Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-09
MADDY.

~ II tSdi AullClCo L dilueI UIdu
under his breath. II declare, it doe
beat all! It's a regular hornets nest
Catch me going in there now!"
At that instant the noise broke GU
anew, and the fresh young voices sound
ed almost dcmonia; in the war Of words
Then, after a sight pause, something
seemed to fall or to be thrown agains
the wall with great force, and a shrill
feminine voice exclaimed, passionately
CHOW, suppose you had struck mer'
''Thcn it would have ended you, that's
all, was the deep bass reply
II expeet you'll kin me yct," said thu
other voice.
Il know I SHALL I've been tempted
40 thousand times, and if you-"
The rest OF the sentence was lost, uht
speaker seeming to have gone suddenly
into another room, and Farmer Gran
turned away.
II tell you what, moth en-" he said, as
he entered his own home, and met his
comedy, smiling wife, II m afraid there1
be sore trouble up to Uran's some day
Those two children do quarrel so desprlt
~"
"Poor things" murmured Mrs. Grant
''they're to be pitied."
"Well, l don t know as they exactly
are.' said the farmer, hanging up his
straw hat.
ooh, yes, they are. Just you think OF
their bringing up. Their father and mo-
ther were both drunkards, and when they
were alive, there was nothing but VIC
lence and wretchedness at home from
morning till night Maddy is 80 pretty
too, poor child! And Jed has such 6
temper. Did you hear what they were
quarreling abont7"
mo; just wanted to get out of the
way. He said he had been tempted tc
kill her thousand tines, and Pm dread.
Ing foul play there some day"
''Shoulun't wonder. If so, it will be
pretty bad for Jed, for the folks around
about here hate him. and would like tC
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
Uran 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, trlhing onc. Maddy served
milk to few families for farmer Grant
for Mrs. Grant was almost the only per
sonal friend the poor girl had.
The day before a sudden and ter,
ribIc storm had overtakcn Maddy, anC
Mrs. Grant had detained her, in conse
quence till near dark, when Frank Grant
the farmers oldest son, had happened t.
meet her on the road and had gone home
with her rs far as the gate.
Now Frank and Jed were mortal enc
mics. When the latter learned this fac
on the following day, through Madey'
lIrepressible vanity, that Frank ha:
walked with Maddy, it reused all tn
latent hatred OF his soul, and he visited
his wrath on his sister in the name
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 a beautiful fury, returning
with interest, Jed s irritating language
At last Jed kicked with great force
pail that stood in the doorway, and i
hew to- the opposite side Of the wal
bounding up against the window AM
crashing sema Of the lower panes.
Maddy returned the angry act b
hurting broken case-knlfe at him; an
then seeing him run up stairs, she fel
that she had made him furious. Hi
pistol was in the room above For tn
first time in her life mortal fear over
took her.
Hastily boiling the door throng
which he must return, she pulled dow
her sleeves, adjusted her dress, snatche
an old sun-bonnet from the wall, caugl
up an old TIN pail, and promising herse
day in the woods, berry-picking, sh
sprang through the kitchen into litt]
patch of ground behind the house, an
ran till she had put mile or two b.
tween herself and the wretched plae
that she called home.
Here she picked berries and sang tras
ments of merry songs. If now and the
sense Of wrong-doing came over he
she stitled it by harboring evil though
OF jed; but, bye-and-bye, when she SO
down to eat her berries, conscience avail
ened, and she was led to review her col
duct.
II needn't "a told him. she muttere,
"and I wouldn't if l had't wanted
make him mad. But what's the use?
it hadn't been that, it would a. bee
somethin' else. Jed and me can't li7
like other brothers and sisters. The
amt one mite of love between us, not or
mite.
'.But then, he's good sometimes" 81
added, with a contemplative look at h
stained fingers. "Cos when I was sick: /
Was pretty kim. Yes, ne VAS, and d