The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
P IL G RI NJ JOE
Between Happy Days and Calamity Hill

Then he assuaged his thirst and hun
ger; and we talked softly for awhile Of
the placidness OF the evenin and the
wickedness of mankind. Somehow or 9TH
and. though the old kuss didn't know
that a straight beat two pairs, let him
win S from me, to encourage him to
keep on doin' good. He would have
THE Girl Left Behind Me- as he
went, but / insisted that he share my
humble couch. He melted my heart
with another tune, and We turned in,
and as I was weary in body and my
soul feared no evil I slept like a buck.
When the sun rose again and the buzz
yards softly called to each other over
the plains Of Oklahoma, 1 threw of the
chains and rose up like an OK from the
pasture. In about a minute I discovered
a goneness-the old man gone, the out
fit gone. eevrything gone! While 1 had
slept the sleep of good man the crit
ter had dispoiled me Of all and fed.
In my surprise and despair / cried out
and jumped on my hat, but the knowl-
edge that truth was my lamp and integ-
rity my watchword soon brought calm
ness and took the Villains tracks. He
had made for Calamity Hill and, bein'
unduly elated over his victory he had
plunged into dissipation and was just
drinkin' his third glass of beer as SLAP
ped him on the shoulder and said:
''The gains of the wicked are like chan
on the open ground, but the dollars OF
integrity are plunked into an old stockin
TO stay. Let us ramble."
We rambled out. and when the citizens
of the town had heard my story they
took the old critter and hung him to a
limb. They did not encompass his
death. but hung him three times at in
tervals and left him breath enough to
pursue his journey. To me, as re-
ward OF virtue. was turned over the ac-
Gordon, and when left the town, seat
ed on my wagon with the sun Of noon
day warmin' the earth and the birds
calOlin' their songs of love; l yanked
strains of happiness and eSultation from
the old box and said to myself:
1T don't allus happen as quick as
this. hut the man of integrity is sure TO
find his reward in the end
Greet a felIow-man with love i'm your
heart, but don't forGit the cussedness
that was born in him.
And once more:
Aim to do good. 1t is sometimes the
best thing you can do BY a man to kick
him. 1t appealeth to n new spot"
was playin' soft and low and thinkin'
that even the poleCat was created for a
wise and benefiCent purpose. when ] was
suddenly surrounded by a number Of
men who had been waitin' at the foot OF
a tree. and they proceeded to cry out:
Hang him"
''EIe did il"
He's the old kuss,''
up with his karkass!"
ThereupOn they cast the moose of n
rope around my neck ana nauleu me on
the wagon and under the tree. Then
the leader Of the exercises addressed
me with:
DO you want to confess, old man."
To what?' I asked.
''TO the murder OF the widder White
last niGht"'
Il slept miles away last night. and
there was no murder I'm my heart"
Jim said the leader as he turned to
another. lis this the man? You say
you got a good sight of him.
AYE. he is the red-headed murderer
Hold l cried they seized me
anew: and when had removed most. OF
my clothing I pointed to the strawberry
mark Just below my wishbone and de-
manded:
Isn't that livin' convincin' proof OF
my innocence
And they said it was.
And hasn't this man Jim the look OF
a murderer when you come to squint at
him.
Thcv said that he had.
And they hung him and apologized TO
me and sent me on my way rejOiCin'.
and as a song came to my heart l said
to myself:
THE guilty are confoUnded and 20 to
their doom. but the man Of innocence
reveals his strawberry mark and lives to
an honored old age"