Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-03-21

camp follower and accessory during
the fact.
i was on q visit to Sam Durkee's
ranch, where I had great time fall
Ing of unmanicured ponies and wav-
Ing my bare hand at the lower jaws OF
wolves about two miles away. Sam
was q hardened person Of about twen-
ty-flve, with a reputation for going
home In the dark with perfect equa-
nimity, though often with reluctance.
Over In the Greek nation was fam
Ily bearing the name Of Tatum. I was
told that the Durkees and Tatums had
been feuding for years. Several OF
each family had bitten the grass, and
1t was expected that more Nebuchad-
neHars would follow. A younger gen.
GRAFTON Of each family was growing
up, and the grass was keeping pace
with them But I gathered that they
had fought fairly; that they had not
lain in cornfelds and aimed at the
division Of their enemies suspenders
In the back-partly, perhaps, because
there were no cornaelds, and nobody
wore more than one suspender. Nor
had any woman or child Of either
house ever been harmed.
Sam Durkee had girl. Her name
was Ella Baynes. They appeared to
be devoted to each other and to have
perfect confidence In each other, as all
couples do who are and have or aren't
and haven't. She was tolerably pretty,
with heavy mass Of brown hair that
helped her along. He introduced me
to her, which seemed not to lessen her
preference for him, so reasoned that
they were surely soul mates.
Miss Baynes lived In Kingfsher,
twenty miles from the ranch. Sam
lived on a gallop between the two
places.
One day there came to Kingfsher a
courageous young man, rather small,
with smooth face and regular features.
He made many inquiries about the
business Of the town and especially OF
the inhabitants cognominally. he said
he was from Muscogee, and he looked
Il, with his yellow shoes and crocheted
four-in-hand. met him once when /
rode in for the mail. he said bis name
was Beverly Travers, which seemed
rather improbable.
One day when I was messenger for
half q gross Of cigarette papers and a
couple Of wagon tires saw the alleged
Beverly Travers In yellow wheeled
buggy with Ella Baynes, driving about
town as ostentadously as the black,
waxy mud would permit knew that
this information would bring no balm
Of Gilead to Sans soul, so I refrained
from including 1t In the news Of the
city that I retailed on my return. But
ON the next afternoon an elongated ex-
cowboy Of the name Of Simmons, an
old time pal of Sans, who kept a
feed store in Kingisher, rode out to
the ranch and rolled and burned many
cigarettes before he would talk. When
he did make Grafton his words were
these:
'Sam, say, there's been a descrip-
ton Of Z galoot miscallin' himself Bevel
Edged Travels impairing the atmos.
pheric air of Kingfsher for the past
two weeks. You know who he wasf
He was not otherwise than Ben Ia
tum, from the Greek Nation, son Of old
Gopher Tatum that your Uncle Newt
shot last February. You know what
he done this morning7 he killed your
brother Lester-shot him In the cot.
house yard"
wondered If Sam had heard BE
pulled a twig from a mesquite busn'
chewed 1t a moment and said:
"He did. did he? he killed Lesterr'
'aThe same" said Simmons. "And
he did more. He run away with your
girl, the same as to say Miss Ella
Baynes. I thought you might like to
know, 80 rode out to impart the In
formation"
II am much obliged, Jim." said Sam,
taking the chewed twig from his
mouth. Eyes, I'm glad you rode out.
Yes, I'm right glad"
"Well, I'll be ridin' back, I reckon.
That boy left In the feed store don't
know hay from oats. He shot Lester
IN the back"
"Shot him in the back"
eyes, while he was hitchin' his hoss. "
"And you say
Eyes, Sam. Everybody seen 'em
drive away together in a blackboard,
with a big bundle. like clothes. tied up
In the back Of II. He was drivin' the
team he brought over with him from
Muscogee. They'll be hard to over
take right away
"And which,
'T was goin' on to tell you. They
left on the Guthrie road. But there's
no tellin' which forks they'll take-you
know that"
sAll right, Jim. Much obliged"
you're welcome, Sam"
Simmons rolled cigarette and stab
bed his pony with both heels. Twen-
" yards away he refined up and called
back:
sYou don't want no-assistance. q
you might sayf"
mot any, thanks"
II didn't think you would. Well @
Iongr'
Sam took 0ht and opened q bone
handled pocketknife and scraped .
dried piece Of mud from his LETT boot.
I thought at first he was going to
swear q vendetta on the blade1Of It OF
recite ''The Gypsy's Curse" The few
feuds / had ever seen or read about
usually opened that way. This one
seemed to be presented with . new
treatment. Thus offered on the stage
4 would have been hissed Of.
II wonder" said Sam, with q pro
soundly thoughtful expression. IL tn
cook has any cold beans left overr
He called Wash, the negro cook, and
nnding that he had some, ordered him
TO- heat mp thu pot and mako som1
strong cofEee. Then We went iutf
Sans private room, where be slepl
and kspt his armofy, dcgsssnd n
soddles of his favoEits mounts. 81
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