Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-10
A COWARD"
Why .he Belle OF Muskegon Valley
Never Married.



Never Married.
Coward
There was q ring Of infinite scom In
the voice. and the little book-keeper
reeled and shrank under 1t. He felt
his insignifcance then IL never before.
Why could he not be man among
men? He had uttered this question
mentally hundred times, but he had
never felt his littleness as he did that
nigh, when that one word Of contempt
and scorn fell from the full red lips Of
Janet Lyons.
She was the acknowledged belle Of
the Muskegon Valley, the daughter Of
the senior member of the firm Of Lyon,
Haight Il Co. Janet was not child
Of fashion. but a strong. healthy child
Of the pine woods. Muskegon was the
end Of the world to her, and at the
lime of which we write was . mere viii
LACE. with no railway connection with
the outside world. 1t was yet the lum-
beropolis Of Western Michigan, and
rapidly growing in Importance.
1t was at dance in log house near
Maple Top that Mark Farnham re-
ceived the rebuke described. A great,
hulking logger had trodden on the
skirt of Janet's cashmere and ripped it
at the waist. The logger merely said:
"Blank the dress" and went on With
his dancing.
THE insulting puppyl" exclaimed
Janet. with flushed cheeks. And then
n minute later she turned on Mark
Farnham, her escort, little, pals.taeed
fellow. with mild blue eyes and esem.
inate cast OF countenance. with the one
word that opens our sketch.
VIVA, would sho have him dos
Too well the pale 1t. 10 book.keeper
knew the backwoods code. 1t was his
duty to insist on an apology from the
bulky logger, or fog him for his inso-
lence. This Mark Farnham was not
able to do. He knew the man who had
insulted Janet as bully and hard pet
from near the Dam, u village on the
river some six miles from Maple Top.
There's no use having any trouble, ="
said Mark. If the fellow troubles
YOU again I'll settle with him."
'Oh. the idea" exclaimed Janet al
think the next time l so out in COM
pany it will be with man." and she
turned her back on the little book
keeper and began relating her troubles
to group Of girls near. The set
was disarranged by the incident, and
another couple was called on to fill up
the gap, and then the dance went on
as though nothing had happened.
Mark Farnham noticed indignant
glances turned toward him by the
backwoOds lasses, and knew that the
word coward was repeated from lip to
lip.
81 wonder IL Janet would be better
satisfied IL / should offer myself a sac
rifce on the altar Of her offend
ed dignity. i might get my head
knocked of, but what would be the
usee I'll see that DANTE and make
him apologize, IL I die the next min.
ute"
But the little bcok-keeper was not
permitted the privilege Of receiving
thrashing for Janet Lyons sake. A
newcomer had appeared upon the
scene in the person Of Richard yelling
ton. magnificent picture Of muscular
development. with the dress and air OF
agentleman. He was Lyon, Haight q
Co.'S foreman in the great mill at Mus
kegon. and q prime favorite with the
senior member Of the firm.
1.-THE coward permitted that ruffian
River Dan. to insult me grossly. I'll
be long time before am seen in ~
company again, 1 can tell you that,
Janet was saying. as she passed the Lit
tie book-keeper leaning on the arm o
Mr.. Wellington.
where is the fellow nowe" ques
toned Wellington.
"Never mind. / do not care to SCI
him again. Let il drop"
"But Iwill punish the scoundrei a
be deserves. No one shall insult yo'
while I am around. Janet"
mo. no." and the fair girl chung =
the arm Of her Apollo-like companion
eft is not your quarrel. Dick. Isha'n'
permit you to make trouble now.
know II you lad been in Mark Earn
hams place you would have prompt
knocked the rufiian down. / was 8
ashamed Of him. He is little COW
ard"
Again that word. It cut like knife
and the little book-keepsr never b
fore felt his utter insigni6cance as b
did this night. He was glad when th
dance came to an end. But Janet va
alresdy tucked under the robes In Die
wellington's cutter when FarnhaI
went for her to ride back with hin
Another insult. The paid cheeks
the little book.keeper held two spots {
flame % he went alone to his cutter.
"Goin' past the Dam. amt 70"
A stalwart form in red shirt an
overalls doomed up before the booi
Keeper in the moonlight.
Farnham at once recognized the ma