The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-12
The Worm Will Turn,

mountain ROADS Oi Tennessee in acart
drawn by mule. The land was
barren, the cabins no better than
novels, and it was a query how peo-
nle made bare living or were con-
tent TO stay. BY and by we came to
turn in The road where there was a
trough to water horses, and the cab
IN OF Il settler. This cabin was the
poorest of all, and nothing around it
Indicated that the owner made any
attempt to cultivate the soil. We
reached the place just in time to wit
nest a tableau. A woman, poorly
dressed, and hell face bearing the
look of one who had seen much wo. =
ry aud suffering, stood near the
trough, and satcheI flied with
clothing sat on the ground beside
her. Five feet away stood her hus-
band, burIy tough faced noun
taineer. and he held switch in his
hand. Neither minded Us as we
drove up, and it was full minute
before the husband said
MARY, pll wollop ye."
Jim, ye dasn't," she replied.
Mary, ye can't leave me, no.
how"
"Jim. Pm gwine ter do it. pve
staryed an suffered till Pm clean
gone. Pm going home"
MARY, if ye don't take up that
sachel am march in Ill wollop We
good and stout"
There were two of us beside the
driver. The woman looked up and
scanned our faces, as if to Judge how
far she might count on our help, and
the driver said:
"Tain't rulabIe for strangers to
mix in, Mary, and Jim's got knife
and would kill somebody. Better
go in"
"Never!' ~ she hissed.
"lf ye DON'T" said the husband, as
he came a step nearer, "I'lI make the
fur fly. Take that !"
With swish me brought the switch
down across her shoulders and rails
ed it again. She stood stock still
for minute and looked him in
the eye, and then walked into the
hOvel.
"Rayther peart. but the gad will
cure her !" grinned the husband, as
he drew the switch through his
fingers.
His triumph was short-iived. In
sixty seconds Mary reappeared. She
had the mOuntaineer'S heavy rifle in
her hands, and as she came out she
raised it on line with the mans
heart.
"Jim, | wrnt ye to git -
"Shoo! Can't do it,"
Click click
MARY, what We gwine ter do 2"
"Kill ye like wolf in yer tracks if
ye don't walk away"
"Whar TO ?"
Nobody keers Go sumwhar-
keep goin' don't meyer come back (!
Hurry up, fur Pm goin' down on the
stage!"
He looked into her eyes and saw
the change. Poverty and brutality
had come to an end. Love had turn
ed to disgust, and in place of fear was
such bravery he would not have look
ed foe in man on the road. He saw
"shoot' in her eyes, but he still hes
itated.
"Mary, drop that rifle" he whis-
pered.
"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 he had gone a hun
dred feet he halted, wheeled about,
and after long look, muttered
"WaII, by gosh Mary, let's make
up"
"Keep a-gittin' Jim," she replied,
as she still covered him with the
rifle.
In five minutes he was out of
sight up the road. The woman plac.
ed the gun and sachel in the cart,
walked into the hoyel to be gone two
minutes, and when she came back to
the cart and took a seat with us,
flames were seen creeping through n
hundred crevice5 between the dry
logs. Without a word she climbed
in, and only once during the five.
mile ride did she utter word. Alta
bend in the road she looked back al
the pyramid of smoke and flame
wrought by her hands, and said,as if
to herself:
"Jim didn't know Mary, Jim
didn't.-DetrOH Free Press.