American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-11


powder, grain by grain, under the ham
mer of his gun. Tip rose up uneasily.
turned his wrinkled nose and shipped of
a dry Leaf that chung to his bushy tail,
t uttered a low growl and lay down again.
Soon the hacking of an axe was heard.
Phil peeped through the bushes and be-
held a possible father-in-law.
Mr.. Dieglc proceeded with great DELHI
Grafton to convert the little trees int
bean-poles, while Mr.. Hoskin proceeded
with less elaboration to assail him with
threats and angry questions. MIR. Diegle
ty-tive year VOW by saying any more
words to him.
''What do you mean?"
Il A blow of the axe answered plainly
enough that he meant to get bean-pOles.
you're thief! An I'u make you
sweat fort it, toO!'
Mr.. Diegle was already perspiring quite
enough. Still silent with his tongue, but
aware that he was his own monogram, he
turned and faced his enemy, thus saying
ironically, with his whole emphatic body,
ssOv"
This cool silence provoked the irascible
MIR. Hoskin to fury. iii make you
open your old clamshells!'' he screamed,
shaking his fist, execu'ing a short war
dance and planting what ne thought de-
cisive kick in the flank of Mr.. Diegle. 1t
would have been as well to kick bag OF
sand. Better. in fact, for the end of a
bean-pole suddenly laid Mr.. Hoskin on
his back, and before he could rise the pom
derous form of Mr.. Diegle was upon him.
The victorious Diegle was too refined
in his cruelty to blacken the eyes and red
den the nose beneath him. With a
malignity that was exquisite, cool as a
watermelon and silent as the grave, he
crossed the arms of Hoskin and carefully
sat down upon him! That was the be
ginning of the end of Mr.. Hoskin. To
attempt the liberation of those arms. the
removal of this awful load, was but to
waste the little breath he had.
At this point Phil broke through the
bushes.
'Phil. pull him off! Hit him? Take
a bean-pole! Sick 'em, Tip! Bite him
1 can't breathe? Oh! ach. I'd ruther
be under a load o. hay!''
Then, with falling breath and blood
shot eyes, slowly, between clinched teeth,
Mr.. Hoskin asked bitterly for terms
said he would not cause a prosecution
for theft if Degle would let him up. and
made other promises he didn't mean to
keep.
Not word had yet passed Diegle,s lips.
But in answer to these appeals he now
uhoughtfully wiped his brow, deliberate
ly secured his handkerchief beneath his
suspender, calmly hitched his shirt
sleeves. and remarked, 8 l see nOttings in
dat light
. This made Mr.. HOskin desperate. To
struggle was hopeless, to lie still was sui
location. In agony and rage he groaned
g Phil, shoot-shoot him! ~
Phil advanced with unexpected alacrity
and with look in his face that was in
comprehensive s. If L get you up I'm
my own man? Is it a bargain?'
!. 8 Ye-yes.' painted Hoskin.
And will You clear for home the min
| MT tr1af fAxlt
! to see anything?''
Yes, I'll do that
The head of hIr. Diegle was scarcely
: further in one direction from the muZZlt
OF the long gun which had killed bear:
than was Pills head in the opposite direc
ton. The latter took deliberate aim ant
fire Degle had tIps is IGfo 81 min IN
gled incredulty and horror when it chang
ed to ashy whiteness. his hand sought his
forehead. and partly rising he fell through
the smoke upon the soft dead leaves
'Ach pc tead now pretty soon!'' was
all he said.
Don't wait-start ~ cried Phil The
bewildered Hoskin obeyed.
Julia, supported by Pills arm, was
calmed by word or two, her manner ap
pcaring quite as inappropriate and i'll
Comprehensive as his A few minutes
later they were at the edge of the wood
exchanging vows OF eternal fidelity.
''Julia,'' he said, 81 could "a had 8
farm by stayin. I'll have chance tt
learn something. 1t struck me all of g
sudden: Eli see my way as go along.
l mus be mighty quick now.'
s.But what will you do?' asked Julia,
with a daZed look.
1.-The best cam
, s'Phil, she said earnestly, as bright
idea seemed to strike her, 'be a COOPER
She knew young manly the way, a ri
val of Phifs-who was doing his best to
become a cooper, and who had possibly
imbued her with some of his enthusiasm
for that calling. "A cooper will get
| work anywhere"
: lie hurried to his fathers door. His
parents were already beside themselves
with distress. lie added much to theiI
alarm by his own frantic manner.
Pack up shirts an stockin's so L IAN
carry 'em handy, quicker'n lightin'!' ~ he
cried to his mother.
Turning to his father, whose senses by
this time were pretty well scattered, ''I'll
saddle the young I.orse. Ask no ques.
tons. Give me Il check for three hundred
dollars. The money may save me, an il
I'm taken you'll get it back. I'll get to
town before the bank shuts up
He conveniently disappeared for mo-
ment toward tn stable, as he
saw his parents start mechanical
ly to obey him. He reappeared, so
timing his movements as to give
no opportunity for speech, seiZing d
little bundle from his mother, and slip
of paper from his fathers paralyZed fling
erS.
my God, Phil!" cried Mr.. Hoskin in
agony. she isn't dead? You don't say
it?''
'.Hush. For Heavens sake don't you
saw it!'' and Phil van shed.
''What shall dO?' groaned Hoskin as
he glanced tremblingly toward the prem
ises of Mr.. Diegle, where all appeared
quiet, hesitating between the impulse to
go back instantly to the woods and care
for the dead body, and the impulse to go
another way and surrender himself to the
nearest magistrate. What he did do was
to sink into IA chair in a state of stupefac.
/. ton and wipe the cold perspiration from
!, his forehead. Mrs. HOskin recovered her
self-posSeSSiOn so far as to encourage him
by word of cheer.
4 s.Oh yes. but YOU don't feel rope be-
ginning to draw tight around your neck ~
, he ans wercd dolefully.
Nor you, neither" she replied. ''They
can't hang YOU for it. Twas Phil kille,t
him.
but told him to shoot told him to
and Julia was there to swear to it, - he
moaned, refusing all comfort.
The sor,iid life of Mr.. IIoskin appeared
to him less satisfactory than it had ever
, done before. He so far recovered himself,
however, as to find one comfort, though
Il short one, which was in telling Mrs
Hoskin that Phil committed the crime
simply becau c she had spoiled him.
lyon jes' said he done it because you
told him to- was the quiet retorl.
:. | didn't say any such thing; didn
say he ,,oaC il because told him. He
= ,In ha,y he.