The Osceola times., 1885-09-05

grasped hickory stick. sat in the door.
way. At my approach q look Of min
gied nope and inquiry passed over his
race. "Hev you seen my boysp" said
ne. Upon my replying that | had not
ms mead again dropped on his hands,
anu l pursued my journey wondering at
the change that had come over him. I
rode on to Green's store, where was
accorded a hearty welcome. Good
evenln', sir. Come in, sir; take seat.
sir-take seat" said Green. Alipbt-
ing, shook hands with him and. ac-
cepting the proffered chair, we sat on
t1e porch In front of his place and talk.
ed OF old times. ! Ispoke of having seen
oid Jake, and expressed my curiosity at
ms question concerning his bows. A
shade passed over Green's face as he
ssid' Didn't you never hear tell of itp"
1 answered that had not. "You know
the JedgeP To begin at the commenc-
ing OF IL, it's purity long story. But
you see the old Jedge had a boy-Si we
called him. Well, 81 got thrown often
raft onct, and soon arter that he GOT
nglon; whether as how it was the
raft or whether twas the 'ligion,
l dunno, but it pears like he wasn't no
count to nobody arter that, SO he went
away and we hearn that he he'd gone to
town, and then we hearn that he got
married, and then we hearn that the
Jedge he'd grandchile. Wall, the fall
arter You war here, when the fever IL
war so bad, what did 81 do but Law down
and die, and his wife she folered him.
so The Jedge went down and brung his
littlc girl up here. She was peart little
thing, and everybody thought heap of
ner, but bein' brung up in the city with
book larnin' she war'nt fit for a place
Ike this, l reckon. We amt much given
70 parsons and skooltechers here bouts.
But the store the Jedge took in that
chile and the way he'd tote her round!
VI evenin's she would set in his lap and
actooly larn the Jedge to read, an he
would make mistakes in sayin' of his
letters, as she called it, and then he
would purtend he couldn't see and wipe
his specs on his sleeve. and draw her TO
him student like and kiss her, and
believe the Jedge would actooly some.
times cry when he couldn't make no
sense of his letters. And she would
read outen the Bible to the Jedge till he
became downright 'ligious, though he
used to swar and cuss powerful. The
old Jcdge couldn't bear her outen his
sight nohow. When she got to be most
a woman she uster go with Jim Stone,
old Jake's boy, right smart, and to sec
Jim, as could cut more logs and throw
any man in the country. be so keerful
of her it was touchin', and she larned
him to read Jest like she he'd the Jedge.
What she sed war law with Jim. and no
wonder, fur she he'd such bright, hap
py way of sayin' things and maxim
everybody feel good around her no one
could hev disliked her il he had set up
nights to try. And we could all see
that her and Jim war gettin' purity
thick, and we seen how things was
goin'. Jim wer the only man here bouts
that war good enough for her, and he
warn't either, only Jim war thet kind
hearted, and so strong and hanson, no
one could a helped likin' of him.
Jim and Tom he'd a still down on
'Possum Creek that the Convent hedn't
hearn on and didn't git no revnoo frum,
and along with raftin' and tan-bark the
boys was pretty well fixed. One even
in, Jest about this time, Jim comes TO
me, and he says 'Sim'-thet's what
they call me hereabouts mostly-'Fm
sick of this hull thing. I've got the
maxim Of man In me, but aint got
no chance here, and I'm a goin' to sell
out and 60 to town, go to school, and
do sumthin'. Now, thar's my still
don't see why II aint right fur a man to
make his livin' in his own way or thet
the Governments got any bizness takin'
Of it from him, but Cynthy has been q
talkin' to me and she don't like to hev
me doin' whet the law says aint right.
So I'm a goin' to sell out, Sim, and
Cynthy has done promised to marry me,
and I'm goin' to town and be some
thin more than / ken be hereabouts. and
make her proud on me. / amt worthy
of her now To see him standin' tall
and hansum there any gal might hev
ben proud of him, even Cynthy. Jim
he'd scarcely gone when three men rode
up, and knowed to once that they was
revnoo men and arter Jim and Tom, so
l was Uneasy like when Cynthy, dressed
in white. with her hair a-streamin' down
her back, run past, and knowed in
minute thet the men he'd put up at the
tavern and she he'd hearn their plans to
take the Possum Crick still, and old
Jake's boys. So as quick as l could |
run down-it's only little piece, yonder
beyond that pint thar-and as ! got to
the pint seen Tom run into the still
and get his gun and / knowed it was
war. Jest as the revnoo men went to
shoot at poor Jim, who was 'atween
the crick and the still, Cynthy jumped
aforc HIM, Jest in time to ketch the ball
thet was ment fur Jim. Jim jest cot her
in his arms and went to shOotin', but
purity soon he fell, still a-holdin' Gym
thy, and looked around and thar stood
the Jedge under the old dead walnut
trees, his hoss-pistol in his hand, his
face white, his teeth sot, and the moon
light shinin' on his hair. He never
moved nor carried on, but The Jedge
war changed. He never comes nigh the
store nor speaks to nobody; he jest
sets on the porch with his hat on the
floor and his white hair a-blowin'
around, and he looks up the road as il
he expected some one, and when he
heers a step he starts and trembles as II
he thought it war Cynthy. When we
got to Cynthy and Jim the revnoo men
he'd torn down the still. and seen thar
war no arrestin' TO do--only burryin'.
We couldn't loosen one from tother,
and we buried them so. Tom we buried
clost to them. told old Jake thet his
hovs went down the river. II would