Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-04-15


on the rolls of money.
"Only the wind, Amos, only the
windw said the short, stout man, impa-
tiently.
But he, himself, was disquicted the
next moment when horse neighed
shrilly.
"That aint my BEASTS, Amos, noryit
yourn" he cried, starting up.
cit air the travellers, yo sodden
ijitl" said Brierwood, lifting his un-
couth foot and giving him q jocose kick.
But the short man was not satisfied.
He rose, went outside, and Jim could
hear him beating about among the
bushes. Presently he came in again.
nTwar the travellers critter, l reckons
an that critter an saddle oughter be
counted in my sheer.h
He had turned once more togo, but as
he swung his lanturn round, his mali
cious eve fell upon the poor little plaid
bat sticking against the wall,
He stood in the door staring dumb
founded for moment. Then he
clenched his fist, and shook it fiercely.
"How did ye happen ter be hyar this
time o. the night, We lmbp" he cried.
Dunno" faltered poor Jim.
The other man had returned, TOO.
"Waal, sir, eff that thar boy he'd been
copper-head now, he'd hev bit us,
surel"
"He nought do that yit," said Amos
Brierwood, with grim significance. "Ho
hev been thar all this time-'kase he
air tied thar, don't we seep An he hev
eyes an he hev ears. What air ter
henderp"
The other mans face turned pale,
and Jim thought that they were afraid
he would tell all he had seen and
heard. The manner of both had
changed, too. They had n skulking,
nervous way with them now in place
of the coarse bravado that had charac-
terized them hitherto. -.
Amos Brierwood pondered few min
utes. Then he sullenly demanded
whats yer nameP"
at air Jeemes Coggin," quavered
the little boy.
"Coggin, heyP' exclaimed Brier-
wood, with n new idea bringing back
the malicious twinkle to his eyes. He
laughed as though nightly relieved,
and threw up his left hand and shook it
exultingly.
The shadow on the dark wall of that
manned hand with only the stump of
thumb was weird, a horrible thing to
the child. He had no idea that his con-
slant notice of it would stamp it in his
memory, and that something would
come OF this fact He was glad when
the shadow ceased to writhe and twist
upon the wall, and the man dropped his
arm to his side again.
What a-brewin', Amosp" asked the
other, who had been watching Brier-
wood curiously.
They whispered aside for q few mo-
ments-at first anxiously and then with
wild outlaws of satisfaction and self
graduation. When they approached
the boy, their manner had changed once
more.
..Waal, declar, bubby," said Brier-
wood, agreeably, "this hyar fix ez ye
hev got inter air sateful fur true! 1t
air enough ter sot emmy boy on the
mounting cat-a-wampus. 'Twar good
thing ez we-uns happened ter kem by
hyar on our way from the lanyard way
down yander in the valley whar we-uns
hev been ter git paid up fur workin' thar
some. Well let ye out. Who done yer
this hyar trickp"
"Dunno-witches reckonsr' cried
F.
Witchesr' tie man exclaimed,
"the woods air a-roamin' with 'em this
time O the year-bein', ye see, ez they
KEN ter feed on the mast"
He chucl1led as he said this, perhaps
at the boys evident terror-for Jim was
sorrowfully notwithstanding be-
large fragment from the end of the
hoo Oh n,aI INT
pocket as he talked on about two witch
es, whom he said he had met that after
noon under an oak tree feeding on
acorns.
can now, KEN ter remind myself
that them witches war inquirin' round
'boutna boy-war his name Jeemes
Cogginp Let's see! That boys name
,0as Jeemes Coggn!'
While Jim stood breathlessly, intent
ly listening, Brierwood had twisted
something into the folds of his comfort
er so deXtrously that unless this were
united it would not fail-it was silk
handkerchief of style never before
seen in the mountains, and he had made
a knot hard and fast in one corner.
THAR now!' he exclaimed, holding
up the fragment of knitted yarn, al
hev tore yer comforter. Never mind,
bubby-'twar tore afore. But it'll dc
ter wrop up this money-purse wha,
b'longs ter yer dad. He leI' it hid in
, the chinking o the wall over yondei
close ter whar war sittin' when fusi
| KEN in. I'll put it back thar, 'kase yei
dad don't want nobody ter know whal
it air hid"
! He strobe across the room and con
cealed the empty pocketbook in the
r chinking.
, "Ef ye won't tell who teched it, IL
z gin good word fur yc ter them witch
| es what war inquirin' round fur ye ter
day."
Y Jim promised in hot haste, and then
t the rain having ceased, he started fo
r home. but Brierwood stopped him a
Q the door.
1 Hold ON thar, Bub-I KEN might,
$ nigh furgettin' ter let yeknow ez seei
a yer brother ALI awhile back, an h,
s axed me ter git ye ter go by Ton
Brent's house, an tell Tom ter NEE
: him up the road piece by that tina
Q big Sulphur Spring. Will We gin Ton
r that messageP Tell him ALT said tie
come quick"
Q Once more jim promised.
8 The two men holding the lantern ou
r in the porch watched him as he pound
n ed down the dark road, his tow hal
y sticking out of his tattercd black hat
the ends OF his comforter Haunting il
h the breeze, and every gesture showing
s the agitated haste of witch scare
- boy. Then they looked at each othe
significantly, and laughed loud an
n long. s
Q HELL tell sech crooked tale tel
g morrer that ALI Coggin an his dad wi
o see sights along o. that travellers NOR
eyr' said Brierwood, gloating over hi
d sharp management as he and his az
), complice mounted their horses and rod
y oil in opposite directions.
IS When Jim reached Tom Brent
d house. and knocked at the door, he wa
b | 60 ahsnrhnd In his telrars that as