Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-10-24
HANK SIMMONS
BY KENNETT y. HARRIS
,copynsht 1911. b, Author. 5, ndicatsJ
JJANK SIMMONS was never reel
Fl ,r.I "a nnrttgulnrlV s,,f.bt. 4,

Country" where sociability was pos
siblc TO some extent. The gro
Gerry at "thc Corners" which
was the intersection of the Vim
ton. Crosbytown aud Blockley roads.
In saline county, Mo, Gods country"
aforesaid, never had any great attrac-
ton for Hank, and the habitucs Of
that popular resort generally lowed
that Hank was right smart OF good
company-fcr hisself He certainly
sccmcd 20 prefer spending his even
iugs on the paternal eighty, mending
harness, reading the weekly paper. or
even "iess a-settin'" gazing blankly
into the hre OF hickory logs, 20 the
charms OF converse with the sagcs Of
the soap box. Equally lac Stunned
"sineiu' school" and the strawberry
and ice cream festivals Allured him not.
"Not," he said, "by derned sight"
Therefore, he might have been con.
siG,rcd cminently fitted for the soil.
tar, lie OF a sheep hcrdcr In the slopes
Of She Jarillas. whittier he had driftcI
in course OF time, but he had to con
f,,s az last that he found 10 "sort o.
lonesome" and that meant a great deal
for him. An ordinarily grcgarious
man would probably have gone stark
staring mad In from Elk months go a
wear. but Hank had now followed the
hocks for three years. far from human
hab.tauon and the sound Of human
voices. and he Was still reasonably
sane.
once IN two or three months the sup
H., wagon came around. and then the
driver. Bil Williams, usually STAYED
vfh him day or two and helped him
T. move camp 90 pastures new. OccA-
souaNy "a Mexican proprietor or
party - Indians on a hunt came into
Ms range, but the rest OF the time
thor, was no sound but the ceASeless
u.,aiug 81 his sheep and the quick
crunch - their teeth on the grass. no
eight but the same old everlasting hills.
with their scanty clothing % grease
Vuud and cactus and ktunted pine; no
occupation but 90 slouch along after
bis mbcciic charges. or lounge ia the
chad, % rock and tree, no companion
sh.p but that Of the misnamed Diablo.
tbc half.brcd sheep dog. IL was no
wonder that he felt 81 sort OF lone
some
o. was not 80 much the solitude. he
tA.I afterwards. a. the eternal bleat-
.us. h.caiiug. blcating. Or, az least.
that ia some way acted upon his nerves
aul intensified the feeling OF loneh-
r,s. IL sometimes happens that
hrracr Who is not Mexican suddenly
4 D a
rune amuck Through the hoek. with
avtu. slaughter. After this happens
b. usually Kills himself, for the Gur-
u,ors continue 20 bleai. This IL just
a. vel. for he would be an awkward
patient Go conduct TO lunAtic asy-
Jam.
Bot This "a beside the story. except
60 explain that Hank was 40 anxious
O. have BIl Williams stay with him for
awhile longer on the occasion Of his
A,tv.s,t. anu Why Bill was 40 genuine.
!y sorry that he could not.
I'D Ike 60 the best Kind. Hank, said
The driver. III Long want short OF
chuck an waitin' fer me on Madre Chi
quota. 10 DO d.. but I've got 10 hit the
900. .f..N'. - HAAfh ~ NhAA W. 'f
go,'cr come IN, though, an III shore
bring some hombre 70 spell you Their
mex trip. Can you stick II out tn
them II you can't. get in the wagon
anyhow an let the sheep go TO hell A
mans worth more'n herd Of Snotty-
uo,el sheep
'uh ! reckon kin stand 81 till then"
sighed Hank: but It's shore lone
some And 80 the long whip cracked
AID The brake ground on the wheels.
and 'he wagon slid after the trotting
mules down The trail
In Two days Hank was sorry that he
had not climbed into the wagon, and
considered whether he would not do
WEI 'o strike out afoot for the Madrc
'hqur'a; but there were livin' tracks
around 'hc spring, and the coral was a
"aa thing. SO he grittcd his teeth and
stayed, aud then ia his need came
'an and blackboard TO the camp. II
" safe 60 say that no man ever got a
n A'arlcr welcome.
n Hr stayed two days, and when he
wen. betrayed his eastern origin by
asking FOR the bill"
'Hof'' exclaimed Hank, "cf YOU
only knew how tickled I've ben ter have
You here! How much do owe you,
pr1ncr? I'd like ter hire you fer the
heN three months jest ter talk ter
me"
That gave the parting guest an idea.
lie may have realized how this solitary
h'ro'r felt Perhaps even during his
or'ei Journey the dreariness Of the
oeae't had entered into his own soul.
A. all events, he unpacked his big
'o"hide trunk and took theref from n
sma. box and paper parcel From
'ne box he took n curious little ma
Sn'Ie' upon which he fitted glossy hol-
~" cylinder from the parcel; lastly
attaching tin funnel and winding up
'"e arrangement with key. Then,
as hank ga1ed in open-mouthcd won
0,f. curious whirring sound proceed
~ from the funnel, and then in nasal,
"'raht tones voice which said: la
N''a ana gentlemen. follow citizens.