Licking Valley courier., 1921-02-03

up? Ponca gone on the bump
mo; she's all right mostly BE all
right tomorrow, reckon, fer Hitch
cocks outfits comm in with bunch
O. steers. Whatll yer drink"
"Best yer've got, o. course. Thai
looks bit like old times, an tastes
like it. Take snort with me, Moran
Where's Mac, an all the boys, any
hOwT"
"Out ter the funeral; that's what's
the matter with this town. The whole
kit an caboodle gone across the
creek to help plant old Dad Caliins.
You remember Old Dad2"
mo, can't say I do; Mat was he,
a gambler?"
"Klnd of tin-horn sOused most o.
the time but still everybody liked him;
pretended ter be a blacksmith when
he first come, an put up shack down
there next the hotel. Never worked
morn three days to my knowledge
slnce-just naturally bummed round,
but he was hi Of good story-tell-
er, an the boys cottoned to him. Sure,
yer must have knOwed him."
Shelby shook his head. "What did
he die frOm?"
"Shot himself, I reckon. He was
picked up over back o. the dance hall,
with a bullet in his nut an 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 out there"
'What girl?"
Daughter, I s'pOse. She's been
yere kinder keepin' house ever since
\ i first knew the cuss"
'How old is she?"
ST amt no jedge O. females ages,
if yer ask me, but maybe sixteen or
seventeen. Quite wisp Of a gurl
first I saw her, but she don't make
I'D with nobody; sOrter sullen-like, an
just stays ter home all the time"
"Where'd you say all this rumpus
was goin' on?"
cover cross the creek, beyond that
| bunch O. willows. You know where
| the graveyard Is. Coin ter be some
Obsequies, you bet. Dan he went clear
to Buffalo Gap for ter git preacher
ter do the thing up swell. What's the
matter with yer goln' over there, Tom,
an takin' the show in? Dan'll be
he mighty pleased ter see yer horn ln."
Shelby helped himself to another
drink and gazed disconsOlately about
the big, desolated room. 81 reckon
! I'll turn the brOncs Into Davis corral.
! an then amble along" he said slowly.
"Even funerals better than this
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. 1t was surely some funeral ;
| there was no doubt about that. A mas
[ of men stood there, bare-headed n
the sunshine, and beyond them, on 6
( little knoll. a small bunch Of wOmer
were crowded together, girls from the
dance hall mostly, judging from Their
clothes and faces. although one or two
older women were at the farther end
Shelby caught a glipmse of the eX
preacher elevated on box, and hi
ears caught the sOnOrOus words of eX
hortatiOn with which he ended his ser.
! mon. There followed faint applause
checked instantly by Mccarthy, whc
politely requested the bunch to stOl
making id fools of themselves
and Immediately announced that tn,
Ponca male quartette would sing 'tOn
ward, Christian Soldiers" after whici
those who desired would he given tn.
opportunity to view for the last tim
the features Of the departed. As ths,
last dulcet strains Of the hymn roElcC
away, Mccarthy. as though anSfou
TO preserve the lives of the singers BY
quick action. pushed his way ontt
again to the front.
Nov, you bucks" he roared ou.
tersely, "linc up along them willows
I'll go first with the daughter as chic
mourners, an then the females will
fall in behind. After that the rest o.
yer can mosey along. We're goin tcI
do this up in some style, an II aim
just gOin' to he showin' proper respec
. fer the dead. hut we're agoin' ter re
member the orphaned and the father
less. Thet's the way Ponca does bus
ness. Now, chip in. gents; there's 4
box there at the head of the corpse
an after yer've had a squlnt at Ol
Dad cough up something fer. the gurl.'
Shelby dropped into place behint
the stage agent. who recognized tn,
newcomer with a hard handgrip ant
grin Of welcome.
"Just blow in? We're givln' OF,
Calkins the time o. his career; owet
me a hundred, hut what the HI d,
| carel Know the OIL cuss?"
r mo; / just dropped around fer I,
= pass away the time. Some spoute
that fat preacher"
"Ain't he, though! !" admiringly. al
sure shot Off some language | neye
did hear afore. Yer heard our quar-
tette, I reckon?"
"Heard It! Not being altegethc
deaf, l did. Hullo, the procession
! about to start-so that's Old Calbin.
h girl, is it?"
ii The stage agent nodded.
i "Yep; not so darned much to loo
NJ at, either. | don't reckon I've see
VI her afore fer II year."
n Shelby could not have descrihe
m what there was about the girl to II
Y terest him even slightly. AS MIR
N said, there was not much to look Il
VI and what there was had been rendere
Il particularly hideOus by the ln.fittln
M black dress In which she was dresSe,
VI She walked well, and she held hC
M head straight up, bit defiantly lool