The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-03-06

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TOO old 10 commence now
Well. about two weeks later l saw
Hornbeck again. an he drew me aside
an said:
I've bin thinkin' the matter over
Seth. an I've about come to the con.
clusion that l have been denyin' myself
the consolation OF religion in my old
age
We'll, laughed. an laughed, an
laughed. an then | commenced an
laughed all over again. for HornbecS
had a reputation for free thinkin' that
had followed him and extended over
three counties.
What's the joke? said I, thinkip'
that the real laugh was yet to come.
There amt no joke said he, az
solemn as an owl. I've seen the error
OF my ways. an henceforth | walk the
straight and marrow way
Well said /. II you hold on to
that ranch you viii need all the relig-
ion you can giti'
Well. sir, in spite of what he said
to prepare me for what he knew
would be an awful shock, you could
have knocked ne down with a feather
when | heard that he had been to
church. You never saw such a change
come over a man in your life as came
over Hornbeck when he got religion.
Before that he would laugh an joke
an tell a funny story with the best Of
US. But now he went around with his
mouth droopin' down like a rainy
moon, an he had a way of lookin' at
you an shakln' his head an groanln',
an then walkin' on, that made you
feel like askin' who was dead. Next
to Newly he was the biggest walkin'
tombstone around here. an | saw that
Newly was gittin' a little nervous for
fear that Hornbeck was after his
Job.
We'll, one Sunday | was comm
along the road. havin' bin huntin',
when met Hornbeck an Newly on
their way home from church.
Seth, said Hornbeck, we are
about to feed the inner man after a
feast Of the soul down at the church
under the beautiful guidance of Broth
err Newly. win you jine us, an while
we eat chicken listen to the beautiful
thoughts that flow so gently from the
lips of our dear friend an brother?'
We'll, that word chicken caught me.
an went along. Mrs. Hornbeck has
a reputation for cookin'. an I knew
would be taken care of; besides | saw
that Newly didn't want me along. so
| went Just to spite him. Well. sir,
hornbeck was very quiet during the
meal, and looked as if he had some.
thing on his mind that was worryin'
him. When the meal was over he
turned to Newly, and said:
Brother, | have had a terrible
weight upon my soul ever since
iined the church an saw the blessed
light, an | fear for the welfare
of a dear friend of mine. | know
he means all right now, no matter
what his intentions may have been
In the past; but he is in doubt
how to make the proper %retributlon
Some time ago this mar discovered
gold On the land OF another. Now. in.
stead Of maxim his discovery known
to the owner. he concealed the fact
an bought the land for what It was
worth for farmin' purposes.
u saw Newly set up with a sudden
start an turn kinder green an white
around his gills. But | didn't know
at that time that Hornbeck had
dropped a gold nugget on the plate
that mornin' at church.
Twas it wrong for him to secure
this land with the secret knowledge
that he possessed?' asked Hornbeck,
leanin' forward an lookin' at Newly
anxiously.
Wrong gasped Newly, holdin'
up his hands in horror, why he will
be lost forever unless he allows the
poor man he robbed at least a portion
Of his ill.gotten gains!'
I'm In doubt. in Doubt said Horn.
beck, with a groan.
"'He's lost If he Doesn't exclaimed
Newly.
"'He's a dern fool If he does said |.
Well, sir, for more'n four weeks
every time that Newly would send the
plate around Hornbeck would groan
an drop a gold nugget on it. An.
every time that he done it Newly
would twist and squirm an try to look
pleasant, but he made a mighty poor
job of It. I'm hanged If didn't git IN
the habit Of goin' to church every
Sunday just to see Newly squirm.
Well. | saw the whole thing then
just as plain as day. Hornbeck had
discovered gold on the Newly ranch
before he bought It. It didn't surprise
me much. for 1t lays up agin the
mountains, an I've always said tina
they would find gold around there
somewhere. But what tickled me was
the fact that Hornbeck was cute
enough to keep II still an git Newly
to let the place go under the impress
sion that he was sellin' Il to a sucker
Well, sir, when | really grasped tn,
situation | laughed till / thought
would bustl An every time | saw
Newly I would hold my sides an laugh