The Red Cloud chief., 1913-10-09

~ was Dut COmtOrtaDle ana MS
~ =" daughter Bess tended Il with house.
wfey Bess was Buds only
child. She was a coy mountain maiden Of twcn
ty. and as pretty an one OF the wild flowers that
peep from the ground In the Big Black valley In
March.
Bud had a neighbor 81 Withers. 81 lived down
the stream ways. and the holdings Of the two
men Joined. 81 had son, Bill. Between the
TWO mountain farms over In the corner lay u
triangular piece OF ground not more than two
acres In extent. Outside OF the woodland this
was the only piece OF land on tho Jackson With.
ers holding that was not cultivated. II was
weed grown and though It would have supported
goody crop OF grain. seed sown by the hand
or man ever fell there. II was known for miles
around as the debatabe ground Bud and 81
both claimed the piece. and had wrangled over II
for years before the feud became deadly. At
the present status OF things n either one set his
root on the strip the other would have shot him.
Bud Jackson had a hobby. He was a collector
OF birds.
Scientists from St Louis and from the west.
ern state colleges came to his place every sum.
NOR to look at his collection. He never would
add bird to the lot unless II had been killed
In the state OF Missouri. provided always, Of
course. that the bird was known to be even a
rare visitant to tho state. Bud didn't expect to
get any famingoes In Missouri. but II he should
nave heard an Indian tradition that 500 years be.
fore hamingo had been seen on the Bg Black,
no would not have added tho bird to his collec.
ition until someone had sent him ono with the
proper attestation that It had been killed inside
the limits Of his native state
What n collection that was! There was pretty
near everything In II from the ruby by-throated hum.
ming bird to the big bronze wild turkey Bud
had to build an addition to his house to store his
BIRDS Some people said that Bud cared more
Tor his birds than he did for Bess which was n
Ie For years Bud had secured the woods OF
the Ozarks. extending his trips to the adjoining
counties for the purpose OF getting one bird tba
ivory-billed woodpecker. He knew that the ivory
Dill was a dweller OF the southeast United States
but he also knew that struggling birds had been
seen IN the deep woods OF the mountains OF Mis-
souri, and so he kept up his search with his
shotgun over his shoulder year after wear Uo
could have purchased an ivory billed woodpecker.
k''ied somewhere else. for something like 500
but he would have Missouri bird or none He
sept out nights In the woods and starved and
tnirsted on the trail Of reports that the big bjrd
had been seen. Generally It turned out tbot
those who told Of the appearance OF the wood
pecker' not Knowing much about birds, had seen
the log cock and had taken him for his stjli
bigger bird brother
One DAY In the summer Bud noticed that Bess
nad something on her mind. She started aud.
denly whenever he spoke TO her and more than
once blushed vvidly. The old man didn't sav
mucn. but Just thought he would let the thins
come out by itself. But It didn't come out. Bess
Just kept on acting as though she were wav "a
somewhere In the clouds. One day as the old
man was coming back from a collecting trim he
cou'd nave sworn that he Bill Withers old
sis son. making of across the brook from the
direction OF the Jackson home Bud gripped bis
gun ushtiy and felt lump come up in his
throat lie thought he knew now how to account
TOR bess' blushing He kept his own counsel
however. He knew that II old Withers knew OF
II he would be Just hot about II as ne was
hud eyed Bess curiously when she entered the
nouse ana casually asked II there had been any
ho haA han,
NO. stammered the girl. and fell to blushing
directly. '''""e
"Humph" said her father
Two days later Bess went out to pick black
berries HAIR an hour after her father followed
In her trail. The blackberry patch Law in the a.
rection OF the debatable ground. Bud came m
rise In the land and looked OFF toward the tr.
angular bit OF ground in dispute. by the great
aux. what was that he saw? There In the center
OF the debatable ground were Bill Wthers and
Bess Jackson holding hands and Bess' sunbonnet
was pushed way back. When Bud recovered sur.
hcientiy he looked beyond the patch and there
$1,000 old 81 Withers graspng gun and looking
at the pair OF lovers. There couldn't be any
shooting that day on either side and both old
Fellows turned and went home II was not a
Pheasant evening that was spent that night I'm
either the Jackson Of the Withers home Bud
stormed and fumed and told Bess that she was
bringing everlasting disgrace on him by taking
up with the son OF that old thief Withers.
., winners said good deal OF the same sort
to his son Bill, but BIZ, being a fellow who
thought ,for himself. held the old fellow pretty
we'll In hand
ABOUT week after this a negro appeared at
the jackson home and reported that he had seen
an tvorybilled woodpecker In the big woods
Bess had been forbidden to leave tho house Bud
seized his gun and made for the big patch of
timber The negro had described the bird accu.
rately. Bud reached the edge of the woods,
plunged In and had not gone ten yards before hs
heard q strange rattling cry He knew It from
tne description he had heard He went in ,ts
direction. In a minute he saw a great bic bird