Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

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fur me. She'll stop from play any day
to show me my lessons" The poor. sick
mother looked at her ugly, unkempt
boy. and her woman's heart at once un
derStOod the cause of Lila kindness.
81 reckon it's because they treat you
so mean, sammy" she said, with heavy
sigh. Some folks-nOt many, though
hates to see others trOdden down, and
stands up fur 'em; but. my poor boy
you won't find one in Thousand that Il
do it. Eff you are down, they'll all give
you i kick"
Yes, they d ali like to do it, at school,
sammy said, "ef it wasn't fur her. They
call me all kinds of names, and toss theiT
heads and turn up their noses when I'm
a-standin' alongside of 'em in the class
es. Teacher, too, amt overly fond OF
me. She's cross as two sticks, and lays
lots of things on me that the others do.
Mrs. Wilson sank back on her pillow
with groan.
"Ah, sammy" she said, family, tits
a hard world for poor folks, anyhow,
and when there's drinkin' and sottin' be-
sides, folks Say it's Il crime to notice
even the children of those homes. i
can't understand it, nOhow. It's d rid
die no ignorant woman like me can un-
derstand, but before long L reckon Ill
be wiser"
In very few days poor Mrs, Wilson
had entered into the world where all
these hard problems are solved. With
little wisp of black Grape tied around
his ragged hat in token of mourning
Sammy returned to school.
But worse and worse became the boy :
home. His rather drank hard, and grew
more violent and reckless in his ways
He brought strange men to the house at
night, and they caroused sometimes un
| I'll. morning. The poor boy living i'll his
bed, disgusted and frightened at the vile
language he heard, thought to himself,
bitterly, how vain would be .his weak
efforts to rise unaided from this slough,
to the higher and better life he craved
so ardently.
Yes, poor and little and ignorant as
he was, this child of the gutter had
dreams of life into which Oaths, and
drinking, and hard language could not
enter; dreams of day when becoming
his own master, he would turn his back
forever on place where people were Sc
cruel and hard as to visit his fathers
sins upon him. About this time there
were numerous inceudiaries in and
about the village Barns and outhouses
were fired. and in the midst OF the con-
fusion dwelling houses would be enter
ed and robbed
There was no sure clue to the rob
Oers, but they were supposed to be col
ored people belonging to the neighbOr
ing plantations. But Sammy had sLrOng
suspicious of whom the thieves Ieally
were. His fathers five boon cOmpan-
ions, when half drunk, let out more than
they Intended, nor dreaming that they
were overheard.
One night when the gang were so
noisy that sleep was impossible. Sammy
lying in his bed in his closet, heard one
of them say:
"Dr. March has got two thousand dol
lars in his house terdav. He's gOin' to
buy the BrOadland farm tomorrow. and
that's why he drawed that money from
bank. L found out all about it from his
confidential niger. Jim. Made him
tight, you know, and he let it all out"
"rime to strike thar tonight Ireck-
on" said another. Better fire the barn
furst, s'pose. What do you think about
it, Ned Lyons?"
Ned Lyons, who seemed to be the
leader, was d big. burly ruffian, with "a
cross, i'll natured face.
Maybe the women and children will
stay i'll the house as they did at Gus Lit
ties, cuss 'emp he grOwled. Then
we'll jest have the fire for our pains. l
never seed sich d lot of contrary women
folks as there is round here. Stead of
runnin' out, and takin' a look at the fire,
as is nat'rel to women, thar they sot,
watchin' their old pots and pans"
"Thar's old Mrs. March and little
gal in the house." Wilson spoke up. The
doctOr'll be at the fire, sure, ,and she's sick
in bed. The servants live half a mile
from the house, so they're safe, and OF
course the little gal don't count Eff
we're goin' to- night, time to be up and
dUin' You meet me at the forks of the
road in about half an hour. March's
farm isn't more'n mile from town,and
we kin skulk around the place until we
think they're sound asleep"
Sammy listening to this felt as if he
was under the influence of terrible
nightmare. He heard the men tramp
ing out, and springing from bis bed, ran
to his father.
Don't do that, pappy," he cried !;
don't burn Dr. MaIchS barn." The
man seized him and struck him violent
ly.
Were you listening. you little hound ?"
he shouted. I've the greatest mind to
crush you. Speak up! Wot do you
mean?"
Don't burn DR.. March's barn." sObbed
Sammy, trembling with fear, but reso-
lutte to do all he could to prevent this
crime Miss Lilla's been so good to me
at school. She's the very best friend
ever had, and she helps me all she kin.
Don't harm 'em,pappy oh, please don't"
Jack Wilson was half-drunk, or be
would probably not have dealt his son
such a heavy blow. Sammy staggered
back, but bruised. and almost breath
less, still repeated
3 "Oh, don't harm'e EN-, pappyw
an harm you, and harm you bad, too,
you sknlkln' spy" cried his father, trying
to lash himself up into fury, for in
spite of his condition, the bruised fore
head and imploring eyes of his son had
some effect upon him. He took another
drink or two, and then unreasOning rage
took possession of him.
You've heard more than is good for
you or me, my young man." he cried;
"them what listen to US is bound to be
one of us, or he don't live to tell any
tales, promise you. We're goin' to burn
that barn in two hours, an you're goin'
along with us, sure as shootin'. Get
your clothes on" ne continued roughly,
land come along"
Sammy obeyed. trembling. OF course,
he thought. his father only meant to
scare him by way of punishment. Why,
even he could never seriously intend
making him share in that crime. But he
was soon disabused of that idea. At the
forks of the road the five men, blacken-
ed to look like negroes, Joined them. The
moon was bright, and he could see them
distinctly.
ave brought along new recruit,