The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-08
JANEY.

JANEY.
" The springs is minel l bought 'em an
paid for lem Curse their titles They're
minel Ye amt bright, but We know that,
Janey! Why don't ye answer me, girl? Hev
ye gone dumbE'
The dull face grew little duller with fright
and shrank away from the light of the candle
that fared upon the table between them.
50 always s'posed they was your'n, father
everybody said so. II they take Fem"
:" Ye s'posed it, did ye? Eff ye had yer
wits ye'd know'dit."
The mans voice grew thick and hoarse with
passion.
."Take 'em-they're mine! Who said they'd
take 'em? l heard their lingo in town to-day;
it's a lie! Dye think III let 'em walk over
met Dye think one fool in the family amt
enough?'
She covered further back into the shadow,
and looked at him with her dull, affrighted
gaze.
The man leaned forward until the light of
the candle fell upon his flushed, passionate
face
"Tve seen i'm in town to-day and I'll see
i'm ag'in-d'ye hear? Curse his white hands
an his lies; he's comm out here tomorrow.
y, ye needn't turn white about the gills Pm
goin' to burn grease-wood brush on the
clearin'. want ye to slam the door in his
face-d'ye hear me!"
"Yes, father"
" Ell We speak civil word to him-d'ye see
that's" he pointed to the low, open doorway;
them as stays about me don't parley with
thieyes-ye can take yer bundle an 60"
The girl looked out into the night with
slow, terrified shudder.
why don't ye speaka Where's yer spunk?
Hain't We sperit enough to hate a man that
wants to steal yer bread and butterr'
81 dunno i'm, father; how'll l know i'm
''Know 'im2 You don't know thief when
ye see i'm! Bring lin over to me am I'll pint
i'm out to ye!"
The man got up with low, brutal laugh,
and took gun from the corner.
Did We fill the cartridges"
"Most' of em; the caps stuck in few;
they're in the can with the shot,
Bring 'em heren
She brought them and then crossed the room
with heavy listless step, and sat down in the
doorway. mot bright,n her father said Per.
haps not. Dull enough to want a caress now
and then, like faithful dog; but not quite
brute enough to cry out under a blow. The
lights in the village below were the same to
her as the stars above them. The wild i'm
mortelles on the mesa waved in the night air
like ghosts of spring blossoms, and sent their
dry, honeyed fragrance all about her. The
mountain breeze lifted her colorless hair and
blew soft against her coarse red hands, Poor
Janey! Did she sit there because the summer
night was sweet to hera do not know. The
hound at her feet might have been indoors if
ne had chosen. bat darted obliouely mast
her, and then back again like a shadow.
She got up shiYering, and went into the house
The man looked up from his work with a gruff
oath.
There was a bat, an l was afeared, SO 1
came in. Dye want mes"
Want yea what 'u'd ntyer fer! G'long
to bed:n
OF course it is only an untamed brute that
snaps at those nearest him, when he is hurt.
You and |, my good neighbor, from the sub
lime heights OF our philosophy, have doubtless
learned TO trace our ills back through endless
complexities to their origin, and hoard our
vengeance for the real offender. But this man.
Luke Delmar, toiling the next day on the
warm, odorous upland, soiling his hard hands
with half-burnt brush, and pausing now and
then to wipe his brow, and add a sooty strain
TO his trown-ths man was not of our kind.
Curse 'iml" he muttered; Sits easy talk
ing; where was he when l grubbed an brung
the water out on the other cleariu'l Eff the
lands his'n, why amt he out here burnin'
brush! Curse his Deeds an his flaws, an his
big words: lies lie!n
The sun rose higher, and drew pungent
spicy odors from the growth of the mesa.
Yellow butterflies foated in the still air, like
stray flower petals, and the serene southern
moon came on with its warm luxury of rest
and languor. Still the man on the mountain
side toiled on, mutterng his sullen curses
bearing his brand from one fragrant heap of
brush to another, and watching the swift de-
vouring fame with fierce, half-envious ire
At last he paused, wiping his forehead, and
turning his logged gaze toward the valley.
Somebody was walking up the wash into
the little canon. Somebody, who walked as
you walk my neighbor, erect, swinging his
cane lightly, stopping now and then under the
struggling sycamores, to lift his hat and look
about him. Choosing his way among the
powders, as the canon narrowed and notin o.
the rich, sickening smell of the laurel, which
he grasped to aid his ascent A hard man
o, no; man who wore a noun ain blossom
in his coat, and drank in the fresh highland
air with keen enjoyment One who glanced
at the poor mans cabin, with shrue of pity
for the unlucky fool who placed it there, and
then smiled down at the frightened minnows
darting wildly in the shallow pool at his feet.
What did II matter to him il his coming dis
turbed the quail in their MONDAY covert? or
startled the rabbits and squirrels, aud sent
them scsmpering into the chapparel Would
you have him stay away because these wild
creatures were there before him? Certainly
not. A man has a right to take his own pro-
vided he gives 1t away afterward as you and
direct, my good neghbor; and this man
gave large sums, every year, to make beggars
more beggarly. A hard mans By no means.
Over on the hillside a pair OF angry eyes was
watching him furtively.
"Curse his fine clothesp' Kissed Luke,
through his set teeth; "who gives him leave
to come on my land? Eff he wants to see me
why don't he go to the house an ask Wha
business has he got prowlin' around the
springs3 They amt his'n i''
A wounded animal looking up to confront
one Of his kind, and finding himself face u
face with ABOLISHED weapon, feels perhaps a
Luke Delmar felt before the law. But tn,
man up the canon, adrniring the painted woe,