Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-11-23

A Story Illustrating How Persons
VIII Hang on to a
Theory
BY William l. Chew
By William l. Chew
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

AZ INC Sculidl part VI tue STOW val
ley was one Of those villages that
spring up m~ushroom-like upon the dis
covery OF gold. Newcomers were ar
irving from the east and from the
west. Among those from the west was
q man who seemed to have stamped
enced a grief" He had no sooner en-
tered the town than he walked through
the street-there was only one street.
looking at every one he met as though
he were searching for some one. He
kept this up until he seemed to be sat
isfed that he had seen every one in
the town, then discontinued it.
He was a very uncommunicative
man and made no friends. His name
was not forthcoming, so he soon ac-
CURED the soubriquet Of Stranger. He
entered a claim and went to work with
pick and shovel like the rest Of the
men in the town. When the daily
coach arrived from the east he was al
ways on hand. He scrutinized every
person who alighted, and when the
coach had been emptied walked away.
"Who is he and who's he lookin'
forf' asked one of a knot Of men M
evening as Stranger walked away from
the coach with his usual look Of disap-
pointment.
Want t know who he is and who
he's lookin' for, do y'T said Bill
Stubs. well, I'll tell y. He's one
O. them fellers who's life has been
wrecked by a woman and another man.
He's been married and another Teller
has taken his wife from him. It's my
opinion that Strangers expectin' the
Teller that robbed him Of his wife, and
when he ome you'll see a shootin'
match
Il don't think much of that expla-
nation" put in Andy Jones. ~ reckon
Strangers been dom somep'n to git
himself wanted somewheres. When
he fust come yere | TUX notice he salts
fled himself afore he settled down that
there wasn't no one yere as knowed
him; then he entered his claim an
about himself. He amt a-goin' to fur
nish nobody who's huntin' him with
information about where he isl
These are but a few of the reasons
conjured up for Strangers presence in
the town and his singular actions. The
only person who was not interested
In them was Stranger himself, but he
was the only person who didn't hear
any of them. He pursued the even
tenor of his way, digging in his hole
In the ground and going every evening
to the coach to inspect the incoming
passengers.
One day Stranger was missing from
his hole. His absence at once set ev-
cry tongue wagging with accelerated
yigor. Every one wondered where he
had gone and IL he would we come
back.
where has he gonev' exclaimed Bill
Stubs. "Why. he's got wind Of the
Teller he's lookin' for. AS to his COM
fn' back, that depends which man gifts
the drop on t'other one. IL Stranger
gifts it-and l hope he will-he'll come
back, I reckon, and he'll feel better
satisfied with himself. Like enough,
he may take another holt on matrimo-
NY"
ooh. rats. Bill Stubbs." exclaimed
Andy Jones. when you git a notion
into your head you make everything
at 1T. Stranger has got wind Of an
enemy. shore enough, but not the ene-
my you mean. He's heered that a sher-
in has got wind of him, and Strangers
list lit out to give him the slip. That's
the most reasonable view to take of It,"
Seems to me-" suggested Enoch
Nudge, that both you fellers is fttin'
Strangers goin' away to your explana-
lions. I've allus tux notice that when
a man gifts an idee into his head he
makes all his other idees run that
way. Did you ever hear Of a out and
out Demmycrat turnin' into a Repub-
lcan or opposite wayT
The remark did not change the views
of Bill Stubs or Andy Jones, who
both declared that they were ready to
listen to any other reasonable theory
concerning Strangers abuse than their
own. but when Nudge advanced one
they both attacked 1t vigorously. He
skunk away. leaving the two men ar
guing with each other.
Then came information that added
volume to the fame of conjecture.
Stranger returned looking happy.
"What did l tell your" said Stubs.
Hes met his man and got the drop
on him"
Hes lodged the sheriff." Andy
Jones claimed.
At this point a small boy spoke up.
II seen Stranger go into his cabin
when he came back. The fust thing
he done was to take a piece O. paper
from between two logs and tear It
into little bits"
How you goin' to account for that
Bill StubbsY' asked Andy Jones.
How you goin' to account for IT."
Since both needed time to make the
incident accord with their pet theories
no explanation was brought forth.
But the mystery of the bit Of paper
put a quietus upon most Of the theo-
ries held by Strangers fellow citizens
-. A