The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-15

for eveZy loss, from the frying. pan to
her Sunday bonnet.) In the second
placf,, the whole day had been filled
witFi stinging rain, and chill. damn
air that went to ones bones, until Just
b sfore inset, when the west broke up
INTO ragged clouds, from which streamed
| garnish yellow glow. A clump of
willows beside the turbid bayou was
half obscured in cloud of fog. Max's
hoofs made sucking sound in the
heavy soil, and left spongy marks be-
hind them. ftt-
Lagniappe was ranging few feet
ahead Of me, when, just as had crossed
the "branch," he startled up covey of
partridges right under Max's nose.
Well, that was the only shabby trick
Max ever served me. "But twas
enough; it sufficed," as tie fellow in the
play says, for he pitched me off against
a tree, and then made tracks for homie.
| 1 was conscious of q grinding pain in
my left leg, and when / tried to get on
nv feet found that useful member was
| broken.
"This is the deuce of an idea,"I
said.
Lagniappe was walking round and
round me curiously, and as l looked at
him an inspiration seized me. With
some trouble l took pencil and
scrap of paper from my pocket and
scrawled a few lines upon it. Then I
called the dog coaxingly and showed
him the slip, pointing in the direction
of The Oaks, which was not more than
mile away. He seemed to understand,
for he grabbed the paper; but he had
not gone far before he tore tup and ran
back to me. / coaxed, commanded,
threatened in vain. He lockedr guish,
and wagged his comical tail Then I
lifted up my voice and woke the echoes,
but there was no answering shout. 1
fred my pistol several times, but no one
came.
"yery we'll then," said I. "I sup
pose I must lie here till morning."
removed the comforter from about
my neck-it was some of Anne's handi-
work, blythe e.bye-and began to roll it
up into cushion for my head, deter
mined to be as comfortable as possible,
when Lagniappe, with wicked look,
snatched it out of my hands and darted
off into the underbrush, to tear it into
ribbons, never doubted.
Abandoned by even my horse and dog,
you may believe that my feelings were
not enviable. The pain of the fracture
was intolerable-a violent throbbing,
varied by grinding agony whenever
moved hair's-breadth. had also the
|, consolation of rejecting that this long
delay might make an amputation neces
sary, and quailed at the thought o
being cripple. Fever and the want o
, proper support had sent all the blood
to my head, and between rage and pair
I was well-nigh crazy. longed tc
strangle Lagniappe.
/ was alone in the horrible silence o
= winter night. That silence, pregnan
: with half-uttered sounds, whispere!
suggestions of evil ten times worse thai
s the broad reality. Not the chirp of
D bird, not the stir of green leaf, onl,
0 the soughing of the wind across tn
I naked fiat and the river booming
0 threateningly against the levee. Their
/. was TO moon, but pale watery ligh
{ spread itself over the sky. Soon / ey
g pected to feel the rain On my upturne,
face.
J. linen IL SeeIneu W uio tiidb VI
g thoughts in my brain began to buzz lik
bees with an ever dilating and decrea'
e ing sound. "God if could faint, c
:, die~ 1 gasped.
|. There was q cracking in the dea
leaves and looking up saw Lagniapp'
/. His sides heaved and foam hung o
his lips. felt for my pistol; there We
q still one cartridge in it. My hand wa
a unsteady; he wavered diZzily before m
it eyes; but the shot sped true to th
D, mark. A sharp howl rang out on I'll
>? still air, and he fell quite close to me.
t. The sound sobered me. "Lagniappe
I cried, in horror at my own deed, al
1 flung the pistol as far as my arm cou
l. send it.
At my voice his large eyes rolled, al
, he wagged his tail feebly as he dragge
it himself nearer and tried to lick my han
y Then culver ran through his body.
felt him; he was still warm, but he W
IN dead.
Id Well, boys, don't mind telling y,
Il, that I cried like baby. A nome
he ufterward heard voices and footsteI
,t. Lights flashed through the dark, al
Nv soon q crowd of people came out fro
ly, behind the trees. In the midst of the
gy was sweet Anne herself, the dark te
rs, drills of hair curling up with the dar
ly around her face, that bloomed lik'
D" rose under the shadow OF her VIII
at hood.
)le "Anne p I cried, bewildered.
Ter eyes, my dearest jack" she said;
er- was all Laginappe's work. He ca
ity running in with your comforter, an6
e's knew something had happened y
Papa wasn't at home, so I came mys'
ity and we followed Lagniappe."
to 81 done tole missy free er fo' tin
dat could boss dis yer job myself;
ar she'll hab her own way er bust" '
ig- Abrams Characteristic rejoinder.
be "And, oh, Jack !" cried Anne,
know something dreadful is the mat
to with you"
to "Broken Leg" I managed to say.
on. "Well, we must take You home
ME soon as we can. And where's Laginap
dear little hero ? Jack, he's dead
tier 1 had to tell a lie. "Anne," / s.
sss. "he came running through the busl
ice, it was dark, and fired"
and I knew nothing after that. A mere
fainting fit saved me from the ioltinI
, it the rough litter, improyised Of !
ex- and boughs, on which they placed
I'VE. with Lagniappe's dead body by my 8
n a / was taken to The Oaks and nnl
ne's back to strength by, Anne and