The Dolores star., 1913-06-06

worries every year ! ten you. NJ.
Robbins. ! thought II would kill me.
once. to come on the county. I'd q
said I'd starvs flrst: but you can't zee
your wife and children starvs. I went
In last winter. and asked for relief.
n last winter. and asked for relief.s
IT was awful hard o. you, Wesley"
said Robbins gently.
II suppose Il wasn't nothing TO what
some men have suffered There WAS
poor Tommy Walker. give UP his farm
when Il was orecloaed--thought he
had to--and went on tramping to
Kansas City. and after he'd tramped
week there, looking for Job. give
1. up and jumped into the river. And
you know how old man Osgood killed
himself. honest . old man ~ ever
lived; always kept his machines un-
der cover. too: he couldn't stand II.
They found II harder-and lots more,
too: but I've found II hard enough.
And ] know I'd shoot that sneaking,
sneering young Shylock. and mot mind
II near SO much ~ I minded killing
poor Sport"
II don't know but we'd all better
Quit" said the younger man with .
sigh. This isn't = living country.
Three years Of drought would break
any country up. It's not meant TO live
in. We had fair crop this year. but
it's so low: and freights. though
they're lower. are pretty high. don't
see any way out Of II. And I declare
I think IL We run this young fellow
OF we'll only get bad name for the
place"
Il don't care for bad Names" said
the other sullenly. Il got wife and
three children; was foreclosed .
year ago---so's you, SOS q lot OF the
boys; we're at the end Of our string
now-legally. SO what did we say!
We said we didn't care. was 1t legal
or illegal; that laws was made to skin
the poor man; and we elected a sheriff
we could depend on not to enforce
the laws, and we druv or the blood.
suckers they sent out here. They say
one Teller was killed. I don't know.
Guess that's one Of Doc Russell's
stories.
My father was with John Brown:
he helped kill q man. He never lost
no sleep about It: shant neither.
Look here. Mr.. Robbins. l got lots Of
time to think, winters-lots Remorse
and all them hne feelings you read
Of. they don't belong to folks that are
way down in the dirt. You got to have
something to eat and wear, and not
have your stomach sassing you. and
you half froze most Of the time: when
your body Is in sech fix it's keeping
your mind so full there amt any show
for any other feelings. And look q
here, there's worse"-his voice sank.
why. you git to that pass you amt
able to feed your own wife and babies.
When this morning Peggy kept hush.
ing the baby. and she was fretting and
moaning. and Peggy says to me.
couldn't git little crackers In town:
maybe the baby could eat them? I
didn't feel nothing 'cept numb sch.
ing. kept saying. I'd a felt that.
once!' But didn't feel II now. And
all Of q sudden, II come to me twas
because ! was Citing past feeling
like you do when you're froze. Jest be
fore you die. ! read story once
when ! was . little shaver. that kept
mo awake nights many time. II was
about Russian nobleman out sleigh
riding with his children, three Of EN-
on one Of them steppes; and the
wolves chased them. The father had
q pistol, and he would shoot one OF tbs
wolves. and then the cowardly cusses
would stop to tear the wounded crittei
to pieces and eat him. giving the folks
in the sleigh q little more time: but
every time the distance between the
wolves and them when they stopped
was little smaller; but they were get
ting closer to the town. and they could
see the lights. So the father, he kept
on shooting. until the wolves were
jumping up and grabbing at the sleigh
and the last time he shot q Welt he
used up his last cartridge: then
when they came after him again
when the lights. were nearer and he
knew II he could stop 'em once
more he could escape. he-he throwed
out one Of the children: because II
was this way: II he Jumped out him
self the children were 30 littlo the,
couldn't drive. and they'd b. tipped
up. and all three Of them lost, 20 he
throwed out tho child he loved the
best, and they got 10 town safely: but
he went raving crasy. Well. I thought
Of him, and said. II baby died there'd
BIO the more chance for the others"
Look here. Wesley" his companion
Interrupted. quit Il! You're getting
iight-headed. Get rid Of such fool
thoughts as those or you'll be going
on to the insane asylum: and mighty
little use your family will have Of you
there!"
Orr gave him no answer. Robbins
watched his impsssivs face and
/ frowned.