The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-10-18
Gen. McCartney-"Well,go on sir.

the arV6SU D0 WHICH, ucdIU MdIJ
singing what will the 'arvest be p
Gen. McCartney-"She was singing
sWhat will the 'arvest beg
By this time there were decided
evidences of merriment all over the
court room; but Dobson remained as
imperturbable as though officiating at
a funeral.
Dobson-sY es, sir. She we're sim
ging' what shall the 'arvest be, but
not so loud as I was, and called out
Halo, Mary, are that you ? and she
said it be. / went up to the fence,
and she said she were hall Malone, has
'er father 'ad gone to class "
Gen. Neutrality-suspicious. to class !
What did she mean by that!',
Dobson-"Why, any fool knows
what class means. Hey father had
gone to class meeting, and left her
hall Malone. We chatted little, and
then
Gen. McCartney-s:Well, you have
heard her testimony. You seized her,
pulled her over the fence, and kissed
her?''
Dobson-No; that testimony is
false. We talked awhile. and she
sort % leaned hover the fence-ike as
if she wanted me to-and just then
Satan got the best of me, and kissed
'er right hon the mouth. I found out
what will the 'arvest be- and think
she was a heasy prey
Here the gravity of the court,
counselors and spectators gave way,
and seldom in court of justice has
there been such scene of uncontrOlla-
BILE hilariousness. Judge Harding
fairly roared himsely hoarse with
laughter, and all business was suspen-
ded for several minutes, to allow those
in the court room to recover their
equanimity. Dobson was acquitted
Of the charge of assault, but must pay
half the cost of the suit as his share of
the 'arvest.''
THE CROSS ROADS.
It was only a country road, with
long unsheltered sketches, and
occasional banks of shadow and shade
cast by the wayside trees. Three
quarters of mile from it's termination
at MiddletoWn, it was intersected by
a similar road. and one of the four
corners, formed by this intersection,
stood a great tree with two sign
boards nailed to its rough body.
Here the traveller could learn what
points might be reached east, west.
north or south. This spot was called
the Cross Roads, and had nothing
peculiar in itself from other cross
roads. But here, for many years,
three children coming home from the
village school always stopped a
moment to rest under the old oak
before separating for their diverglng
ways.
Two of these children, a little girl
and a boy some three years her senior
were fair examples ofphysical perfec
ton in youthful grace and activity
points which became more striking il
contrast with the third child's
STOPPING frame and hating move
ments.
Poor Willie. as the good people
called this weakling, was the nephew
of the wealthy old Grennel, whose
dreary looking abode stood just il
sight of the cross roads.
Report said that the close-fisted ole
man had cheated his only widowed
sister out of her property, thus throw
ing her homeless upon the world, tt
earn livelihood with her OWL
: unskilled hands. Exposure and owe
exertion soon undermined the deli
cately reared woman's constitution
After her death some feeling %
remorse or pride caused him to TAX
the child into his house and unde
his protection.
Here again reports said that prope
care and medical aid at that tim
5 would have completely cured hi
1 tendency tospinal weakness, and mad
the lad stronger and likely as tn
3 best. However that may be, as tn
7 wear went by. his weakness an
t deformity increased, and being prou,
| kand sensitive. the poor boy shran
: away more and more from the stron
romping children, who thoughtlessl
made sport of his misfortune. In al
1 the world he knew only two friend
} and companions. little Bessie Brown
e who was at once the noisiest and tn
r gentlest. the most roguish and tn
4 sweetest of girls, and honest JAG
e Marsden. whose heart was as tende
T as his fists were strong. These tw
T children. out of the fullness of thei
S big, loving hearts, pitied poor Willie
t and became his champions. In tn
e long walks to and from school. the
e light. bounding steps were regulate
L to his slow, uneven one. They carrie
5. his books and burdens. and ofte
5, Jack lent his strong. young arms fl
6 the frail boy to lean upon when /
became exhausted in the heat or col
If You are SO strongw Willie sal
e with a pouting sigh, one time whe
IS Jack had almost carried hi
y through the deep snow drifts. The
is was bitterness and envy depicted {
h the little. peaked face as he adde
j. You can conquer everything and |
a hero: while l shall grow up despise
Is cripple, a helpless clod =
lie Not SO bad as that. old fellow
Jack returned cheerily. ..somethil
le may turn up-you may get WELL
IN Willie pushed the supporting ar
~ away and frowned down jacks attemp