The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-11-11

right tomorrow. | reckon. fer Hitch
cocks outfits comm Ia with a bunc
o. steers. What1l yer drink
Best yer've got, O. course. Tha
; looks u hit like old times. an taste
like IT. Take a snort with me. Moran
Where's Mac. an all the boys, any
how"
out ter the funeral: that's what
the matter with this town. The whole
XII an caboodle gone across N,
creek 10 help plant old Dad Calkins
Nou remember Old Dadf"
NO. can't say l do; what was he
a gamhlerf'
Kind of a tin. thorn soused most o
the time but still everybody liked him
pretended ter be a blacksmith when
he FIRST come, an put mp r shack down
there mex the hotel. Never worked
morn three days 10 my knowledge
since-Just naturally bummed round.
but he was q HI Of = good story-tell-
or, an the boys cottoned TO him Sure,
yer must have knowed him
Shelby shook his head. What did
he die frOmT
"Shot himself. ] reckon. He was
picked up over back o. the dance hall,
with n bullet in his u an a gun in
his hand. The girl was huntin' for
him. cause he didn't come home, an
so Dan he went along with her. The
two of 'em found him ont there"
"What girlT"
daughter. ! s'pose. Shes been
we're kinder keepin' house ever since
I first knew the cuss."
GLOW old is shei'
81 amt no ledge o. females ages,
n yer ask me, hut maybe sixteen or
seventeen. Quite a wisp OF q gurl
first ! saw her, but she don't make
up with nobody snrtGr ~sullen.like, an
just stays ter home all the time"
"Where'd you shy all this rumpus
was goin' orr
over cross the creek, beyond that
bunch o. willows. You know where
the graveyard Is. Coin ter he some
~obsequies. o bet. Dan he Went clear
TO Buffalo Gap for ter git a preacher
ter do the thing up swell. What's the
matter with yer goin' over there. Tom.
an takin' the show ln2 DAMN be
be mighty pleased ter see yer horn in"
shelby helped himself Ia another
drink and gazed dis%consolately about
the big. desolated room. ~ reckon
IN turn the broncs into Davis corral,
an then amble along ne said slowly.
49,. F...auuNHa IAtNan sIan rhln
dump today"
He had waded the shallow waters
and reached the edge Of the willows
before his eyes distinguished the
crowd gathered in the open space be
yond. II was surely some funeral
there was no doubt about that. 4 mass
Of men stood there. bare-headed In
the sunshine. and beyond them. on a
little knoll. u small bunch of women
were crowded together. girls from the
dance hall mostly. Judging from their
clothes and faces although one or two
older woInen We're nj the farther end.
Shelby caught q glipmse OF the ex-
preacher. elevated On . box. and his
ears caught the sonorous words Of eX-
hortation with which he ended his SER
O There followed . faint applause,
checked instantly by Mccarthy, who
politely requested the bunch Ia stop
making DID fools OF themselves.
and Immediately announced that the
Poncs male quartette would sing "On-
ward. Christian Soldiers" after which
those who desired would De given the
opportunity 10 view for the last time
the features Of the departed. A. the
last dulcet strains Of the hymn rolled
away. Mccarthy. as though anxious
10 preserve the lives Of the singers by
quick action. pushed his way once
again to the front.
Now. YOU bucks" he rOared out
lire up along them willows.
III 90 first with the daughter as chief
an then the females will
fan in behind. After that the rest Of
yer ran nose along We're goin' ter
DO this up In some style. an il amt
Just goin' 10 be shown proper respect
FER the dead. hut we're agoin' ter re-
the orphaned and the father
less. Thets the way Ponca does bust
hess. Now chin IN. gents there's q
box there ~ the head Of the corpse.
an after yerve had a squint ~ or
Dad cough M something Ter the CURL
shelby dropped INTO place behind
stage agent vho recognized the
levcomer with = bard handgrp and
grin - welcome.
Just blow IMP We're giyin' OId
atkins the time = his career owed
= hundred hut uhat The h-I Do
care EnoW he o. cu@
no; ! just dropped around fer o.
away 'he time some spouter
haf fat rresrler
"Alnf ~. though admfrngiv ~Hs
.urp shot ~ s1fne language ! never
ild hear afore Yer heard our quar-
! rerk0nT
Heard a. Nof being altogether
leaf, ] did Hulo IL procession u