Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-06-26
A GENE FIELD STORY,
sHumin Eatur on the Han'bufnd St,
10" an Idyl Of Early Days.

20, an 4Qgl o. GaAAs 0AgA
Repaintcd ~ Beauest)
Durin' war times the gorillas he'd
torn up most Nv the cypress ties an
used 'em for klndlin' an stove wood,
an the result wuz that when the war
wuz oYer there wuzn't anything left
Nv the HANDFUL md st. 10 but the
rollin' stock md two streaks Nv rails
from one end NV the road to the other.
In the spring nv '67 l he'd to 80 out
into Kansas; and takin' the Han'buI
md St. Joe at Palmyry Junction, !
wuzn't long in indin' out that the
HANDFUL nd st. 10 railroad wuz jist
the wust case Of rollln' prairer ! ever
struck.
There wuz one bunk left when l
boarded the sleepin' car, and / he'd
presence NV mind NUT to keteh on to
it. 1t Buz then just about dusk, an
the Niger that sort Nv run things in
the car SCI TO MT; Boss" SEE he,
''In have to get you toplease not to
nor tonight, but to be uncommon
quiet"
"What f0rg" SCI /. "Hain't l paid
my two dollars, an hain't / entitled
TO all the Injuries Nv the outfty"
Then Niger leant over an told me
that Colonel Elijah Gates, one Nv the
directors Nv the road, an the richest
man in Marion county, WIZ aboard, an
1t wuz one Of the rules nv the eompa-
ny not TO Do anythink to bother him
or get him to sell his stock.
The Niger pointed out Colonel
Gates nd ! took a look at him as he
sot readin the Palmyy Spectator. He
wuz one Of our kind Nv people-long,
rawboned md husky. He looked TO be
about 60-maybe not quite onto o0.He
wuzn't bothered with much hair onto
HIS head, md his beard wuz shaved, all
exsept two rims or fringes NV IL that
ran down thesides NV his face nd met
underneath his chin.
This fringe filed up his neck 50 that
he didn't hey 70 wear no collar, nd be
hadn't no jewelry about him excep' a
big carnellan bosom pin that he'd the
piceure Nv a womah's head on II Ia
white. His specs sot well down on his
nose, md l could see his blue eyes over
'em-small eyes, but kind Ut good ma
tured. Between his readin' NV bis pa
per md his eatln plug terbacker be
KEEP toler'ble busy till come bedtime,
The rest on US KEEP as quiet as we
could, for we knew it wuz an honor to
ride In the same sleepin' car with the
richest man In Marion county md a d.
rector Nv the HANDFUL md st. 10 &c
boot.
Along bout so'clock the colonel
reckoned he'd tumble into bed. When
he'd drawed his booos md hung up bis
coat nd laid in a fresh hunk nv
nat'ral leaf, be crawled into the best
bunk, md presently we heerd him
sleepin'. There wuz nothin' else for
the rest Nv US to do but to foller suit,
md we did.
It must have been about an hour
later-say al5ng about Prairie City
that a woman come aboard with a
baby. There warn't no bunk for her,
but the Niger allowed that she might
set back near the stove, for the baby
'peared to be kind NV sick like, nd the
woman looked like she had been
Whether it wuz the lOuncin'
az the car, or whether the young one
WIZ hungry or he'd a collie into it, /
didn't know; but, anyhow, the train
pulled out NV Prairie City
afore the baby begun to take on. The
run back as fast as be could,
md told the young woman that she'd
have 70 keep that baby quiet, because
Colonel Lily Gates, one Nv the d.
rectors nv the road, wuz in the car md
wun't be disturbed. The young woman
up the baby scarf like. nd
soothln' 70 IT, nd covered its
little face with her shawl, nd done all
them things tibet women DO to make
babies 80 10 sleep.
But the baby would cry, and, IN
spite Of an the young woman nd the
could do, Colonel Elijah Gates
heard the baby cryin' ana 50 he walked
up. First his two blue yarn socks
ZANE through the curtains. nd then
bis long legs nd long body nd long
lace hove IN sight. He come down the
ar TO the Young woman. md looked at
her owe his specs. Didn't seem to be
he least bit mad; jest solemn nd
like.
my dear madam, . sez he 70 the
TOung woman, you must do sumpin'
10 keep that child quiet These peo-
PIE have an paid for their hunks, nd
they are entitled to a good nights
sleep. OF course, / know how IT'S
young children-wlll cry some
.imes-have raised leyen Nv EN-
nd know all about them But