The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-08-15


twined a wreath of blossoms whiel
y she and Minnie had gathered in tn
]. woods a little way Oh, and twine,
e them In the child's tresseS
The brother and sister wer
: healthy, robust looking children
3 with the round limbs and sunbrown
ed faces which tell their own storie
of country life, but Minnie Blak,
t was one Of those children, the yer,
sight of which brought a new io1
I into the eyes Of all who love beauty
? She was small and delicate with evel
/ blue and deep as still lakes locked
between deep mountains, and hel
: hair had the golden ripeness of tht
harvest pear that dropped every au-
Jumn on the grass in Mr.. Strong
back yard.
The bloom Of two woodland roses
were set in her cheeks, and sweet
smiles forever clustered over the
dlmpleS hidden about her lIps.
She had resided with the Strongs
for more than two years. All this
time the little orphan, Minnie Blake,
| had been like a sweet flower, filling
| the house with fragrance.
But it had been q home where
went on constantly a sharp, strong
battle with poverty battle that
was lightened and sanctified by faith
IN God, and sweet affections and
tender cares. But this summer had
opened more darkly than its prede-
! cessors, for Mr.. Strong's rheumatic
attacks had been longer and more
serious than any of the previous
ones. He had lost several impor-
tant ''jobs" for that season In conse-
quence of his illness; and his oldest
| son had Just crossed his fourteenth
birthday, had been obliged to leave
the districG school, and let himself
out as a ''chore boy" to a penurious
old farmer in the vicinity of Wood
ford. .l -ai .t-. fls.
So troubles thickened over the
head of the carpenters little family,
and the face of Mrs. Strong grew
paler and more patient day by day.
"You just get away from my IA
ther's pond if you know what's good
for you"
The loud, harsh tone broke sud-
denly in upon the children's voices,
and looking up hastily in the direc-
tion of the voice, John saw Squire
Morton's son standing in the field
opposite the meadow, through
whose dark grass the little pond
flashed the silverY embroidery of its
waters.
Now, although the meadow in re
ality belonged to the Squire, it was
regarded as %public property by all
the neighbOrs, and schoOl-GoYs as
sembled here every Saturday after
noon for piscatoTy achievements,
amid boisterous jests and frolic.
John Strong was bold, outspo-
ken boy, and the insOlent tones of
the Squire's son at once aroused all |
his belligcrent qualities.
''The pond belongs quite as much |
to me as it does to you, sir, and 1
shall stay here as long as 1 like for
ali your orders" r .n
'fYou viii, eh? I'd like to know |
what right you, a poor beggar of a
carpenters son, have to speak to me
in that ways" and Robert Morton,
whose naturally oyer5earing dispo-
sotion had been nurtured by the in |
diligence of most injudicious pa
Fents-foF he was an only son-ad- !
vanced toward the boy, whose sen
ior he was by two a three years, |
tauntingly cracking. a small riding !
whip which he carried in his hand. |
The angry blood burned over the |
face Of John Strong, while the girls |
shrek for fear. "Come on" he cTi- |
ed, assuming a belligerent attitude
and doubling his fists, ''I'm not |
afraid of you, Robert Morton, if you |
are the Squire's son, and I'd like
fust-rate to give you a lickin' for
that insult"
Il was not the right action nor the /
right answer; but the carpenters |
son forgot in that hour of sore temp
tatiOn what many old and wiser
heads than his have done, that it is
neither money nor station which |
makes the true gentleman, only the /
n,..rt that is geRtii6, noble and self
sustained; AID. Strong certainly Gc a.
scended when he replied to the
taunts of the Squire son, aggrava-
ting as they we're.
Robert Morton had a handsome
face, but it was one of those, despite
its dark, clear-cIt features, which
your heart never clung to-one
which, the more it was studied the
less it was loved; and now an ex
preston Of angry pride darkened
and distorted every lineament as
he stood still a moment before John
Strong, and then lifted his whip and
struck him a quick sharp blow on
his forehead. The next moment
the two boys closed in an angry /
struggle. John was the smaller of
the two, but exercise had developed |
his muscles, and given him degree |
of physical power which one would |
hardly have suspected from che first /
glance. .fa A y
He soon succeeded in wrestling
the whip from the Squire,s son, and
after a brief struggle, threw him on
the ground, ana as Johns temper
had completely oyermastered him,
he gave his antagonist a severer beat
inc than he vas himself aware of.
''rli make you pay for this, old
fellow; you'll see" groWled the boy,
and with bruised face and stiff
limbs he limpe1 away.
aUh, father, my johnnie sent to
Jail! / shall never be able to lift
my head again. and the mother
wrung her hands, and the tears scat
tered themselves over her pale
cheek.
It was q dark day under the reofI
of the little house of the carpenter,
Jason Strong.
The Squire's son had executed his
threat, and so worked upon his ia