The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-09-04

gled hope and inquiry passed over M
face. '.Hev you seen my bOys?' sait
he. Upon my replying that | had mo-
his head again dropped on his hands
and 1 pursued my journey wondering a.
the change that had come over him.
rode on to Green's store, where was
accorded a hearty welcome. ''GOod
evenin'. sir. Come in, sir; take seat
sir-take a seat" said Green. Alight-
ing, l shook hands with him and, &C.
cepting the proffered chair, we sat on
the porch in front of his place and talk.
ed of old times. Ispoke of having seen
old Jake, and expressed my curiosity al
his question concerning his boys. A
shade passed over Green's face as he
said: didn't you never hear tell of it?''
answered that / had not. "YOu know
the Jedge? To begin at the commence
ing of it, it's purity long story. But
you see the old ledge had boy-Si we
called him. Well, 81 got thrown often
raft Onct, and soon arter that he got
'ligion; 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
Jedgc he'd q grandchile. Wall, the fall
arter you war here. when the fever it
war SO bad, what did 81 do but lay down
and die, and his wife she follered him,
SO the Jedge went down and brung his
little girl up here. She was peart little
thing, and every body thought heap of
her, but bein' brung up in the city with
book larnin' she war'nt fit for a place
like this, reckon. We amt much given
to parsons and skooltechers here bouts
But the store the Jedge took in that
chile and the way he'd tote her round!
OF evcnin'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 apd cuss powerful. The
old ledge couldn't bear her Outen his
sight nohow. When she got to be most
woman she ulster go with Jim Stone,
old Jake's boy, right smart, and to see
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 if he had set up
nights to try. And we could all see
that her and Jim war gettin' purity
thick, ard 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 tibet kind
hearted. and so strong and hansC m, no
one could helped likin' of him.
.'Jim and Tom he'd a still down on
'POssum Greek 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 mostlv-'Tm
sick of this hull thing. I've got the
maxim of a man in me, but l amt got
no chance here, and I'm goin' to sell
out and 90 to town, 90 to school. and
do sumthin'. Now, thar's my still
don't see why it amt right fur a man to
make his Twin in his own way or tibet
the Government got any biZness takin'
of it from him, but Cynthy has been
talkin' to me and she don't like to hev
me doin' whet the law says aint right.
So I'm 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. l 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 l 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 a
minute tibet the men he'd pat up at the
tavern and she he'd hearn their plans to
take the Postum Crick still, and old
Jake's boys. So as quick as could 1
run down-it's only little piece, yonder
beyond that pint thar-and as l got to
the pint l seen Tom run into the still
and get his gun and 1 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
afore HIM, jest in time to ketch the ball
tibet 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 ledge
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 if
he expected some one, and when he
heers q step he starts and trembles as if
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 t'other
and we buried them so. Tom we buried
clost to them. told old Jake tibet his
boys went down the river. 1t would
kind O. unsettled him if he knowed they
war dead, and can write a leetle, and
he gets me to write to Jim and Tom
down the river; and ! keep the Postoffis,
so I answer his letters. 1t don't do no.
hodx M harm, I rncIon and II do fhirl.