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

40UlSS
II wish didn't git mad so quick, .
abe said, with sigh. Sim 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 snatched up her pail, still only halt
full of berries, and started for home.
But as the twilight came on, with it's
lengthcning 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 super
stitious, she trembled at the sound Of
her.own footsteps. Go where she would
she could see no opening. In her anx-
iety and fear she went forward wildly
aud uncertainty and soon began to run.
Just then her foot caught in some trail
ing branch or upheaving root and she fell
wish such force as to render her insensi-
BILE.
When consciousness returned she was
lying on the ground, the darkness sur
rounding her like thick wall. The
ing pain in her head.
The poor girl thong hit with regret of
her evll.tempered brother. It seemed
quite likely that she would lie there,
alone and uncared for, and die at last in
that horrible solitude.
Bitter tears ran down her cheeks, heavy
sobs convulsed her frame. only for one
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.
sand oh, many a time, if it hadn't
been for my wicked tongue" she muir
INJURED, "Jed would have stopped quar-
reling."
As for Jed, he did not concern himself
about her sudden departure. Jumping
from the window above upon the porch
roof, he let himself to the ground, and
went off in his usual vagabond fashion
Long after nightfall he came home,
bringing with him an unfortunate chick
en-, whose neck he cut clumsily, and then
cooked the pullet for his supper. The
feathers he burnt, partly for fuel, and
partly to get them out of the way.
Surprising that Maddy was at home
and asleep, he threw himself upon his
bed, and slept till morning: till, in fact,
he was wakened by loud knocking at
the door.
It was Farmer Grant who met him, and
who recciled from the appearance he pre-.
sented, with look of unmistakable ter
TOR.
"For mercy's sake, Jed Uran, what
have you been doing?' he crieu.
"Nothing," said Jed.
"Do you know there's blood on your
hands? Whose blood is it, Jen2' asked
the farmer, selemnly.
Now the boy had stolen the chicken
from Farmer Grants hen. coop, and the
question confused him.
II cut myself last night; 1 suppose =
he said surlily.
where's your sister?" asked the farm.
er. "She's always at the house for milk
at six, and now it's almost nine."
'She's asleep up stairs" said Jed,
startled at the lsteness Of the hour.
"Cal her, then," said the farmer, stern
ly.
Jed disappeared and came down pres
emily, "She amt there" he muttered.
'She went out this morning, suppose.
She was there all night" he added.
Farmer Grant stepped inside. There
was blood on the hearth blood-stains on
the floor. The farmer kept silence and
went home with sense of horror upon
hun, fully confident that the young fell
low had murdered his sister.
AS soon as possible news was sent to
the authorities, and Jed was arrested and
put in confinement. The day passed slow
ly, but the little community was stirred
to its depths at the enormity Of crime
probably committed in their midst.
As the time wore on, and Jed persisted
in his innocence, while the farmers tes-
timony seemed to redouble his guilt, for
Jed, in his terror, had told more than one
he,-the people became excited. The
next day, near nightfall, Jed was taken
from his place Of Imprisonment by an
angry mob, and preparations were made
to hang him without the benefit of
judge or jury.
There was nothing to restrain the popu-
lar fury, Jed had made himself obnoxious,
while Maddy was a pretty girl, who hsd
won friends, and the authorities were
miles away.
AS for Jed he begged and implored for
his life, even with tears, protesting that
he was innocent. Nobody believed him.
The words that the farmer had heard,
| the blood on his hands, his previous bad
character, rendered all his prayers for re.
lease useless.
"Hang him up!" cried excited voices,
Jed's face was the hue of death, and his
limbs refused to support him.
II did not kill herl I am innocentv
he cried, in frenzied words.
eyes, he Is innocent!" echoed a voice
Gle is innocent!" exclaimed voice on
the outside of the crowd, and turning
they saw Maddy herself, her face pale,
her hands Outstretched. ..-
She had been found but a short dis.
lance from the road by a villager who
was going to neigboring town, and he
having vehicle, had taken her back t.
her home. The neighbours told her Of
Jeds danger, and, although suffering
from pain she had at once gone to his
rescue.
sucn a cry of joy as went up then from
Jed and the assembled crowd, suddenl,
arrested In their terrible work, is seldom
hoard.
"Oh, Jed I'm so glad" gasped Maddy
and tainted in his arms.