Middletown transcript., 1901-03-30

and then for ''the States" We OF the
"I-Bar," who had known him Tor TWO
wears almost, were at loss to account for
this sudden rise in Hens mental temper
ature, and probably showed it. Indeed,
there were several OF the boys who hlnted
that an explanation from him would be
gratefully received by his curiosity -beset
co-workers; but Hen merely Wldeneo ms
grin, and said nothing. But just before
Christmas he let the secret out.
'Boys," said he, in a mutfied voice,
caused by knife-load of potato IN ms
mouth, 'I'm goin' back to th' StatesT
Open-eyed astonishment all around the
breakfast table.
"That's what, boys, I'm goin' right
after New Years tew."
"The dooce, ye say! Mustve lost
rich r'lation II ben doin' little rustlln'
on th' side. Now think Of t, they was
some talk bout thar bein' some inside
'sistance t. tn Baldy Sites gang wen
they honored this hyar vicinity wi th'r
'tentions last year." volunteered "Red"
Posey. Hen, having joined liberally in
| the smiles that followed this remark,
went on:
| II cast th' insinerations back intuh tn
teeth O. tn red nosed gent wi tn fragrant
name No, sir! 'Taint neither one mr.
t'other. Mebbe fore I go I'll tell ye-
| an mebbe / won't"
And Mr.. Hawkins again smiled, know
ing that the boys would suffer immeas-
urably until they knew whence came the
''stake" on which he was going home.
Next day, Immediately after breakfast,
Hen rode off in the direction Of Browns
Vile, the nearest town on the west, about
thirty miles away, and we saw nothing Of
him until Friday, when he returned,
whistling cheerfully The boys were very
keen to know what his errand had been,
for they were sure he had not gone merely
to get few things from the grocers and
harness makers, but Hen did not en-
tighten them.
That night, however, in the boss's
room, he told the story to a select au-
dience, consisting of the boss and the
scribe.
II ben kinder holdin' off, ye see,
cause feller haint no ways certain bout
savin' is milk TIL he gets the pail out I'm
under the caow; but now, bein's I've got
it 0. K, mays well tell ye, on'y I don't
want tn boys t knaow.
eye see, twas this away. Bout five
years ago, back in Maine ! c'cluded t
come out hyar an grow up wi tn kentry
hull lot. 'Twasn't cause | wanted t
dew it, but We see. sort O. he'd tub"
"Ah, yes," observed the boss, dryly.
Il believe the late Mr.. Sites began his
brilliant career in somewhat the same
way. Was your difficulty about horse,
too?'
Hens laugh over, he proceeded, some
what blushingly.
mo, 'twar'nt that, hardly. But they
want no chance thar for poor cuss, an
50 | pulled out. Ye see, me n Molly
Hopkins he'd bout made up aour minis to
git spliced, an ev'rythin' was goin' jig
step, wen in steps OF George Hopkins an
takes a ham hisself or Hop was high
toned stallion, an put on heaps @ airs,
cause he was the best fixed man in
taown, an he'd ben s'lectman an member
O. th' legislator, vile | was only car
penter an hadn't airy red. TIL Oh eglot |
might've saw haow things was goin' on
| reckon he did-but he never let on TIL |
one night he come home I'm taown an
heerd me n Molly talkin' in tn sittin'-
room.
'Then lie jes' plowed in brash. Gosh!
how he did lay it all over me. Went on
ter give me tn devil fer my 'dacity in
persoomin' t tn han O. his, George |
Hopkins, darter. Th' idee! | want ye
t understan', young man. says he, 'th't
| have better plans for her thin lettin' 'er
marry penniless carpenter. ~ he
went on an tore round fer while in
thet style; but I stood my groun' TIL
finally he says, young man, when you
can show a bank count @ ten thaousan'
dollars, she's yourn, an not b'fore.
Then he grins hull lot, thinkin' haow
I'd hev t hustle a consid' Bile speck fore
| got that in my corral
"Wa-aI, me n Molly talked it over
lot II fn'lly concluded th't I'd heV t go
sommers else, ef ever | got forehanded;
50 one day we says good-by, daown in
the medder lot an I pulled out fer !
Californy.
''Sence then I've ben knockin' 'raound
all over tn kentry, trying one thing n
mother Purity hard luck most o tn
time, tew; but just fore | come hyar, |
located claim, me n mother feller, over
in Colorado, an worked it some. It
didn't pan out none, so we he'd t try
somethin' else, an hyar I come, leavin' |
Peters t. keep up work on the claim, him
havin' a job clus by. Wa-al, tn other
day, Peters he saold aout tew Boston
comp'ny for twenty five thaousand-an'
my half's what / went to Brownsville
fer. That's all. Z"
There wasn't man on the ranch who
wasn't torn up a little about the heart at
the prospect Of Hens going, and who
wasn't honestly glad at his good fortune.
Even the misanthropic Posey evinced not
a little regret as he said good-by to him,
when, the morning after New Years, Hen
sat on his bronco all ready to start for
Jersey, the railroad town to the east Of US.
1t was a beautiful morning, almost like
spring, and Hen couldn't have wished tor
a better day to start on. The last good
BY said, he Strengthened up, shifted the
cold wind, looked to see that everything
was all right, and with an "Adios, boys"
was off, waving his hand in acknowledg-
ment Of the rousing cheer we gave him as
1 i IL. - g 41Noh |