The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-18
A Story of the Panhandle Country.
By Alfred Henry Lewis

contemptuous. After conferrin' a drink of
whisky on Bill 10 sustain an soothe his
Impotence. Bob goes to the shop an makes
a new-fangled splint on plans of his own,
an with that he resets Bits laig a lot. An
Bob does Il fairly eligible trick. Bill him.
se'f declar's it's the finest set game Iaig in
Texas when Bob is done.
Shore, thar's no perils lurkin' about IN
Bob's ministratlons that away. Broken
bones is simple: it's like breakin' 4 stick an
feeiin' the two ends together ag'in with
your eyes shet. YOu-all can't miss. On
doubted Bob with his ranch-made splint
does the work as well as Il entire nerd OF
surgeons.
When this Chepp hears of the Improves
ments Bob inaug rates, he refoosed to re-
turn. He's testified in his decisions by
BilVs nrm intention 10 open on him on
sight with his Colts. For double causes
tharfOre. Chepp allows that he washes hts
hands Of Bill.
" This person. Robertson, Is a empIrickS,
says Chepp. ! declines him as Il colleague
Also. 1 refooses. absOlOOte. to go prosti-
tuotin' science to the restoration of laigs
which is personal To murderers who packs
weapons 10 bed with 'em. an threatens TO
slam away tharWith at their medical adj
vissrs. Sech rannikaboo doin's lets ms
plumb out"
IF this yers is all, thar wouldn't be a
further word concernin' that bungler Chepp
But it's now he commences, as l states, to
grow narrow an mean speshul. Bills got
n sweetheart who is goin' to wed Bill after
the beef roundup In the fall. While these
merrymakin's is In progress over Bills laig,
she's in Dodge City a whole lot, runnin'
her brand on a trousse2u. She comes a.
weavin' into Tascosa on the stage when
mebby Bills laig has been busted two
weeks. It's then this insidious horned toad
Chepp cuts loose nefarious. He slys UP to
RillS Cufaafhaarf nm fills her futl nf the
belief that Bits laig is goin' TO come
devious.
Shore. Miss says Chepp. Pore Bits
of laig viii look like the letter So This
quack Robertson amt no doctor. He
couldn't set u hen-couldn't set a clock,
miss-let alone laigs.'
Then he argues, this malignant Chepp
does, that Bits laig's got 10 be broke over.
An with that. Bits sweetheart comes
curvin' over. all sobs an tears, TO tell the
news TO Bill.
An BILL she concloods. much as I
love you. l can't go through life leanin'
on a gent whose Iaig is crooked as a cork
screw. 1t must be REQUESTED, Bill, or them
nuptials is indefinitely postponed
" Bust my laig anew!' says Bill. Mary,
you're locoed! 1t would be a insult to Bob"
" Then you-au don't love me- say
Mary, redoublin' her walls. IF you cared
for me, you wouldn't lay thar, Bill Gatlin,
ItItcSIA lily most ulNlal requests on INS
grounds that they're insults to Bob. II
this yere Robertson IS goin' to come between
us, its well I finds it out before in my
trustin' simplicity l goes p~ranCin' to the
altar, an it's become too late. But you
all never loved me- At this. Bills sweet
heart takes on to a degree that makes Bill
stand round an stare.
"Of course, Bilrs laig IS broke over.
Thar's nuthin' else to do. Bits sweetheart
Set her mind on it. an, as bill says. when
he explains the game to Bob, he's up
ag'inst it
An, besides. Bob says Bill. she's a
woman that away: an it's Il gents dooty
to humor 'em in the smaller affairs of life
'Ihars one element OF satisfaction, how
ever. This we're Chepp don't robust that
laiG, MacAllister sends over ii drug an
lancet sharp from the Lee-ScOtt outfit an
It's he who deals the game. An this Lee
Scott practitioner pays Bob compliments
al that.
Which this we're iaig.' ne says. as he's
about TO make the play an re-break the
same as demanded by Bilis sweetheart's
tears, which this yere laiG is as straight
as Il arrer an as solid AZ a sodhouse. But
what then" he says. 1 well understand that
this is sentiment. Bills laig has got tang
led up in his love affairs, an it's break
Bits laig or break a Iady's heart. Nacher-
ally we breaks Bills !aig,' An he does.
No. Cheep don't stay long in the Pan
handle country. In fact, he packs his lay
out an pulls his freight that day Bills
laig's rebroke. You sees. son, them STRIFE
lures i~rritates Bob. an he comes down on
that plotter Chepp like a tallin' star an
sort O. goes To dictatin' terms to him a
heap.
The epithet of empirick,' says Bob,
which you applies to NE is insultin', while
the term quack is more'n l can bar. Both
is stains Upon my honor. Now, I'm a mighty
petyoOlant man. an II you-all knowed me
an my record as well as l does, by first
drink time to-Inorry evenin' you'd be miles
to the north Of Tascosa, goin' all spraddled
out for Dodge Which Cheeo was"
ALFRED HENRY LEWIS
Copyright. zoe. by r. H. Russell.