Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-06-06
HANK PETERS
CONVERSION
,copyrighI by Daily story Pub. Col
q, tMutII c. nAlt


came a sigh from far away In the
starlit dimness. and strong pun OF
wind blew the smoke from the fire
fairly into the Old Mans face as he
lay luxuriously upon the ground, his
head upon saddle. He sat up,
coughing. and wiped the tears from
his eyes.
which I'm free TO maintain" he
presently remarked. lis that there
Amt but one thing in this world more
unexpected than fire."
faint women" Charlie said.
pausing In his occupation OF produc'
ing doleful airs from a mouth organ.
you shore can count on them. Amt
no doubt bout what they'll do an the
answer is you"
which was remarkin' when this
here saddle-galled Charlie busts into
the arena. is the Old Man contin-
ued, that there's jest one thing
more uncertain than fire. Which
is a woman"
Charles scornful reply was sud
denly cut short by some one sitting
upon him. and he subsidized with a
grunt.
There was a little bit of gal
comes to the Rainwater country
once" the Old Man drawled, his pipe
hanging loosely between his teeth.
AN you shore would athought you
could calculate which way she would
probably jump If rattler buzzed. but
shucks! She was a woman.
This little gal was the daughter
Of eastern sky pilot that had come
out for his health. and was kinder
putin in his time pintin' us poor
Rainwater folks at the great shinin'
target, as he put 1t. She came out
to see him durin' her college vaca.
ton, an right away gospil stock
jumped clean over the top Of the
blackboard. This little girl had a
way OF takin' hold of your hand an
lookin wistfully out of her big blue
eyes, an sayin': Surely I'll see you
at services Sunday?' that just plumb
convinced you that church was the
very thing you had been a-pinin' for
! ever since Christmas.
well, this here little gal-Virginia
Dayton was her name-shorely did run
that Rainwater country to suit her.
self! An somehow it wasn't half as
ha 70 ttxx,,
a been. For all her big blue eyes
an blow-away hair she was shore
'nough sport, an would ride anything
that had four legs.
There was two of the boys. Ned
Carter, from the Two Stars, an Hank
| Peters, from the Double Cross, that
was just plumb locoed over this here
| gal, an she seemed to like both of
them a right smart-that is, week
days. Sundays she give them the
frozen glance. Which same was be.
cause they wouldn't neither of em
come to her dads services.
| WELL these two was runnin' bout
neck an neck, an Ned was gettin
wild, didn't seem to have no con
troll of hisself no how. Bet he
bought Is silk scarfs, an held up a
greaser with his gun an made him
sell him his big silver spurs. He had
plumb gone to the end of his rope
when he thought he saw a chance tc
make hit, an he jumped in with
both feet.
"Virginia's dad was hldin' a re
vival, an Ned figgers to himself tina,
If he was to get converted it would
boost up his stock whole lot sc
he sails in. Which same would have
been all right If 1t had been any
body but Ned, but he never could d.
anything moderate. All that shoutin
an singin' kinder goes to his head
an he's got two different brands O
loco in his system at the same time
This here move of Ned's sur,
stumps Hank for awhile, but h,
braces up, an lows he'll ambl,
round some evenin an see wha
kind of cold deck proposition thi
here is, anyhow. Which same h,
does.
When he gets to the door IT.
early, so he kinder hangs round t,
see what brand of mavericks is FIRE
quentin this range, anyhow. He's
scoutin around therefore when h
sees Virginia comm along the trai
) hangin' onto Ned Carter's arm, ar
a-lookin' up from time to time int
his face. l ambled along bout tina
time, myself, an l never did see any
body look more an half as foolish ar
happy as Ned did. They goes on int
the Doxology works, an then Han
slides in an takes back seat UMPIRE
tientous like. Hank never was n
hand to jump into game withou
first walkin around the room
J. We'll presently they commence
= to get up steam, an they shorely jerke
: her wide open! OF all the excit,
. ment ! ever did see, outside of a Ii
dian pain-killer dance, that meetil
had it beat mile. Every once /
, awhile some maverick would let ol
a yell an go a-plungin up to tn
mourners' bench an that would stal