Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-03-09
A Forgiveness.
BY DABNEY MARsHALL.

drover, but as the agricultural region
about him was poor, and the pasturage
though extensive was inferior, being
covered chiefly with pine straw, a diet
to which the sheep and cows did not
take kindly and upon which with the
perversity of dumb CRITTERS they re-
fused to fatten. the income from even
q triple employment like this would
seem to be necessarily limited.
But genius is always superior to cir
cumstances, SO Emerson says, and 81
exemplified the saying by always hav-
ing an abundance of the comforts OF
life and plenty of money. His wife
always appeared in a new dress at
each annual protracted meeting, his
boys wore store shoes, and always had
powder in their gourds and shot in
their pouches AS for ST himself, he
owned a breach-loading gun a drum
mer might not disdain, and used
real smokeless powder cartridges. His
neighbors told visiting friends from
across the river in Amite county. that
81 actually paid two and a half cents
piece for these, and the neighbors
heard the statement with unbounded
wonder at such evidences of wealth.
When collections were taken UP for
what the preacher called the spread
among the heather in China and the
pore Catholics in New Orleans" ST al
ways put a dollar in the hat, Mrs.
Hardsook fifty cents, the boys a dime
| each. and little Lodelia, the only girl
| of the family, silver quarter. In con-
| sequence 81 passed for a deeply re-
| Hgious man. and the parson always
called him Brother Hardsook.
Nor was Sis generosity purely &C.
| clesiast1cal. He had been frequently
known to leave the railroad with as
many as two one-gallon jugs full of
Ticker" and arrive home with the
jugs, owing to liberal sampling of
their contents on his own part, and a
generous distribution of the same to
| all he met, who universally at first re-
fused to drink, but finally consented
| being as how it was 81 as offered the
Ticker. and they would moist little.
not as they were wine-bibbers and
gluttonous, but would take a swig for
the good of their innards.''
Most of his neighbors drank what
was offered them and asked no ques-
tons and made no remarks. But some
OF them were deeply and audibly per-
picked as to where ST got all this
money. Certain circumstances con-
nected with 81 would linger in their
minds and what was worse break out
on their tongues. They would COM
ment how the cattle of neighbors near
81 had way of disappearing just
when they were most fitten" for mar
ket. But in that great unfenced coun-
try what was there to prevent cattle
from straying? Dumb critters" said
81. ARE mighty biggity and roaming
some any how. and will some times
| Just rush to their ruin"
Some times also in the fall country
stores near him were robbed and their
safes blown open just after the money
had been received from the town banks
to pay for the incoming cotton. It was
. strange coincidence that after such
robberies 81 had more money and dis
tributed more Ticker" than usual But
81 said life is full Of condolences and
. mystery according to the scriptures.' %
.LeastWise, added he. that is what
the parson says the Word says, and !
amt the man to dispute . licensed
minister Of the gorsepell, nor IL you
nuther. nsighborf" he would ask of his
listener as he lovingly toyed with the
!. trigger Of his famous gun.
mo. indeed" replied the neighbof
with alacrity, edging on q little. 81
don't dispute the parson nuther you.
! You air both right az fer as knows
on"
] Still some folks would prove too
leaky OF tongue in regard to Sis af-
fairs, and 1t was strange how the corn
! cribs and cotton houses OF these
. '-measly back-cappers," as 81 called
them. had habit of taking IRE In the
! dead hours of the night
But one day the grand jury actually
, indicted 81 for grand larceny. He waa
, accused of stealing ten head Of cattle
, from Mart Singles. The chief wit
. meas against 81 was Dune SWarrinGton
. . good-natured farmer too stupid tc
J - dishonest, whose farm adjoined thu
road over which 81 had to drive the
cattle to New Orleans. The testimony
i. was strong for the state. 81 could al
most hear the doors of the penitentiary
: opening upon him. 1T was an awful
|. experience for Christian" he used tc
say in after years. but then he would
add, them the Lord loveth he chases'
81 went upon the stand and testified
!, IN his own behalf. He acknowledged
.. that he sold the cattle 1t was trus
| he was . farmer. he said looking a
the farmer jurorss . stockman II they
| would He was uneducated too. No
hanger around Of lawyers and cour
rooms. for he thought an honest farm
sr's place was in the Held, and mo-
leaAng around among them that rop,
psDsntsd corporations and merchants