The Red Cloud chief., 1913-06-05
TO THE HILL "KENTRY"
BY HENRY c. WOOD.

lng nttng accompaniment 10 ner
high, shrill voice. I'm skeered weuns
won't never git ter the hill kentry.
Hit seems a powerful long way off.
A man and woman, both past the
middle age. plodded wearily along
in the dust and heat. the woman
near the rear of the wagon, the man
at the horses head.
"We-uns II get thar all right,
mother" answered her husband, en-.
couragingly, after little space of
silence, "by ter.morrow we.uns ought
ter see the blue hills onct mo- by
noon termorrow"
The spent horse staggered to the
side OF the road, and began to nib.
BILE at small patch Of green un.
der the shade of protecting bush.
The man waited.
That's right, Baldy--eat all you.
uns kim" he said. kindly. "tIite a
right smart journey, yit, but we-uns
7! git thar, mother, don't ye fret" he
added, confidently.
The horse, somewhat refreshed by
the mouthful or two of green grass,
] o'aitC oSolH SlOW JouiHcy uOWu
the white stretch of dusty road.
In the afternoon they reached a city
that lay In the path of their journey.
The noise and movement confused
the old couple-the sight Of many
strange faces struck them with
mighty sense of loneliness and soil.
tude--the country and the hills they
sought were as familiar friends. but
the hurrying crowds seemed pitiless
and apart from them. There was a
certain friendliness in nature that was
altogether lacking in the busy haunts
of man.
Resides. to these two, the city was
symbolical of all that was evil, and
cruel, and callous. Was 1t not a city
possibly this very one-that had
swallowed In its Unsuitable nav an
innocent girl that this old couple had
cherished and called daughter?
Little wonder that they now looked
about them with awe and dread, aud
were eager to quit the hot. noisy
streets and reach the open fields once
more.
The man chirruped a kindly note of
encouragement to the worn-out horse.
In response the faithful animal quick
oned It's slow pace for few steps, and
then suddenly wert down on the hard
stones Of the street to rise no more.
In helpless apathy the couple
stopped. bewildered and dazed, then as
the full enormity OF the disaster
dawned on the woman's mind, she
flung herself down on her knees. and
tried vainiy to lift the head of the
dying animal into her lap, calling en-.
treatingly:
"Baldy! Baldy! you-uns amt a.goin
} ter leave we.uns, here? The hill ken.
try amt but little piece off-jes' ter.
, morrow. Can't ye take we-uns only
thar--jes' thar"
mo, mother. he's at the end of his
journey Already" said the man, gently
es he bent to undo the patched and
mended harness from the motionless
animal. As he spoke he brushed HE
hand furtive!y across his weather-beat
, en- face.
A crowd of the curious and idle be-
gan to gather, some with fiippant tests
at the forlorn plight of the two travel
ers, Others touched with pity at the
tragic qualities Of the scene.
The old woman arose and looked
> helplessly from one face to another
understanding only that each one wac
. strange. and that the hill "kentry" was
\ yet far away.
"We-uns KEN from Injiana." she
said, in her slow. drawing tones, a:
the crowd pressed nearer. my son
Z Jim, lives thar-him an his wife an
D ten children. We.uns went out thar
= ter live. but Jim's wife. she warn,
Z willin', an SO we-uns started back tel
the hill kentry. whence we-uns KEN
. Jim, though. he warn't to blame.
= "Lor, strangers. we.uns hope none
D o. youn.uns II ever know what hit /,
ter be In trouble like this, an ole. an
! po'."
Her simple story seemed suddenly
0 to arouse a wave Of sympathy thai
q swept over the motley crowd. On,
brawny young workman, with tho
memory Of a mothers love still fresl
. in his heart, took Off his hat, ant
0 dropping into It liberal Offering
= passed the hat from one to another
4 while shower Of silver and bills fel
into 1t. as II by magician's skill.
Even q poor creature of the streets
with haggard face and sin.hauntct
! eyes, cast her last coin among tn,
others. then pressed her way through
4 the crowd to see the ones who nigh
5 be more wretched than she.
= The two women looked into eacl
9 others eyes-the one pair brimmin;
over with newborn gratitude-the 9th
u, er dim with awakened conscience, ant
y then the younger woman threw hersel
u down at the dusty, tired feet OF tn,
elder. and kissing the wrinkled hand
6 cried out:
G Mother, take me back to the hill
country with you'll"
lCopyright by Daily Story Publishing Co.