Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-02-27
The House of the Black
BEL Pate. Ring e.,ze.... 1906
Copyright, 1905


take the squires hoss. Come out and
see 'em, squire; they're neat ones, tell
yeh." The old man alighted briskly
and went with Dan.
wal, wal, wal boys, you have done
well. That's a good job. How're they
dressing up, Dan? Good?"
Prime, squire. Never had a better
lot of hogs up by the heels, never. Jest
you look 'em over, squire, wunst."
The old man examined them with
critical eye, and found nothing to crit
cize. Dan expanded volubly on the
merits and history of each in turn, and
swallowed greedily the patronizing
words which the great man deigned to
let fall. The squire was indeed man
OF commanding presence, a man to In
spire awe and even fear in the peasant
mind There was that in his every
tone and attitude which suggested
mystery--the stamp of the man who Is
often called upon to decide. and who
is accustomed to be looked up to and
obeyed without murmur. He turned
from the hogs and threw a quick
glance over the men in the yard.
Instantly his brow darkened.
Say, Dan"-he turned sharply-'is
that Al Farthing? Howd'd he get
here?"
Il invited him." There was dogged
tone In the answer.
"Humph! You did, did, yeh? Get
ting popler, aln't he?" No answer
| from Dan.
The group was preparing for dinner,
| which Is served ever at a butchering
at IL. Four OF the boys had gone into
the house to help the women extern
porize the seats and tables from planks
| and boards. The others had been
watching furtively the progress Of the
great man. Many OF them feared him
beyond expression, and they had cause
in dob % n h..Nr oil
hope; others were his tenants without
power to release themselves even If
| they would; still others were dependent
upon him for work. Few there We're
who could oppose him with impunity.
He walked straight up to Allen Far
| thing, the jealousy and hate which had
been gathering for weeks written on
power of self-con-rol, never large, grew
feebler. So accustomed had he been
all his life to undisputed supremacy
that the slightest position angered
him unrcasonably. He found his man
sitting by the corner of the overshot
and clearing the ashes from his corn
cob. The others looked on with rising
excitement. They knew the man; the
fire and tow which had been so long
preparing had at last come together
Changed yeh business, so | hear.
They tell me v~''''." set up in produ1e
and groceries" The sneer in the mans
voice and the curl of his lip made the
speech positively maddening.
You've been misinfOrmed, squire"
He calmly knocked his pipe against
the barn to free it from ashes, and pro-
ceeded with deliberation to find his
plug of tobacco. His Coolness acted
like a red rag on the choleric old man.
"Hain't ordered o carload O. -four?
oh, no! Hain't bought two carloads o.
mo ~ N1Fhn nf t,,ly
l don't see what's going on. heigh?"
You cont in this case, IT seems. It's
three of corn and two of wheat, per-
haps three" He pressed the tobacco
into the pipe bowl with his thumb, and
began to search his pockets for a
match.
who's selling yeh this grain, want
to kno" ? Who in this valleys selling
it to yeh?"
Who's selling it?" He echoed the
question In mild surprise, looking up
curiouly through the first white puffs
of smoke.
"Yessuh, who's selling it. There's
some here that can't afford to sell you
their wheat. They'll find mighty quick
that they can't afford It," He turned
and cast a olOwering look over the
men. And -four" he continued with
rising passion, his face fairly purple.
The mans GOODNESS was like a whip
cut. You think you can cut under me
in flour md make money? Flour! Go
Ing TO add dry goods and millinery and
5-Cent-counter stuff" The sneer in
his voice was changing to a hard, mem
acing tone.
why, it's possible. squire it's possi-
ble," admitted the man meditatively.
Folks here seem to be paying big
prices and getting small returns for
their produce. l may get a carload of
farming tools next month. l find the
price lists very interesting"
ITO hell with your interest! Think
you're going to run me out of business,
do yeh?'
Il don't intend to injure a living soul,
Squire Hartswick. haven't the
slightest intention of interfering with
anybody's honest business, not in the
slightest"
Honest! You call me dishonest to
my head, do ych? You stand there and
insult me, do yeh? Heigh? You be
mighty careful young man." He
swung his hand angrily within foot
of Fathing's nose.
Il haven't called any man dishonest,
as you know very well. squire. but If
you want to wear the coat l can't help
it, You are doubtless aware of your
own failings." He was as serene as If
the conversation ha' been about the
weather.
Look here, Al Farthing." Realizing
suddenly that he had gone TO far, he
made n great effort to control himself.
1T has taken me 40 years to work up n
business in this valley, and nobody
amt going to take it away from me
without the biggest fight they ever had
in their lives. You remember that.
These people here owe everything
they've rot in the world to me-e-e. If
l wanted to, l could turn half of 'em
out of house and home. I'm putting
the bread and butter into their mouths
and I'm the best friend they've got in
this world. They know that. Now
what do you know about people here?
What do you know about their needs?
Not one thing. You come here a stran-
run the whole show here and
make things all over. You
can't do it. All l want of you is to
mind your own business and l won't
trouble yours"
Competitions the life of trade,
squire. You han't got no patent right
to the exclusive business of this val
ley have you? If / can sell flour for
SO cents a barrel less n you can and
pay cents a bushel more for grain |
and then make money, l don't see
how I'm injuring these people here. |
don't want to go into business; |
cdihe mere 10 larHi, pul I'm going TO
see fair play among my neighbors. |
rather think 1 shall keep right on
that is, If you still continue present |
prices, and the people want to take |
advantage of my bargains I'm not in |
this to make money"
"All right, suh." The words came out |
With a metallic snap. Wen see what /
happens. Well see, But let me tell |
you one thing: you'd better go slow |
-better-go-slow, or you'll get |
INTO trouble. You remember that. If |
YOU don't want the biggest heap of |
trouble you ever had in your life, you'll |
mind your own business and let other
people mind theirs. Remember that. |
I'VE given you fair warning"
"Ummmm!" He took several delib-
crate puffs at his pipe, then calmly
knocked out the ashes $50 I hear.
But / shall go right on as have done,