The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1883-02-23
A FEARFUL TALE.
BY WILLIAM ME

Never had the bright blossoms
OF hope and tBihgs of that kind
been showered around a betrothal
of more promise than that of Keno
Maud,the bride OF Owl Greek dig
gins. Her lover was both a gentle
man and q scholar from away up
the creek. Beauty, too, had
fiowered her with rippling tresses
OF the deepest Venetian red, and
him with tawly locks OF pure jet ;
his mnstache and tall boots were
blacked carefully each day. Her
eyes were blue aud soulful, with
brows of ecru, which rapidly
changed to creamy white, with
eye-winkers of the same. Her
nose was as daintily carved as a
sculptors dream, while her delicate
uostrils ut times would dilate in
response to her surging thoughts
like the gills OF a Goldfish. Her
mouth was small, like a coral cleft,
and her teeth were mostly her own.
AS soon as she got them paid for
they would be all her own. There
was, too, an expression In that
rosebud mouth that betokened
strength of will and adamantine
resolve.
He was sinewy and tall, with
piercing eyes and eagle nose. He
was the sturdy oak, with wide
sweeping branches, around whose
trunk clung Keno Maud, the dove.
eyed holly hook from up the gulch.
1t would be we'll to remember that
be was q darling and she was no
sloucb, while tue most unobserving
aud careless OF the great josiling
crowd could see at u glance that
she was his'n and he WAS her'n.
You could see that she would
cling to him right on through want
and shame and chattel mortIges.
Yet there was no fear OF these. for
he WAS highly educated, and
owned, beside, the prospect known
as the Snoring Bride at the head Of
Owl Greek, SO when the simmer
ing moon shimmered down through
tue leaves of the sighiug pine, she
shimmered on two people who
were solid in each other.
The next time he moon shin
mered on these people things were
changed; a few short hours and
the trail of the tarautula was
visible. Piute Paul entered fhe
cottonwood villa of Keno Maud
with a look OF apprehension. He
was right. She looked up ut him
quickly like "A startled deer, aud
threw an antique neck. yoke over
towards him with great force.
He gracefully evaded it, and
coming over where she sat, took
her by the ear and held her loving.
ly for a momeut while he asked
why this was thus.
al will try to he calm" she said
in reply Il will not lose control
of myself aud fill your palpitating
gizzard with lead, as you richly
deserve. Hence from my sight.
GO, OF you shall know my fury.
Scatw
Maudr said Pluto Paul, as
his breath came thick and fast, and
q horrid apprehension seemed to
worm its way into bis navy blue
soul, "are you madp
"Mad p said she as she rose to
her full, queeuly height, and kick.
ed a az tureen off the table. Il
should say was mad"
"But Maudie, why do you keep
me in suspense Why do you not
tell me even though it break my
hearti / have never saw you thus
before. Yon was not prone to
| monkey about in this manner In
the glorious past. Why do you
shun me and grown coldi Why
do you comb me with long handle
shovel, and rndely smash my nose
with a neck-yokef
"You was not always thus
Once you were kind and loving and
leaned on my breast, and all wal
we'll. Now you look upon me will
disdain and knock my teeth dowl
inside me with an agriculture
instrument. o Maud! Do MOI
wreck my whole lite and leave m,
features a magnificent ruin, witt
my once commanding nose piled
up in one corner OF my face and m,
eyes gazing wistfulIy at each othel
across the howli,g waste.
"Oh come to me like o strickel
kangaroo aud lean on those bosom
of thy iond lover and be at rest.
With these words he shapet
himself into an attitude to catcl
Keno Maud, when, with a passion
ate gesture, she should ding her
self at the pit Of his stomach like
stricken kangaroo.
"No," said Maud, as she rose t,
her full height and reached for th'
family shotgun, "you can never b
to me aught but q friend, an,