Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-02-20
HANK SIMMONS
BY KENNETH F. HARRIS
Copyright, 1901. BY Authors syndioate.J

slDlt W HOilAC tNAthAs III xiv
Gerry at 1.-THE Corners" which
was the intersection of the Vim
ton, Crosbytown and Blockley roads,
in Saline county, Mo, Gods country"
aforesaid, never had any great attrac-
tion for Hank, and the habitues of
that popular resort generally lowed
that Hank was right smart Of good
company-fer hisself. He certainly
seemed to prefer spending his even
ings on the paternal eighty, mending
harness, reading the weekly paper or
even "jess a-settin gazing blankly
into the fire of hickory logs, to the
charms of converse with the sages of
the soap box. Equally he Stunned
"singin' school," and the strawberry
and ice cream festivals allured him not.
Not" he said, "by derned sight"
Therefore, he might have been con-
sidered eminently fitted for the soil
tary life Of a sheep herder in the slopes
of the Jarillas, whittier he had drifted
in course of time, but he had to con-
fess at last that he found it sort o.
/ lonesome anu NldA taAAA q "a - a.
for him. An ordinarily gregarious
man would probably have gone stark
staring mad in from six months 70
year. but Hank had now followed the
hocks for three years, far from human
habitation and the sound Of human
voices, and be was still reasonably
sane
Once in two or three months the sup
ply wagon came around, and then the
driver. Bill Williams, usually stayed
with him a day or two and helped him
to move camp to pastures new. Oeea-
sionaly a Mexican prospector or
party of Indians on a hunt came into
/ his range, but the rest Of the time
there was no sound but the ceaseless
4 bleating Of his sheep and the quick
crunch Of their teeth on the grass; no
/ sight but the same old everlasting hills,
with their scanty clothing of grease
wood and cactus and stunted pine; no
occupation but TO SLOUGH along after
his imbecile charges, or lounge in the
shade of rock and tree, no companion
ship. but that OF the misuamed Diablo,
the half-bred sheep dog. 1t was no
wonder that he felt it sort Of lone
some"
1t was not so much the solitude, he
said afterwards, as the eternal bleat-
ing, bleating, bleating. Or, at least,
that in some way acted upon his nerves
and intensified the feeling Of loneli-
ness. 1t sometimes happens that a
berder who is not a Mexican suddenly
snaps the cord of his endurance and
i runs amuek through the flock, with
awful slaughter. After this happens
he usually kills himself, for the sur
l yivors continue to bleat. This is just
as well, for he would be an awkward
patient to conduct to a lunatic asy-
lum.
But this Is beside the story, except
TO explain that Hank was SO anxious
to have Bill Williams stay with him for
awhile longer on the occasion OF his
last visit, and why Bill was 50 genuine
IN sorry that he could not.
I'D ike to the best kind, Hank said
the driver. IF Long wasn't short Of
chuck an waitin' fer me on Madre Chi
quota. ia do it, but I've got to hit the
/, trail shore. It's a sinche that you've
gotter come in, though, an I'll shore
bring some hombre to spell you Their
mex trip. Can you stick it out till
then? If you can't, get in the wagon
ANYHOW an let the sheep go to hell. A
mans worth more'n herd Of snotty'
nosed sheep"
"Oh. / reckon kin stand IL TIL then,
sigbed Hank: "but it's shore lone
some" And so the long whip cracked
and the brake ground on the wheels
and the 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 90
wei 10 strike out afoot for the Madre
Cbicueta; but there were Twin tracks
around the spring, and the coral was
frail thing, so he gritted his teeth and
STAYED. and then in his need came a
man and a blackboard to the camp. II
is safe to say that no man ever got
heartier welcome.
He stayed two days. and when he
went betrayed his eastern origin by
asking for the "bill."
"Godl" exclaimed Hank, "ef you
only knew how tickled I've ben ter have
YOU here, How much do ! owe you
pardner? I'd like ter hire you fer the
mex three months jest ter talk ter
me"
That gave the parting guest an idea
He NAV have realized how this solitary
berder felt. Perhaps even during ms
brief Journey the dreariness Of the
desert had entered into his own soul
Al All events, he unpacked his pig
5 cowhide trunk and took therefrom
/. small box and paper parcel From
the box he took a curious little ma
. chine. upon which he fitted glossy hoi
low cylinder from the parcel; lastly
= attaching a tin funnel and winding W
r the arrangement with a key. Then
az Hank gazed in open-mouthed won