The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-15

indiana E4lE tt LeI ny IrIena Captain
Weaver bearded the train At Kokon11
and took a seat beside ne forgot M
weariness Captain Weaver Is we'll
knoEn il the gas belt. a plain. SUB
Etantial citizen. He has acquired his
education from the world. and while
he may not discuss books of science.
be turns q homely story neatly.
He had entered the coach with six
other men. evidently farmers Or coun-
~ tradesmen- They all seemed IN
excellent humor. IN fact. rather hilar-
ious Tor elderly men. like boys cut FOR
q holiday. Their high spirits made me
think Of the improved condition o. In
diana farmers Wheat has advanced
from 90 Genus to near a dollar. Sugar
beets are IN prospect As an annual
crop; farmers hold institutes and meet
in clubs. Their homes are supplied
with telephone. the postman knocks
daily al farm house doors. the electric
ears pass once an hour. They can no
longer Be dubbed yokels OF hay-seedss
they are simply suburban reeidfrts.
and a class 70 be enYied. wondered
II their sons and daughters win stiI
long Tor the city. simply because there
they get 'the nectar Of existence scald-
Ing hot9s Or viii our city-bred chill
dren, finding the draught too hery,
6eck to the farms a few years hence2
spoke 70 my friend about his Jolly
party, With a hint of ny thoughts.
NO. It's not prosperity nor good
crops" said he "Jen Richey'a on the
train with Billy St. Martz. going to
the carnival We all feel good over
that; they've lived alongside Of each
other, and met about every day all
their lives. Jeh hasn't spoken to Billy
for twenty-five years tin yesterday"
Rather a sustained effort Of III
nature" I said What broke the long
silence?"
That's what We are so pleased
about" be said. "The trouble began
long in the seventies. when they we're
both small farmers. Jen Richey built
barn. and had an old-fashioned rails
ing. Mary Ann Richey put IN a guilt
and had the women folks. and all
stayed 10 supper That was IN the
days when women we're crusading
against saloons. praying IL front Of
'em. Mary Ann and Hannah St
Martz. living so near town had gone
out a few times with the ladies' Billy
st. Martz took a drop too much now
and then. and JefI Richey liked his
brandy. Jeff had told the men he'd
have a Jug Of something extra on
hand. He'd hid It in St. Martz's barn.
he said, on account Of the women. and
he'd have It brought over and give
as the tip. He Dragged on that brandy
TIL we were downright thirsty. There
we're a couple Of dozen OF us. a church
deacon or two, and the school teacher
among Us. marched out to the new
barn when he gave the signal, just
before supper was ready.
You've never tasted anything ike
this said JEFF, pouring out a couple
Of glasses with a flourish. And We
never had. We set our glasses down
after a taste, disglsted. II was an
awful poor quality Of warm water
Jeff, seeing something was wrong
tasted It himself Then We all sneaked
OF, while he tackled st. Martz about
It. Billy denied having meddled with
the jug, but Jen wouldn't believe him,
and we all went home in a huff.
1T was a disappointment" said
Captain Weaver. refectively. i fancy
| can taste that warm water yet"
"Jef never got over it. He wouldn't
speak to Billy. who tried to make It
up. Mary Ann and Hannah followed
their example, and became strangers.
Jef Richey has prospered, and Billy
st. Marrz failed IN most Of his under
takings since then. Jeff has one child,
Alice: there isn't a prettier girl in
Howard county. nor a better one. and
last week she married Wade St. Martz,
Bllly's SON"
Il see. The old folks met at the
wedding7"
BLESS you, no. The young people
eloped. Alice Richey came Of age last
week. She's been engaged to young
st. Martz fer a year or two, secretly, |
you know. Wade Is a smart, good
looking young fellow; has studied law,
and has a real estate ofice in town.
Hes coming up and making money.
He had a house completely furnished
for his bride. think Mary Ann had
a suspicion Of what was going on. and
was planning to send Alice to her
aunt, in Chicago She had a couple Of
trunks full Of new dresses made for /
Alice, and the young people managed /
to send these 70 the new house. Alice /
started to Chicago the day after her
eighteenth birthday. Wade met her AZ |
Logansport, and there they were mar I
ried. Alice sent q telegram 70 her /
father that they we're coming home,
and signed It Alice St. Martz.
sYou see the girl dreaded her fa- I
Tiers anger. Jea has had his own
way all his 1lfe-Mary Ann wouldn't /
think Of crossing him. Alice IS the
only one who can influence him. She 4