The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-02-18

tlen people Wofkin over ucN IN
givin' her campfire an salts an
peppermint, an pourin' water on
her an putin cold to her head an
hot to her feet, an rubbin' her
hands an lettin' down her hair.
You never see the like!
Pretty soon she wants to go
home, so they bundles her up in a
shawl an starts her off with
Wells on one side an Jim on the
other. But she hadn't no more n
got out of the door till she begins
to cry-sets right down in the road
TO cry, too. They got her started
on again, an bout a rod down she
goes in a faint. Wells gets down
on the sidewalk beside her, an be-
gins talkin' to her but Jim he goes
OF an gets his wagon, an between
'em they gets her up on it, an off
they goes, she a-screamin' an
faintin' an tryin' to throw herself
off, an they two holdin' her on.
When they got there, they was
some women, an Jim left an run
all the way back to town, an when
he got in he jes' says: "Oh, Lord"
an he never says another word.
But Wells allowed now he'd start.
ed he'd see her through, an when
he come back he says: Praise the
Lord, she is quiet now, an gOin'
east on the night train to get her
husbands body, as she'd ought to
have gone a week ago." says he,
lookin' at Jim.
So Wells gets a ticketf'r her, an
some of the women packs her
things, an as soOn as it was good
an dark she come down an picked
out some Grape an mournin'
things an a big Grape vel. Course
it was a little late to be startin',
but we all thought she'd better go;
an as FIR the blacks, why Mrs. Mac
she hadn't had no new clothes to
speak of while Fred was alive;an'
this time we give her good meas.
ure. Jim sent word to some frien's
to look out FIR her, an Wells tele-
graphed the police to hOP the body
of Fred McSwain, which was want
ed in Montana; an among us we
got her off pretty comfortable.
Now, Jake Wells was sheriff in
Big Elk that time, but he wasn't
no relation to the preacher, an
he'd been away to Portland visit
in his girl. He come in on the
same train Mrs. Mac left on, an
jest as the train was pullin' out
they brings him a telegram from
list. Paul, sayin' to arrest Fred Nc
Swain, who was comm in on No.
2, an hold till further orders.
Jake was some surprised, but he
knOwed a lot of the boys went on a
tear when they was away, so he
just waited round. He didn't say
nOthin' to the men at the station
either, FIR that wasn't his style
jes' lOafed round the dark end of
the platform by himself an wait.
ed FIR the train.
When it come, sure enough, off
steps Fred, bout as much alive as
he'd any call to be. Jake he comes
up out of his dark, an he says;
Say, Fred, I'm sorry, but / guess
III have to run you in."
Fred he jumps back, an he says:
"Td like to see you do it. What
ben doin'?" an he makes a hit at
him, bein' a mean-tempered fel.
low, but jolly.
That made Jake kind o. hot, an
he says: ~ don't know what you
ben up to, but on you 60" an he
pulls out a gun, an Fred moves.
Mex mornin' it was all over
town how Fred had ben rested fl
knifn' a man in st. Paul, an what
a pity it was FIR Mrs. Mac, an may
be she hadn't come to the en- Of heI
troubles yet, poor woman, an il
must "a ben pretty bad FIR him t.
let his own people think him dead
an all that sort O. talk, some say
in one thing an some sayin' an
other; but | see Wells wasn't say
in a word; an every time they'(
begin to talk about it, he'd kline
of edge out to one side. He KEEP
gettin' worse an worse, too, til
toward evenin' he couldn't keel
still. He jes' KEEP edgin' rounC
AIo ,4u.-o oAf ,oA4s-g Iou,. 49, 80