Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-24

and the drink, for when he's himself he
wouldn't hurt worm.R
you've no need to tell me what John
Sawyer is" said the other, shortly. 81
knew him before you was born, before
he came into these parts"
"Well," said the boatman, "you've a
queer notion of old acquaintance sake
then, that's all"
"I'n give him swing for old acouaint-
ance' sake, if l cam" replied Groom
with a scowl.
Joe drew quick breath.
Scan you do that?'' he said.
''That or lifer. l tell you, my man, I
sdeo at DONE"
you saw Sawyer kill Wilson ?" ex-
claimed Joe, stopping short on his oars
Il saw him strike the blow that killed
HIM, ana that comes to pretty nigh the
same thing, take it,
but how is it you've kept back all
along?"
"Well, it's like this" said Groom, who
appeared to be in a more communicative
mood than while before "The day of the
murder-to begin at the beginning-I han
pened to be passing through Milham, and
stopped over train there to see a man T
had dealings with. He lived a little out
of the town, a lonesome road, part of the
way across some fields | did nv bust
ness, and started back alone, as I had
come. Halfway, or thereabout, | heard a
kind Of cussing and quarrelng in the next
tield-right close to my ear it sounded,
only | couldn't see anything for the hirh
hedge. What's up?' thinks l, might as
well take peep Twas an uncommon
fine evening; moonlight you could almost
see to read by, and | knew SAWYER as soon
as | set eyes on him His face. was turned
exactly to me, and ugly enough it looked
then. The next minute | saw him strike
out, and the other man went down like
log"
and you let him lay?" interrupted
Joe, in excitement. you never called
for help, nor nothing?"
"What for?" said Groom, carelessly. 81
thought twas just drunken QUARREL
knew what Sawyer was-and | left 'em to
settle it between themselves. / had to
look sharp for the next train, so | hurried
back to the hotel, and none too soon
either. L never thought again about the
matter, till the other day [ happened to
hear that John Sawyer was going to be
tried for murder, and, talking this way
and that, found the time and the gen'ral
circumstances agreed with that evening
so, then, | knew | had seen the thing
done"
Groom paused a moment, and when he
resumed it was in an distracted tone.
"Iwasn't particularly convenient for me
to leave my business just then; if it'd been
anybody else, I'd likely have left the poor
devil to sink or swim as might be, but
John Sawyer. | tell you" he continued,
through his set teeth as, catching the
boatman's eye he appeared suddenly con-
scious of a listener, I'D let all I've got 90
to rack and ruin for the pleasure of seeing
John Sawyer stand there, diSgraced and
convicted man, and saying to him, Twas
me that did itr"
There was something in Joe Gorton's
breast on which the fierce words and man
ner Jared painfully. He was no preach
er, this poor, untaught boatman; he did
not know how to tell the man before him
that his promised revenge was cruel and
coWardly; but yet he felt that, even setting
aside Margy's interests, there was some
thing in it which reused all his instincts
OF resistance. He shook his head as he
thought about it.
That's feeling I can't make out" he
said, half aloud.
Cant you?' said Groom, shortly, sup
posing the remark addressed to himself.
Have you got sweetheart, young man ?"
he added, abruptly, after short pause.
"A sWeetheart?" repeated Joe, starting
at the associations connected with the
question, and the man who put it.
"Well, you've no cause to be shy of
owning it," said Groom, who had noticed
the movement. "a sweetheart, when she's
the right sort, is what no man need be
ashamed of. | had one myself when |
was your age" he stopped moment
Il don't 'spOse you'd often see her like
| never did. There was girl up at
that place, that tavern there, had a kind
of look Of her about the eyes and fore
head, but nothing to compare | had a
friend, toO-well, it amt much of story"
Groom broke off, with dry laugh, "and
| don't hardly know why tell it at all
only, maybe, it'll help you make out what
seems to puzzle you. The long and the
short of it is, that my friend-mind that,
youngster, my friend cheated me out of
my sweetheart. | amt much to look at
| know-never was; but | could care for
a woman just as much as if I'd been six
foot high, and fresh as a rose, and I'd take
my oath she cared for me too, till he come
between US with false tongue enough to
turn any girls head Well, he come off
first best; she left me and went away with
him. l swore then, boy" said Groom,
looking darkly in his listeners earnest
face, that if ever my day come, I'd be
even with John Sawyer; | never thought
'twould, but it has, and do you think III
let my chance slip now? No, nor and
the man brought down his fist with force
that shook the boat-side
THAT was hard lines. sure enongh,"
said Joe, thoughtfully, "but, Mr.. Groom,
you was speaking just now of girl up at
the tavern there. She's my sweetheart
and" added the boatman, slowly, shes
Sawyer's girl, his only child
MOP exclaimed Groom, evidently
moved by the intelligence. "Hetty's
child" he muttered to himself, "Hetty's
childm
Eyes, " SAID Joe, eagerly, "don't forget
whose child she is, and that you'll make
her suffer along with the old man"
"Ah," said Groom, chats all very well,
but don't forget neither whose child she
is on the other side No! I'm sorry for
the girl, and for you, youngster, since
you've an interest in her; but I'd have
my pay out of John Sawyer now, if was
to die for it,
Joe's grasp frightened convulsively On
his oar. Was the man crazy, thus to
make a boast of the misery he would
cause before one whose advantage and OPP
portunity it alike was to insure his silence?
who had him almost as completely at his