The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-10-17

towards. I'd rather burn with the
goats than bleat among the sheep
even now.
"Oh, that's all right, then" she said
as though she answered me, and frank
as a man she gave her hand to shake.
Good stunt of mine, eh?" Although
l own I'd like to have that cross stage
managed"
She passed the weather, admired I'll
ger, talked Browns and Jones with
Bull turning her back on me, asked
him to supper, walked off with MIN.
an that's all. Egg-shells throw'd in
the ash-heap may feel like | did then.
Nobody loved me, cept our pony
herd, inquirin' piteous for food an
water. Our boys, of course, was drunk
by then, just sleepin' whar they'd fell,
so / was desolate as a moonlit dog
howl, ridin' herd with my night horse
whar Polly's little home glowed lights
across the prairie. ! seen Bull and the
preacher leave there toward midnight,
walkin' sort of extravagant into town.
The lights went out. Then times I'd
take. some sleep, or times ride herd
guarding her little house, till the cold
came, till the dawn broke, till the sun
came up.
1t was half past breakfast when
seen Bull again, on his knees like yes
terday, a-puttin' up loud prayers,
which made me sick "Rehearsin',"
says he, "'cause Polly's struck and
I'm to be chief mourner."
He was my only chance of meetin
Miss Polly, when guy comes butting
into our conversation. He'd puffed
sleeves to his pants, and was all
dressed saucy, standing straddle. aim
ing to impress. "Oh, whar's my gum"
says Bull.
This person owned to being a gen
tleman, with strong English accent.
He'd 'undreds of 'orses at 'ome in
'Ammersmith, but wanted to own an
'ack ere, don tcherknow.
So Bull lifts up his eyes to Heaven,
praying, ooh, don't deliver us from
temptation YETI" Whereas confided
with this person about Bull being far
gone In religious mania. l owned Bull
right though, about my bein' a sailor,
timid 18th 'orses; and he seen for his
self the way l was riding my Sam
'orse somethin' dreadful. Told me I'd
ought to old my ed Ugh instead of
Jumping. It's in toes, down 'eels,
young teller, an don't be ard on the
bally hanimal. He'd gimme lessons
only l was frightened, but out aways
from town the ground was softer for
falling, an gained courage. Happens
Miss Polly's house was opposite. /
scrambled down ungainly showed a
pebble in along Sans withers, and let
this gent explain just how to set an
'ard-mouthed 'unter. You Odds is ed,
placin' the and on the 'orn of the
saddle, so. Then hup! That pebble
done the rest.
tertainment, and the diamond ring |
gave her, that Miss Polly began to
perceive me with the naked eye. and
said might come to supper.
And that evening was most surely
wonderful, in a parlor all antimacas-
sars and rocker chairs with pink bows.
There was champagne wine, the little
cigarettes with dreams inside, and a
bottle no bigger'n my thumb smellln'
so fierce 1t well-nigh blew my head off.
Oh, 1t was all so elegant and high
toned that l got proud of being al
lowed indoors.
Her people was real society, her
norma on arrnv oanaral r,,fnad hv tha
war, her mother prime Virginian. But
then she'd gone on the stage, so there
was mean suspicious.
hold suspicion to be a form of
meanness when 1t touches women. My
mother would have SHE'D at naked la
dies, and dad was powerful again ciga-
rettes. AS for the smell, so fierce it
had to be bottled, I'll own up was
shocked. But then you see mother
and dad, an me being working people,
was not supposed to feel the high
toned senses which belongs with
wealth. It's not for grade stock like
me to set up as judge on thorough
breds, or call lady immoral for using
a spoon whar should need a shovel
So it happened that in them days,
while / rode guard upon Miss Polly
no man in Abilene could speak to her
or mention her name to me until
give him leave. She got to be known
as Sailor Jesse's kill, and any person
touching on my kill was apt to require
funeral
1t was the seventh day she married
me. know, because Bull, acting as
best man, claimed a kiss, which she
gave him. Bull" says she, didn't