The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-02-08
BLAKE,s WIDOW.

BLAKE'S WIDOW.
Jem Blake was shot dead in his own
doorway by Antonio Gueldo, and the
trial was to come off directly.
The extraordinary interestin the affair
was less due to the murder and its pecu-
liar circumstances than to the fact that
this was the first case tried at San Saba
in any more formal court thar the time
honored institution of Judge Lynch.
As there was no place specially ar
ranged for the trial, Judge Pitblado
Hospitality offered the use of his shed.
Here a rough table and chair were placed
for the Judge, the other necessary furni-
ture, intended to represent the dock, the
stand, etc., being eked out with boxes
from Silas Baggett's grocery store.
Jake Smith looked at these prepara-
tions for a time with frowning discon-
tent, and then strolled down the road,
turning into the lane that led to Blake's.
When he reached the door of the shanty
he leaned against the jamb and poked
his naked head inside, tanning himself
in an embarrassed way with his greasy
fragment of a hat. He had come there
with the intention of saying something,
but the sight within made him forget it.
Blake's widow sat there, as she had
sat pretty much all the time since the
murder, staring straight before her,
with her chin in her palm. The sunlight
struck through the foliage of the red
oak trees that grew before the door,
and checkered with Pickering bright
ness the floor and cradle in which Jem's
baby was sleepi' e.
There it was, Just as it had been three
days ago could it be only three daysp)
Just as it had been when she went
out that morning to look after the dry
ing clothes and left him standing in the
door by the cradle Chow fond he was of
the babyD-just as it was when she
heard the crack of the pistol and ran in
with a awful sense of su~ffocating fright
just the same as when she had found
him lying upon the cradle, dabbling its
white linen with his blood, and the baby
playing with his hair. She screamed
once. the first and last complaint any
n had heard her make; then she was
quiet and helpful through it all-when
men came and lifted him up; when they
laid him out on the rough bed in the
other room; when they carried him to
the grave. she following with the baby
in her arms,
Jake Smith was trying to find the link
missing in his thoughts; he shifted with
perplexity-or something-and Blake's
widow looked up without speaking.
Jake nodded pleasantly four or five times.
"Pooty chipperP" asked he.
Blake's widow smiled sadly, bent over
the sleeping child and smoothed the
clothes with a tender touch.
They're agoin' ter try him in a
court" Jake went on, 'an' l don't be-
lieve-"
TRY who-AntonioP" she turned
towards the burly figure in the door with
a fash of interest in her black eyes.
Eyes. The ledge is making a court
out of his shed. 1hoIe it'll turn out all
right, but it seems like givin' that Mexi-
a devil chance he oughtn't ter have"
"He can't get clear; can hep" she
asked, rocking the cradle gently and
patting the coverlet.
81 don't see how. but he has got some
kind of a law cuss to speak for him-a
Teller that stopped here a day or two ago
on his way to Galveston-and it makes
me kind O. nervous"
Blake's widow did not appear to notice
the last remark, for the child, disturbed
by the talking, had awakened and sat
up in his cradle with a wondering look.
"Pooty, amt hep" said Jake, regard
ing the small figure with interest.
''Looks just like-ahem!-you. Poor
little-I-a-" he stammered, and
treated his hat like a mortal enemy.
''Ofcourse he's had-you've got-there's
nothin' | could do fur yer, maybe?'r
She answered with a grateful look, but
it was accompanied by a shake of the
head.
Jake bent down and with his big fore
finger softly rumpled the hair Of the
baby's head; then he went out and left
them, Blake's widow sitting as h eJfound
her. audthe baby staring down the path
after him.
He walked on until he reached the top
of the little hill. where he could look
down upon the roof which covered the
piteous scene he had just left. Here he
seemed to have half a mind to turn back,
for he hesitated and stopped; but he
changed his partial intention after linger-
ing a moment, and walked meditatively
onward, with the exclamation, oval
some women do beat the dickens
amazin."
OF course everybody came to the trial.
The arrangements were soon found to
be altogether too meagre. Pitblado's
shed was filled to OVERLOOKING, and Bag
gett made a clean sweep of every empty
box in his store.
Antonio's lawyer, a sharp-eyed, sharp
featured fellow from Galveston. had
hustled. about with surprising agility on
tho A,r --w,o h1lI.~
conference with ill-conditioned fellows
of Gueldo's kidney.
The court was assembled, the Jury
had been chosen, and the witnesses were
all present save one-Blake's widow.
Pretty soon there was a stir at the
door, then q murmur of surprise raj:
through the crowded room.
''May 1 be cursed" said Jake Smith,
audibly, " if she hasn't brought her
babyr!a
What reason she may have had for
not leaving the little thing in charge Of
some sympathizing woman-and there
were plenty who would have been glad
of the trust-was not apparent; however
that might be, there it was, clasped
firmly in her arms, its bright red cheeks
contrasting with her whiteness, and its
fathers sunny hair mingling with her
dark locks.
With some difficulty way was made
through the throng to her seat, which
had been placed on one side of the
Judge, directly opposite the candle-box
on the other, where Antonio sat. She
took her place and never moved during
the whole of the trial, excepting as she
was required to testify, and n when
the baby tugged at some glistening
thing that lay hidden in the folds of her
dress, at which she took pains to distract
its attent,o on with a chip from the floor.