp in an alarmed way.
"You don't think anyone can possibly
be drowned do your"
NAV; I've figured IT out often. The
bulk of that water viii go of over
Swift's reservation and be swallowed
up in them, now dry swamps."
That's how I figured it out, too" an
swered Bob.
Just as the explosion came, the moon
shone over the tree tons, and Bob saw
the water let 60 and, for one moment
only hesitate, then through and over
that ridge it went, licking it ~ a
though it had been only made of dry
sand; then on into the town and over
the farms in the lowlands below He
saw a canal boat carried out on its crest.
and then il seemed TO him in his repent
ant agony that he knew no more for an
hour Then he crawled up from out Of
the miro where he had fallen, coming
fin at the cabin loft at home the way lie
had secretly gone out. And covering Up
his head shiveringly prayed to die.
II knOwed you was goiu' to have the
aeer the way You acted when you come
Oh to your bed last night" said his
mother an hour or two after. Some
body's bowed the feeder up Two
strange masked men came riding
through Coon Hoier ike the wind, and
hollerin' for everybody TO look out, there
was a food a-comin."
.Who-whos dead7" His Hps could
scarcely frame the words
Nobody: not a soul But lots II cat
tie. hogs and sheep and q canal boat Is
out Of pocket The canal boat IS where
no one VIII ever get Fl back. Hohso0's
lost lots But they say he's happy.
They win never oe allowed 70 TX Up
that feeder now"
week later Bob white and wan-
looking. ven. 70 interview LISA Re
mot her coming up the towpath. she
turned her head away and passed with
cat speaking
tLIssa. LISA what DO you mean2' he
asked
"Dan't dare to speak to me. BOB H1le-
Two masked mon. indeed, you blew ta1t
Up let me uass
'rTz~-oa yer e,lew i or. LISA. aere-
rtef the country N-othinE was barr.
That IS. no nsoria. Dent do thl way
Something was hurt Pull vas
drowned that niE newer want 10
hear ell 81 you aeafn. TIE first II ore
t1ae~ I'm rue - MARTY Charles
ton Ana bursting int7 tears 8. s
thought of her drowning dog. Lia
s4e1 en-