The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-11-12
MADDY.

MADDY.
AT 1t again!" muttered Farmer Grant
under his breath. II declare, it does
beat all! It's a regular hornets nest!
Catch me going in there nowv
At that instant the noise broke out
anew, and the fresh young voices sound
ed almost demoniac in the war of words
Then, after slight pause, something
seemed to fall or to be thrown against
the wall with great force, and shrill,
feminine voice exclaimed, passionately
"Now, suppose you had struck me!''
s'Then it would have ended you, that's
all,' was the deep bass reply.
II expect you'll kill me yet," said the
other voice.
~ know I shall. I've been tempted
to a thousand times, and if you-''
The rest of the sentence was lost, the
speaker seeming to have gone suddenly
into another room, and Farmer Grant
tnrned away.
II tell you what, mother" he said, as
he entered his own home, and met his
comely, smiling wife, I'm afraid there'll
be sore trouble up to Uran's some day
Those two children do quarrel 50 desprlt.
ly."
"Poor things" murmured Mrs. Grant
''they're to be pitied."
swell, I don't know as they exactly
are." said the farmer, hanging up his
straw hat.
-"Oh, yes, they are. Just you think of
their bringing up. Their father and mo-
Their were both drunkards, and when they
we're alive, there was nothing but vio-
lence and wretchedness at home from
morning till night. Maddy is so pretty,
too, poor child! And Jed has such a
iemper. Did you hear what they were
quarreling .abont?"
mo; just wanted to get out of the
way. He said he had been tempted to
kill her thousand tines, and I'm dread
ing foul play there some day"
"Shouldn't wonder. If so, it will be
pretty bad for Jed, for the folks around
about here hate him. and would like to
see him shut up, for the sake of the COM
munity. His influence is terrible, but
poor souls, what better could yon ex-
pect2''
Meantime, the quarrel ragged fercely
in the miserable house occupied by Jed
Gran and his sister. Their parents had
been dead three or four years, having
left them for heritage both poverty and
disgrace.
Jed supported himself by doing odd
jobs for the farmers and whoever would
employ him; but his reputation was not
good, and his temper led him into many
difficulties.
The cause of this dispute, portion of
which the farmer had heard, was in the
beginning, a trlfing one. Maddy served
milk to few families for farmer Grant,
for Mrs. Grant was almost the ouly per
sonal friend the poor girl had.
The day before sudden snd ter
rible storm had overtaken Maddv, and
Mrs. Grant had detained her, in conse-
Quence till near dark, when Frank Grant,
the farmers oldest son, had happened to
meet her on the road and had gone home
with her as far as the gate.
Now Frank and Jed were mortal enc.
mics. When the latter learned this fact
on the following day. through Madcy's
lrrepressible vanity, that Frank had
walked with Maddy, it reused all the
latent hatred Of his soul, and he visited
his wrath on his sister in the manner
spoken of by the farmer.
The quarrel had nearly eliminated
Maddy stood in the middle of the floor
her eyes sparkling and her face the coun
terpa1t Of beautiful fury, returning
with interest, Jed.s irritating language
At last Jed kicked with great force 8
pail that stood in the doorway, and il
flew to the opposite side OF the wall
bounding up against the window and
crashing some Of the lower panes.
Maddy returned the angry act by
hurting a broken case-knlfe at him; and
then seeing him run up stairs, she fell
that she had made him furious. His
pistol was in the room above. For the
first time in her lite a mortal fear over
took her.
Hastily boiling the door through
which he must return, she pulled down
her sleeves, adjusted her dress, snatchel
an old sun-bonnet from the wall, caugh
up an old tin pail, and promising hersel,
day in the woods, berry picking, sh,
sprang through the kitchen into littl,
patch of ground behind the house, anc
ran till she had put mile or two be
tween herself and the wretched plac,
that she called home.
Here she picked berries and sang frag
ments Of merry songs. If now and the1
sense Of wrong-doing came over her
she stifed it by harboring evil Thought
OF jed; but, bye-and-bye, when she sal
down to eat her berries, conscience awak
ened, and she was led to review her con
duct
II needn't "a told him. she muttered
"and I wouldn't if had't wanted t,
make him mad. But what's the use? i
it hadn't been that, it would a. beer
somethin' else. Jed and me can't liv.
like other brothers and sisters. Their,
amt one mite Of love between us, not on,
mite.
"But then, he's good sometimes sh,
added, with a contemplating look at he
stained fingers. Zoos when was sick, b,