Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-03-05

His advent In our little country
town was at once abrupt and novel.
Why he came, when he came, or how
he came, We boys never knew. My
first remembrance Of him IL Of his
sudden appearance in the midst Of q
game Of "Ant'ny-over." in which q
dozen boys besides myself were most
enthusiastically engaged. The scene
Of the exciting contest was the center
Of the main street of the town, the
elevation over which we tossed the
ball being the skeleton remains of
grand triumphal arch, left - sort
of cadaverous reminder Of some re-
cent political demonstration. Although
I recall the boys external appearance
upon that occasion with some vague.
ness, I wildly remember that his
trousers were much too large and
long, and that his heavy, tapping coat
was buttonless. and very badly worn
and damaged at the sleeves and ell.
bows. remember, too, with even
more distinctness, the hat he wore; 1t
was a high, silk, bell-crowned hat-a
mans hat and veritable plug
not a new and shiny plug" by any
means. but still of dignity and gloss
enough to furnish q noticeable con.
trast to the other appurtenances Of it's
wearer's wardrobe. In fact, 1t was
through this latter article of dress
that the general attention Of the
crowd came at last to be drawn par.
ticularly to its unfortunate possessor,
who, evidently directed by an old-time
instinct, had mechanically thrust the
inverted castor" under q falling ball,
and the ball. being made Of yarn
wrapped tightly over a green walnut,
and dropping from an uncommon
height. had gone through the hat like
round shot
Naturally enough much merriment
was occasioned by the singular mis-.
hap. and the victim Of the odd occur
renee seemed himself inclined to Join
IN the boisterous laughter and make
the most Of his ridiculous misfortune.
He pulled the hat back over his
tousled head. and with the tapping
crown Of it still clinging by one frayed
hinge. he capered through q gro.
tesquely executed Jig that made the
clamorous crowd about him howl
again.
Two! what hiatt" cried Billy Kim
zey, derisively, and with a paipabiy
rancorous twinge Of envy in his heart:
for Billy was the bad boy OF our town.
and would doubtless have enjoyed
the strange boys sudden notoriety in
thus being able to convert disaster
into positive fun. ".Wo! what q hiatt"
reiterated Billy. making a feint to
knock 1t from the boys head as the
capering figure pirouetted past him.
The boys eye caught the motion.
and he whirled suddenly in q back.
ward course and danced past his re-
viler again. this time much nearer than
before. Better try It," he said. in
a low, half-laughing tone that no one
heard but Billy and myself. He was
out of range In an instant, still laugh.
ing as he went.
"Durn hint" said Billy, with sitting
anger, clutching his fist and leaving
one knuckle protruding in very
wicked-looking manner. "Durn him!
He better not sass me! He's afeared
to come past here ag'in and say that!
I'll knock his durn ole stove.pipe in
the middle o. mex week."
"You will, hey?" queried revolv.
ing voice, as the boy twirled past
again-this time so near that Billy
felt his haunting breath blown in his
face.
Eyes. I will. hey!'" said Billy, vi
ciously; and with side.sweeping,
hat.handed lick that sounded like
striking rusty sheet of tin, the
crownless plug" went spinning into
the gutter. while. as suddenly, the
assaulted little stranger, with a Pc
culiarly pallid smile about his lips
and an electric glitter in his eye,
adroitly flung his left hand forward,
shifting his insulter such a blow in
the region Of the brow that the I'M
guarded Billy went tumbling back
ward. his plucky assailant prancing
wildly around his PROSTATE form.
"Oh! come and see mel" snarled the
strange boy, in contemptuous tone,
cooking his fists up in scientific
manner. and dropping into stoop-
shouldered swagger that would have
driven envy into the heart of q bully.
ing hack driver. "Git the bloke on his
pins!" he sneered. turning to the
crowd. "S'pose I'm goin' to hit man
wen he's DOWN."
But his antagonist needed no such