The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-06-27

w aSnInSCOn 50 InaL you may Cut II
the right size.
The Case of Bert Carter, Stacker.
(By Barbara KERR
The following from the Topeka
Capital we publish by request:
$50 you're after our wild man from
Borneo, are you! Well, here he
here's a friend of yours from Hays,
Kansas"
Sheriff Beardsley felt the good
hundred sarcasm in the boss tone.
He had staggered a bit; how did he
know what sort of fellows ran the
Mine Prop camp on the Narrow
Gauge? He had got off at Mineral
Hot Springs and came overland with
a guide and two donkeys- maybe
twas three.
Bert, quickening his pace. came
forward frankly and held out his
hand. 'From Hays, did you say, Jim?
Well, Pm sure glad to see some one
from Hays. How's everybody? What
did you say your name Il?
''Sherif Beardsley," grinning rath-
er sheepishly into the boys honest
blue eyes. ''I'm up here after a
Stacker, know anything about him?"
HSearch mew replied Bert inno-
Gently at which the men laughed.
Beardsley explained to Bert, who
made no comment except that they'd
couned on getting out some ezra
props, the trip would interfere.
But his camp comrades were out
spoken in their disgust: "Why, any
one can see with half an eye that the
kids not more than 20" declared the
boss, who was too fond of Bert to
take it calmly. cts simply a cooked
up mess by some of those foreigners;
they're combing the country for men
to make up their quota"
The sheriff found himself nodding
then hastily: well, I was sent up
here to get him boys; so I'll have to
take him along"
After two years in the mountains,
with only a day off occasionally at
| Salida or Moffet, for supplies. Bert
was interested in everything except
his forthcoming trial.
SCI course, if it's up to me, I'll go.
| I've had some experience; killed more
snakes than any other man in camp.
| take walk till find one IN his place.
Why? Because they brighten wom-
en-
The sheriff on arriving at Hays,
recommended bail for Bert till trial
day; in the meantime he loitered
about the village. His father and mo-
Their had gone to South America q
year ago on business; he had not been
to Hays for five years, as he went
from school to the mountains for his
health. You'd agree that he found it;
six feet IN his stockings; bronZed as
an Indian, with an innocent direct
gaze, that was a bit dsconcertng til
you knew Inn. So when the board
called Cease of Bert Carter, Stacker, ,
he arose to his feet, marched up II
front and looked them squarely in the
eyes.
The three men looked at him with
honest admiration, but Mary Marvin
the secretary, wanted Bert to fee
that she disapproved Of him. She wa:
the pretties girl in he village, the
staunchest patriot land always ready
to punish slackerS that came her way
Bert could not help feeling her at
titude. At first he was mildly cur
ious as to what peeved the pretty la
dy, but the more he looked at her thu
sting of it got under his skin. II,
wanted to ask her outright what wa!
wrong with him.
He told the board that he believes
he would be 81 the third of June
1913, but IN the absence of famil,
records would swear to nothing. H
was interested to know on what the,
based their accusation that he was
Stacker.
To the board this seemed fai
enough, but the way he said slacke
made Mary want to jump to her fee
and scream: "Just as you might sa,
bread-and-sugar motherP
Since the sheriff had brought hir
to Hays at behest Of gossips, the
must bring IN the accusers-
Mrs Ted Livingstone swore tha
he was the same age as her Rachael
Rachael was % last June. "Ra'1 b
obliged to her mother" snickere
some one; % was getting on towar
old-maidhood, here.
Mrs Ben Hopper swOre that
was the same age as Tommy-21 1
May She knew for the boys Ia
many a time celebrated their birth
days by swimming In Big Greek. Ben
smiled, then chuckled behind hi
hand-boys' birthdays were hk
Easter, movable feasts, when swim
ming was the celebration
Things were hopelessly tangled
birthdays Of the towns cOntemporar
children were told, as was time Q
establishing line fences, buying c
livestock, tearing down of old lanC
marks-but no cOrrobOrating test
: many.
Mary was in a white heat ''Ho7
can he sit there like q lump on q 10
and the whole town wFangling aboT
! his age?s she whispered
The board was crazy with the II
(. tility on it, when the old editor c
the Free Press walked in with new
paper file and asked to be sworI
opening It, he read: "BOrn, yesterda
to John and Mary Carter, fine DO.
CongratulatiOns John" To the board
''The date IS June, 1897; the DO