The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-05
MADDY.

Az ~ Kali
Grant under his breath. II declare,
it does beat all! It's a regular hornets
nest! Catch me going in there now!'.
At that instant the noise broke out
anew, and the fresh young voices
sounded almost demoniac in the war OF
words. Then, after aslight pause, some
thing seemed to fall or to be thrown
against the wall with great force, and a
shrill, feminine voice cried, passionately:
Now, suppose that had struck me"
"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.
II know I shall. I've been tempted
to q 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
turned away.
II tell you what, mother" he said, as
he entered his W home and met his
comely, smiling wife, I'm afraid
thsre'll be sore trouble up to Uran's
some day. Those two children do
quarrel so despritly."
Poor things, "murmured Mrs. Grant;
lllCy lC ~ UC HIUICo.
"Well I don't know as they exactly
are," said tn. farmer, hanging up his
straw hat.
"Oh, yes, they are. Just you think of
their bringing up. Their father and
mother were both drunkards, and when
they were alive, there was nothing but
violence and w~retchedness at home from
morning till night. Maddy is so pretty,
too, poor child! And Jed has such a
temper. Did you hear what they were
quarreling about"
"No; I just wanted to get out of the
way. He said he been tempted to kill
her a thousand times. and I'm dreading
foul play there some day."
Shouldn't wonder. If so, it will be
pretty bud for Jed, for the folks round
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 you ex-
pect?"
Meantime, the quarrel ragged iercely
in the miserable house occupied by Jed
Uran and his sister. Their parents had
been dead three or four years, having
left them for q heritage both poverty
and disgrace.
Jed supported himself by doing odd
Jobs for the farmers and whoever would
mploy him; but his reputation was not
good. and his temper led him into many
difficulties.
The cause Of this dispute, q portion of
which the farmer had heard, was, in
the beginning, a trifing one. Maddy
served milk to a few families for Farmer
Grant, for Mrs. Grant was almost the
only personal friend the poor girl had.
The day before 4 sudden and terrible
storm had overtaken Maddy, and Mrs.
Grant had detained her. in consequence,
till near dark. when Frank Grant, the
farmers oldest son, had happened to
meet her. on the road and had gone
home with her rs far as the gate.
Now Frank and Jed ,were mortal
enemies. When the latter learned this
fact on the following day, through
Maddy's irrepressible vanity, that Frank
had walked with Maddy, it reused all
the latent hatred Of his soul, and he
visited bis 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
counterpart: OLA beautiful fury. return
ing, with interest, Jed's irritating Ian
guage.
At last Jed kicked with great force a
pail that stood in the doorway, and it
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 n broken case-knife at him; and
then seeing Linn run up stairs. she felt
that she had made him furious. His
pistol was in the room above. For the
first time in her life q mortal fear over
took her.
Hastily boiling the door through
which he must return, she pulled down
her sleeves, adjusted her dress, snatched
an old sun-bonnet from the wall, caught
up an old tin pail. and promising herself
n day in the woods, bprry-picking, she
sprang through the kitchen into a little
patch of ground behind the house. and
ran till she had put n mile or two be-
tween herself and the wretclled place
that she called home.
Here she picked berries, and sang
fragments of merry songs. If now and
then a sense Of wrong-doing came over
her. she stiied it by harboring evil
thoughts of Jed; but, by-and-bye, when
she sat down to eat her berries, con-
science awakened. and she was led to re-
view her conduct.
II needn't a. told him." she muttered
land l wouldn't if I hadn't wanted to
make him mad. But whats the useP
If it hadn't been that, it would "a been
s~r.okbs-f olcn Tol a~l ~ Loo~t& l.-o
like other brothers and sisters. There
amt n mite Of love between US, not one
mite.
But then he's good sometimes" she
added. with a contemplative look ut her
stained fingers. "'Cos. when I wa sick,
he was pretty kind. Yes he was, and l
didn't know him. and Struck at him ;
but he didn't mind it. l wonder if it is
II w:shf didn't git mad 90 quick" she
added, with n sigh. I'm always
a-wanting to fling it back to him."
Not long after Maddy fell asleep.
When she awoke the air was chill and
the sun was going down. In some
anxiety she snatcl,ed up her pail, still
only half full of berries, and started for
home.
But as the twilight came on, with it's
frightening shadows. she lost the path.
In what direction to 90 she did not
know.
She stood hesitating, troubled with
all manner of fears. Ignorant and SUI
perstitious, she trembled at the sound of
her own footsteps. Go where she would.
she could see no opening. In her
anxiety and fear she went forward
Wildly and uncertainty and soon began
to run. Just then her foot caught in
some trailing branch or upheaving root
and she fell with such force as to render
her insensible.
When consciousness returned she was
lying IN the ground, the darkness sur
rounding her like 8 thick wall. The
slightest movement caused her excru-
ciating pain in her head.
The poor girl thought with regret of
her miserable home and her eviltem-
pered brother. 1t seemed quite likely
that she would lie there, alone and un-
cared for, and die Mt last in that horrible
solitude.
Bitter tears ran down her cheeks,
heavy sobs convulsed her frame. Only
for ono glance of Jed's face! Only for
one touch of his strong hand! he would
not leave her there to perish, cruel as he
had been. r.,