The Tipton advertiser., 1877-04-19
CHAPTER MI.

CHAPTER MI.
The holy hiiarity which Fathel
Baguss enjoyed on his way home, aftel
having assisted in bringing Harry
wainwright back, did not depart with
the shades of night. The old man was
out of bed at his usual hour, and hi
took his spiritual songs to the barn
with him, To the nstonishment Of hi.
mild-eyed cows and quick-eared
horses, and when his drove of porkers
demanded their morning meal with
the vocal power peculiar TO chorus OF
swine, the old man defiantly jumped
an occasional octave, and made the
spiritual songs dominate over the
physical. He seemed so happy that
his single hired man could not resist
the temptatian of asking for an in
crease of pay but the sobriety to
which this interruption and its conse-
/ qusnt refusal reduced Father Baguss
was of only temporary duration, and
the broken strain was resumed with
renewed energy. The ecstasy lasted
into and through the old mans matu-
final repast, and manifested itself by
an occasional hum through the good
mans nose, which did the duty ordi-
narily performed by mouth which
was now busted about other things !;
II caused Father Baguss to read a
glorious psalm rs I've ofYiciated at the
family altar after breakfast; il made
itself felt half way through the set
prayer which the old farmer had de-
livered every morning for forty years
but il seemed suddenly to depart as it.
whilom possessor uttered the petition
May we impart to others of the grace
with which thou hast visited us 90
abundantly." For the Tappelmines
had come suddenly into Father
Baguss's mind, and as that receptacle
was never particularly crowded, the
Tappelmines made themselves very
hauNii ut lie DT6SST
having ended, the old man loitered
about the house instead of going di-
rectly to the clearing" in which he
had been getting out some oak fence
rails; he stared out of the window,
walked up and down the kitchen with
his hands in his pockets, lit pipe, re-
lit IL half Hnyap f;p,na af f.,v<,
intervals, sighed, groaned, and at
length strode across the room like a
bandit coming upon the boards of a
theater, seized his hat, and started for
the Tappelmine domicile.
As he plodded along over the rough
road, he had two very distinct ideas in
his mind one was, that he hadn't
the slightest notion of what to say to
Tappelmine the other, and stronger,
was that it would be relief to him
to discover that Tappelmine wa. away
from home, or even sick in bed-yes,
or even drunk. But this hope WAS of
very short duration, for soon the old
man heard the Tappelmine axe, aud
n he rounded the corner Of the mis-
cradle house he saw Tappelmine him
self-a tall, gannt figure in faded
homespun, torn straw hat, and a
tangled thicket Of muddy-gray hair.
Tht face which Tappelmine turned, as
he heard the approaching footsteps,
was not one to warm the heart Of
man inspired only by an unwelcome
sense of duty it was thin, full of va
grant wrinkles; the nose had appar-
entity started in different directions,
and each time failed to return to it's
original line; the eyes were watery
and coloriess, and the lips were thin
and drawn into the form of jagged
volcano crater
Tho idee OF doin' anything for
such - exclaimed Father Baguss un-
der his breath. 30 Lord you put me
up to this here job-unless it was all
Crupp's work now see me through !"
Then he said,
"How are you, neig hbor?''
"Oh. off an on, bout rs usual"
said Tappelmine, with a look which
seemed TO indicate that his usual con-
dition was not one upon which he was
particularly 10 be felicitated.
tiow'd your crop turn out ?" asked
Father Baguss, well knowing that
"crop" was a terribly sarcastic word
to apply to the acre or two Of badly
cultivated corn which Tappelmine had
planted, but yet feeling a frantic need
of talking against time.
"Wsll, not over'n above good" said
Tappelmine, as impervious to the in
nocent sarcasm as he would have been
to anything but a bullet or q glass of
whisky. ~ dunno what would have
come of US ef hadn't knocked over
a couple of deer last week"
"fou might have given a hint to
your neighbors, if worst had come to
worst" suggested Father Baguss, per-
ceiving n gleam of light, but not so
delighted over it as moment or two
before he had expected to be. No
body'd have stood by an seen you
starve."
Glad you told me-" said Tappel-
mine, abruptly raising his axe, and
starting two or three large chips in
quick succession.
The light seemed suddenly to be de-
parting, and Father Baguss made a
frantic clutch at it.
You needn't waited to be told"
said he. You know well enough
were all human bsin's about here"
well" said Tappelmine, leaning
on his axe, and taking particular care
not to look into his neighbor's eye, II
used to borry little somethin'-corn
mebbe, or piece of meat once in n
while; but folks didn't seem over an
above glad to lend 'em an Pm one Of
fellows that can take o hint, l am"
That was cause you never said