Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-03-15


a. success. The birds ate well during
the winter, but, as they were all COB
blers, they never Matched any young.
Wore Flour-Sack Shirt.
Those were indeed strenuous days
of self-denial. We boys had to work
for our keep; and we had to get up
early for our clothes. We were about
all of size, and the scant necessities
in the way of clothing did about az
we'll for one as another. The first boy
up was the best dressed. l remember
that was the time when we got down
to about two pair of trousers which
were in all aspects presentable. And
then, to show how mean boys can be,
Frank and George got those on and
slept in them until there was new
dispensation. But that wasn't my only
trouble then. The upper part of the
youthful anatomy had to be covered
as well as the lower, and the new shirt
which came to my lot proved to be not
an unmixed blessing. It kept me
warm, to be sure, but it served also
as a casus belli with Jim Galpin of
our set. 1t happened that the new
shirt was made out of a buckwheat
flour sack, and the Shirtorial artist,
who was my dear mother, had omitted
to remove from the back the advertis-
ing design of a stalwart buck. Jim
Galpin seemed to think I minded hav-
ing designs on my shirt, so to con-
vince him of my entire Indifference
had to make an effort almost every
day to lick" him. Sometimes it was
him and sometimes it was me; but l
showed him I didn't care
1t was about that time 1 first met
w. A. Clark, senator from Montana.
The Clarks lived some little distance
from Bentonsport in the country, and
the children used to come in to school
and often found it convenient to put
up at our place from Monday to Fri
day during the winter. The elder
Clark was a sturdy pioneer, who came
west and made good living and gave
a good education to his family. They
were devoted religious people, and the
boys were bright and independent.
There was one, Willie, with whom ]
used to haveregulars nowballing match
eS. We had very amiable warfare,
and used to pelt one another with zest
and regularity. Well, he passed off
the scene with the others, and l never
thought much about him until one dag
he walked over to my seat in the SEN
ate and began to talk about the times
and people of Bentonsport. 1 had
heard about the famous copper king,
and knew all about Senator Clark, of
Montana, but it had never occurred to
me to associate him with the red
headed Willie Clark of my boyhood.
Fight with School Bully.
When my father died l quit school
and began to teach. l was then barely
16 and not large tor my age. The
school where l taught was at Bear
Creek, not far from Bentonsport, and
the first lesson to be impressed on the
pupils was that the teacher could not
be licked" Country schools always
have their DULLES, and there are al
ways pretty good sized boys in attend
ance who think it their first duty to
down the teacher. Soft became necessary
to pick out the biggest and worst and
have it out with him. History does
not record the rounds of that fight. It.
was mighty battle, waged all over
the schoolroom, and without any par
ticular reference to rules In the in
ventory l found my clothing nearly off
and about half my ambrosial locks alb
sent. My hair was then long and
curly. If l had not needed the money
pretty badly l should have been tempt
ed to abandon school-teaching, but my
only concern was lest my victory
should not be apparent, ana l might
lose the school. But the next day my
fears were allayed. Mother had sewed
up the clothing and trimmed the other
side of my hair to even up with the
scalped portion, and I was proceeding
to school with some trepidation, when
whom should l meet but the father of
the boy whom 1 had met in combat.
The father was a big, beefy bruiser,
! about eight times my size. He had
thrashed my predecessor IN the school
for disciplining his son, and when l
! saw him loom up and heard him ask
me If Twas the young man who had
licked" his son, l believed l could see
my finish But while l was debating
which way to run my fears were al
layed. WELL" said he, sizing me up,
you are a lot smaller than my boy.
And you thrashed him for fair. He is
home nursing several chunks of beef
steak on his face. But he won't make
trouble for you any more. If he does
you let me know and I'll tan his hide
for him so he'll think he's a human
pocketbook." And that was the end
CT the instruction. That boy was one
of the most industrious and best boys
in the school and never tired, in later
life, of saying kind things about me.
He lived in the west, and only lately
l heard with sorrow of his death.
Brother Got Religion.
In time I went into business. Mn
brother Jim and I formed a sort of
nartDarShin for hry;pu u,oo1 WV