River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-02-28

planted them there two years ago, when /
he married little Betty Hill and brought |
her home. What those years had been |
to him he and God knew. He was poor,
but Betty made him love his daily work. |
He was ignorant, but Betty had been his |
teacher. He was rough, but Betty was |
fine. That for which men have
Ransacked the ages, spoiled the climes,
had come to him pressed down and run
ming over And now
"Here is the buttcrmill," said the
childs voice, land the sugar cakes too;
but / had to cry for them"
He started TO his feet and taking the
bowl, drank the milk thirstily, faint
color coming under his brown skin. But
he never took his eyes from the Hopefield
shore: and as he drained the last drop he
saw three men walking raraiy down to
ward the river. His heart g = y wild
leap; the bowl dropped from h. |, ands.
"They're on my track" he said, horse
ly.
No use now TO hurry across the city to
hide in the slums. 1t was too late for
that plan. In his pressing need sudden
thought came to him of an old black
woman, who lived near She had belong
ed to ministers family in Hopefield and
he had known her all her life; she had
made pet of him and would befriend
him now.
He walked quickly out of the yard to-
ward the howell that Aunt Nelly called
| home. 1t was achance whether he ever
reached it, for he stopped at the steepest
| hight of the bluff. and Tor one mad mo-
ment thought how easy it would be to
crush out fear, remorse, agony, lire, in one
short sharp point of time. But he drew
back and walked ON, with long, quick
steps.
Aunt Mely's house was poised on the
side Of the bluff like rocking stone.
| Back of it was struggling garden pro-
tected from the goats by queer sort of
| fence made of all the refuse stuff Aunt
Nelly could find-broad planks and mar
row planks, old fence rails, sticks of wood
and brush heaps OF the house itself you
could not say that one part was worse
| than another. 1t seemed to hang togeth-
| er by attenuated threads. Samson n his
days of bibs and long gowns could have
brought it about his ears with a vigorous
infantine kick. The chimney was re-
narkable. 1t had been daubed with mud
and stuck with clay, and on the outside
| Aunt Nelly had nailed shining sheet o.
| tho
| The old woman was busting about in
| doors when shadow came between her
and the sun. She looked up and saw a
mans form in the doorway: "Lor' bless
my soul, Phil Vickers! is dat you!
What's the matter wild your
''I'm in great trouble, Aunt Nelly l
want you to help me-hide me-"
"Hide you! Why, what hev you been
a-doin?"
He pushed his way before her into the
room.
She followed him and shut the door
''What have you done, boy?" she re-
peated.
1--WE killed To IA Jack, if you must
| know"
''Killed Tom Jack Phil Vickers, you
God-forsaken creetur! What did you do
dat forl"
His eyes sparkled, he forgot his terror
his voice rose to shrill key and shook
in speaking: 'sAunt Nelly, tell me this
Have been a good husband TO Betty
HilY"
ayes, YOU have, Phil; come what may,
| I'll always bar witness TO dat
ave loved her, Aunt Nelly, and you
know it. She lay on my heart day an
night thought she was a true wife to
me-"
$50 she was, Phil 50 she was. Many
| an many's de time she's said ter me, MY
Pills de sweetest, kindest boy dat ever
lived"
He burst into howl OF anguish .
Now you hear what that counts up ter
/ got home Monday night from a
| days huntin'; had deer on my should
err. 1t was the day befo' Moody Gras,
you know; we was comm across next
day, to see the sights, had been
whistlin' loud, but stopped when l got
in reach o. the house, and slipped to the
winder to see what little Betty was dom.
An thar, sho' as thar's livin' God,
standin' by my wife, his arm round her
was, was a man Things swum befo'
my eyes for minnit, then the pine knots
blazcd up an / saw Tom Jacks face. |
watched em. They were taikin' an
laughin' quite frenzy, Tom struttin' about
like dancin jack Then he comes up
to her again, pulls at her dress, an kisses
her on the bare neck, she a-laughin' an
'strugglin' with him, as she done with me
a. thousand times. / lifted my rifle,
thankin God there was load in it, an
shot. Ids as lief ha' hit 'em both; but
only Tom dropped, and little Betty stood
screamin' over him an wringin' her hans.
I flung down my rifle an run to the
woods. | was thar all that night an
Yesterday, walkin' walkin', till another
~ oo,,,a. cu-I1y1 tho river bpfO'
sun-up this mornin'."
God forgive you, Phil! God forgive
you fo' yer sinsw
{. Sin is it?-sin to shoot man who
wants to reap crop I've fenced ing
Don't talk to me about sim old Nelly
MITCHELL
'.Thar thar! poor boyl Don't stare at
me so wild. What can | do for you
honGyl"
Whatever you do must be done soon,"
he said sullenly. II saw some men
leave Hopefield as / started here; they
must be nearly across"
G amt sbt place on de yearth to
hide you, Phil, thouten you can git in
de chimley; they'll never dream o. look
in dar. You can stay in all day, and
steel off when night comes. guess you
d better go to de woods agin."
81 won't do that not unless | want
ter go crazy"
:" Sect you can crawl in de chimley.
Oar amt been no fire in it for month
O. Sundays. 1t smokes so bad / can't
use it nowhow You can stan up, an
I'll put cheer in de fireplace, and pile it
up wi ny ole clo'es ter hide yer legs"
"Look out, Aunt Nelly, and sect they
are comm.
She opened the door cautiously. Il