The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-08-20

! Jin TAsuxht Ne K.sv nGary. bss HI
CssvtnssA Hin that Ne Dtan't.
We we're winding down one of the
mountain roads Of Tennessee in . cart drawn
bya mule. The laud wsa barren, the
cabins no better than hovcls, and IL Was q
query how people made bare living or
we're content 10 stay. by aud by We came
TO turn 10 the road where there was .
trough 10 water horses. and the cabin Of q
settler. This cabin was the poorest OF all,
aud nothing around it indicated that the
owner made any attempt to cultivate the
soil. We reached the place Just in time
70 witness q tablesu. A woman, poorly
dressed. and her face bearing the look Of
one who had seen much worry and suffer
ing, stood near the trough, aud satchel
filed with clothing sat on the ground be-
side her Five feet away stood her hus-
band. Z barly tough-faced mountainecr,
and he held : switch In his hand. Meth
Or minded ~ = We droSe up. and II wAs
full minute before the husband said to
her:
Mary. I'll wallop ye'
Jim. ye dasn'tl she replied.
Mary. 70 can't leave me, nohow.
Jim. I'm gwine Ter do i'll I've starved
sn' suffered till I'm clean gonel I'm going
home.
Mary, ye don't take up that satchel
and march in, I'll wollop you good and
stout!
There were two OF us besides the driver.
The woman looked up and scanned our
faces, as il to Judge how far she might
count on our help, and the driver said
Tain't rulable, for strangers to mix in.
Mary, and Jim's got knife aud would
kill somebody. Better go in.
Never! she hissed.
II you don't, said the husband as he
came step near, I'll make the fur fly.
Take thatl
With swish he brought the switch
down across her shoulder and raised it
again. She stood stock still for minute
and looked him in the eye, and then walked
into the hovel.
Rayther peart. but the CAD will cure
herl grinned the, husband as he drew the
switch through his fingers.
His triumph was short lived. In sixty
seconds Mary resppeared. She had the
mountaineers heavy rifle in her hands,
and as she came out she raised it on line
with the mans heart
Jim, want you to gitl
No!
Sartin!
Shool Can't do it!
Click! click!
Mary, what yer gwine ter do?
Kill ye like wolf in yer tracks il ye
don't walk away.
Whar TO?
Nobody keersl Go sumwhsr keep goin
don't never come back Hurry up, fur
TN goin' down on the stagel
He looked into her eyes and saw the
change. Poverty and brutality had come
to an end. Love had turned to disgust,
aud in place OF fear was such bravery as
he would not have looked for in man on
the road. He saw "shoot" in her eyes,
but he still hesitated.
Mary drop that rifle, be whispered,
Jim, git! If you are here when I've
finished counting twenty I'll kill you as
sure as there's God in heaven
He began backing away. When he had
gone twenty feet he turned and walked
When be had gone hundred he halted.
wheel about, and after long look, NUT.
tered:
"Well, by goshl Mary, let's make up
and quit"
Keep agittin', Jim, she replied, as she
still covered him With the rife.
In five minutes he was out OF sight up
the road. The woman put the gun and
satchel in the cart, walked into the hovel
TO be gone two minutes, and when she
came back TO the cart and took seat with
us. flames we're seeu creeping through .
hundred crevices between the dry logs.
Without word she climbed in. and only
once during the Ave mile ride did she
utter a word. At bend in the road
she looked back ut the pyramid Of
smoke and flame wrought by her hands,
and said as il TO herself:
Jim did't know Mary. Jim didn't,