The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-03-02
A Forgiveness.
RY DARNEY MARsHAII..


about him was poor. and the pasturaee
though extensive was inferior, being
covered chiefly with pine straw, 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
a triple employment like this would
seem to be necessarily limited.
But genius IS always superior to cir
cumstanees, so Emerson says, and 81
exemplihed the saying by always hav-
ing an abundance Of the comforts Of
life and a plenty of money. His wife
always appeared in a new dress at
each annual protraeted meeting. his
boys wore store shoes. and always had
powder in their gourds and shot in
their pouches. AS for 81 himself. he
owned 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
a 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
Ing OF the gospel OF the sweet Savior
among the heather in China and the
pore Catholics in New Orleans" 81 al
ways put a dollar in the hat. Mrs.
Hardsook ffty cents. the boys a dime
each, and liItle LOdelia, the only girl
Of the family, a silver quarter In con-
sequence 81 passed for q deeply re-
ligious man. and the parson always
called him Brother Hardsook.
Nor was Sis generosity purely &C.
clesiastical. 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 a 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 20 drink. but finally consented
being as how It was 81 as offered the
licker, and they would moist a little,
not as they were wine-bibbers and
gluttonous, but would take a swig for
the good Of their innards.a
Most OF his neighbors drank what
was offered them and asked no ques-
tlOns and made no remarks. But some
Of them were deeply and audibly per-
picked as 70 where 81 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 nelghbors near
81 had a way of disappearing just
when they were most fitten" for mar
ket. But ia 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 viii some times
just rush 10 their ruin"
Some times also in the fal 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. II was
a strange coincidence that after such
robberies 81 had more money and dis
tributed more Ticker" than usual. But
81 said life is fun Of coincidences and
a mystery according to the scriptures.
'Leastwise." added be. that is what
the parson says the Word says. and I
amt the man 20 dispute a licensed
minister Of the gorsepell. nor is you
nuther. neighbor?" he would ask Of his
listener as he lovingly toyed with the
trigger Of his famous gun.
mo. indeed replied the neiehbor
with alacrity, edging on a little. Il
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 az
fairs, and It was strange how the corn
cribs and cotton houses Of these
"measly back-capDers. as 81 called
them. had habit Of taking FIRE In the
dead hours Of the night
Bat one day the grand jury actually
indicted 81 for grand larceny. He was
accused Of stealing ten head OF cattle
from Mart smiggles. The chief Wit
ness against 81 vas Dune Swariington.
a go0d-natured farmer too stupid 10
be dishonest whose farm adjolned the
road over which 81 had to drive the
cattle TO New Orleans. The testimony
was strong for the state 81 could al
most hear the doors of the penitennary
opening upon him 1T was an awful
experience for a Christian, be used -
sey ia after years. but then be wousa
e d them the Lord loveth be rhases.
So went upon the stand and testified
10 bis own behalf He acknowledged
that be sold the cattle % Vas true
ll vas farmer. he said looking al
tte farmer jurors. a sfockman II they
aId Tie was uuedncaied too. 10
hanger around q lawyers and court
us far ar thought an honest larm-
place Has En- the field. and not
1s lIcund among them that rep
rl nted corporations and merchants. !