The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-03-11

ldI IL III bu6 uduOS Ol al agent 10 D6
disposed Of. 1t was understood
that she had returned to Indiana.
1t was some six months after the
death of John Garth that stranger
made his appearance in the settle
ment. He was boy, beardless and
with curling locks, but active, intel
ligent and able-bodied.
He said that his name was Ben
Sellew, that he was from Barren
county, that his father had been
killed in the war, and that the re-
cent death of his mother had left
him an orphan, with his own way
to make in the world. Just then
he wanted farm work, and he easily
found it in the settlement, as he
was neither afraid nor ashamed to
work.
| He proved to be a good harvest
hand, and made himself useful in
that speciality to several farmers,
but finally accepted the offer of
Phil Reynolds, who proposed to
give him a home for the winter and
and a small allowance of money, in
return for his services. .t1ap Z
Phil Reynolds was overjoyed at
the acquisition of his farm hand.
The ex bushwhacker was a lonely
man, and he lived alone, with the
exception of chance negro servants
as he could pick up, and they had
peculiar ideas of indepen dence since
their emancipation. Ben SSellew
professed and proved himself to be
not only capable of doing field
work, but of preparing the meals
and keeping the household in order.
AS he offered to make himself gem
orally useful for small stipend, he
was god-send to Reynolds.
The stranger from Barren county
did his work well. He was active
and willing To use word pecu-
liar to that region, it would be hard
to find more ''bidable" boy Phil
Reynolds had not been SO comfort
able and so well cared for in years,
and be regarded Ben Sellew not only
as treasure, but as absolutely nec-
essary to his existence.
Thus affairs proceeded smoothly
on the Reynolds farm, until the
owner was taken sick, ,abouta month
after Ben Sellew had accepted his
employment. 1t was a strange i'll.
n ness, and the neighborhood doctor
could make nothing of it. The
sick man complained of unaccount
able pains, and became so weak
that he was obliged to take to his
bed.
The physician, unable to make
satisfactory diagnosis of, the case,
dosed his patient with various
drugs, by way of experimenting
upon their effect. and the symptoms
became aggravated, until Reynolds
sank into an apparently hopeless
decline.
Ben Sellew attended him with the
utmost faithfulness, preparing all.
his food and giving him all his
medicine, and he showed the deep
est concern when a medical consul
tation had decided that there was
no hope for Phil Reynolds Ben
was charged with the duty of
breaking this sad news to the sick
man, and he did it tenderly.
"If there is anything on yoor
mind" said the boy, "perhaps you
had better clear it Off"
81 have been a hard case," re-
piled Reynolds, "but there is only
one thing that really bothers me. /
killed John Garth when his darter
was beggin' for his hfe."
81 have heard of that, and think
you might have showed a little
mercy there
"Did he show any mercy when he
shot my brother?" asked Reynolds.
"Did you show any mercy when
you hanged his son?" asked Ben
Sellew. SIS
"Well, it's all done and gone.
That gal of Garth's swore that she
would kill me, and 1 know she
meant it. I've been lookin' for her
ever since, but 1 reckon she will
miss her chance"
Don't be too sure of that" said
the boy, as he left the room.
Ben Sellew went out to find the
negro man-the only person then
on the place besides himself and
Reynolds-to send him to the near
est town for some wine which the
doctor had ordered. The messen-
ger was soon jogging along upon
his favorite mule. AS the nearest
town was some ten miles away, and
the roads were bad, he could not be
expected to return under four
hours.
1t was dark when the boy went
back to +he sick mans chamber.
where he lighted lamp and mixed
a dose of medicine.
"Take this" said he, as he put
the glass to Reynolds lips. ut will
be the last dose you will need"
"Hsve / got to go off so soon as
thatr' asked the terrified patient,
when he had swallowed the draught.
$50 the doctors say"
"Send for a parson, then-any
kind of parson."
Cant do it. Jake hss gone
away. 1 will be your parson, and
you shall have as good a chance as
you gave John Garth. His daugh
ter swore that she would kill you,
Phil Reynolds, and she has done
it,
What do you mean~ 4-
al am Lottie Garth"
"Then you have poisoned me! l
am burning upP'
When the negro man returned, he
found Reynolds dead in his bed.
He called in the neighbors, and they
discovered paper pinned to the
dead mans breast, on which these
words were written:
This man killed John Garth, and
John GGrtRs daughter has killed hinaP'
The boy from Barren county had
disappeared, and it was not thought
worth while to pursue him, or to
search for Lottie Garth. The feud
had at last burned out for lack oil
fuel.
.MERE FORMS OF LAw.n