Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-01-21
The WON al,
Who Knew
" WILL LEvIHsroH coNToRr

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" WILL LEXINGTON COMFORT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
nILL DUDLEY. who owned tn
I'D peach farm touching the westerl
borders Of the hills, peered In througl
the open door Of ,Hataeids shanty q
he drove by. Hatfield was there, bend
Ing over the stove, occupied probabl'
with q rasher Of bacon and tin cul
Of tea. Above the faint sizzle fron
N the pan and the rustling grind Of tn
wheels in the heavy sand Of the road
Dudley heard the muttaring Of voice
II was % II Hatfield were talking bacl
at the sputter Of the fat. Dudley pulled
up In sudden pity and called. The mans
murmur ceased, but flock Of geese be-
hind the shanty whanged up . general
and animated comment. Hatfield ap-
peared at the door.
He was tall. young, black haired Hia
face had the yellowish wilderness Of an
unblued washing. His body was bent.
his long arms hanging forward like an
aged farmer's.
"Tomorrer's Sunday" Dudley began,
with effort. what DO you a-goin' Z
do? They's partridge-slews o part.
ridge--in them swails yonder on the
west slopes. Then, of we want q blue
bill, or redhead, or mallard--you know
Titman lake, an fishin' in old Silver!
\ Lew Gail got q 20 FOUNDER thar yistiddy
grass pike. Come on along. Peaches
ell marketed. Apples are better out IN
the cool. Least they won't splle. Save
yer pork fur winter and hev game fur
. week. Come onl"
Thank you, Dudley. but I'd better
not. I'm q poor hunter"
Thine you war learnin'. then. Come
on'!
But"
IN rout you out bout three an half
in the nornin'. Well go to the duck |
cove fust, an wait for light to see the
birds. got two guns. Git up, Polliei
G'longl"
This invitation Of Dudley's must weigh
IN 90 virtue. He would far rather
have gone hunting alone. Moreover, the
days sport would be strained because
free sllences and random chatter were
impossible In the presence OF an inscrut-
able fellow like Hatfield Dudley was
the happiest man In the hills just now.
He turned back after Polite had plodded
on hundred yards or 50. Hatfield was
still standing in his doorway, his body
appearing long drawn and helpless,
Dudley smoked, chnckled to the mare,
and smacked his lips at the west. He
had reached the High ridge The view
was glorious startling. The fields and
lakes and forests shone through golden
Of Indian summer haze All
The jewels OF heaven seemed TO have
dropped into the valley, there to glow In
The smoky light Of the red-hot crucible
Iagging down west. u. About q quar- )
tar Of 0 mile south Of Dudleys place
here was q white cottage with green
blinds. A handsome young woman ap-
reared Of the door Of the cottage, glanced ,
back cautiously, then waved hurried,
aughing kiss ct Dudley o. he passed. /
Hatfield fingered at the doorway until
he Tea boiled over and the bacon was I
haired. He would, perhaps. have for
often to eat bad not the scaldlng bub-
lies aroused him. Most pitiable was 4
lie attempt. The odor OF food sickened
i'm. He drank the tee from the leaves
nd set the rest away, handling the }
ishes repugnantiy. Then he rolled d 4
cigarette, and lit It, and hurriedout IN the r
II. The dark was growing. He re- q
ected miserabIy that cigarettes were
ways endurable. n
Why did Hatfield live alone on the Hill 4
prtyf One must travel beyond the ridge 9
istrict to learn this. A few suggested
hat weak lungs were responsible for \
ID purchase Of the little fruit farm and v
10 stanch adherence thereto; others y
elieyed that he had dissipated fortune 4
hysiQue and morals In metropolitan u
and that he sought to repair
Il three BY solitude and toll incessant. p
Which guess was farthest afleld Il mot e
DR. this narrative A few things were Y
nown; that he spoke az one having d
nlture and understanding; that be la 81
ored from dawn to dark In theefrail but la
easeless manner Of woman; that he D
aid for what he bought swiftly and n
rithout question: that he gladly har- g
ored wayfarers. but avoided Affiliations 81
18th his neighbors: that be lived care o.
'ssly, bitterly. and absolutely alone. nj
Had you watched him that night, you
ould have learned that Hatneld's soul NJ NJ
cid the passion and poetry Of q Greeks, y
le supreme fervor Of man allied with :; :,
q idols Of boy. And you might have :,
hngined without touching doubtful tab NJ
G that his mastering romance was tor :.
red BY knowledge Of physical UNIT =
'ss. famed BY solitude and rendered Y
nddenlng BY iis purpqseless fruition. ~
It was dark before moonrise. The -
zee were regnbbing the days events
the Waiof trough. Hatfield paused sud
My. He had walked for an hour, M
alked swiftly to and mo. between the nl