Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-09-16

i'll news for thee, por lass; thy mother
must know naught of it. There's been
bit of fight with them poachin' chaps,
an'-an' we've browt thy father
home
my heart seemed turned to stone.
is father killed?' L asked. Thou may
as well tell me. William
with that they carried father in
and laid him on the settle. He was
very very peaceful-like to look at.
William said he had been shot in the
chest, and died quite quiet and easy.
But all the while l seemed to know
there was more to hear-aye, and
worse, for, when 1 was stopping over
father, one of the men said something
to William that didn't rightly catch.
and William says back to him, speak
ing low, Nay, there's no call to say
more to the poor lass; it'll do by-and-
bye With that they went away, and
took mother her tea, feeling all dazed
like.
where's thy father, Eunicc, she
says.
.'And l answered her:
Hes coming up presently, mother,
and then she fell asleep again, being
weak.
$50 the day wore on, and cousin An
ne came, and Squire Lawson and some
other gentlemen; but / didn't see them
for William was around again, and told
them all about father. When they
were gone | left Anne sitting with
mother, and went down to William and
asked him how it came about that faith
er was shot.
There were a bit O fight with tn
poachers, lass, and one of them had 4
gun
"'Was there only one gun, Will
Lamp I says.
"'Only one, lass. l dunnotthink thy
father was shot o purpose. 1t war all
in the thick o the bother. We were
fghtin' with ash sticks, an thy father
were in the midst, when the chap with
tn gun let fly at us an the shot hit thy
father. That's how it were done, Fun
ice
"'And where is he that did it,
says, lookin' out O the window.
He's away, lass. In hiding some
where. There's no call for these to
fret about that. Most like he'll get
away to furrin parts. l see thou
gueSscs who it is. Eunice. It's main
hard for thee, he says, taking my hand,
meaning kindly. for he was good man
was William. But l pulled my hand
away and ran out into the fields. 1t
was getting on for shutdown then, as |
leant against the fence, feeling sick and
giddy like, the corn crake began croak-
ing in the long grass as it had done
over night. And | thought of yestcr-
eve, when Tom stood there with his
gun, and tried to turn him away from
those who led him astray. 1t had all
ended now; father was dead, mother
was dying. and Tom but | would not
think of Tom. Then Anne came out
to me saying mother was asking for
me. So | went in, and mother looked
at me and said:
Thou art good lass. think thy
father is dead-I drcamt it just now
and thou art hiding it. It's no matter
| shall know soon. The Lord bless you,
Eunicen
'And after that she went into a kind
of faint and died. So father and moth
er were both buried the same day. anC
it was settled that | should 90 and live
with my Aunt Deborah, some six mile!
away. William was to drive me over
that same evening. Well, at SHUTDOWN
all the things being packed and moth
ing left to do, went through the field;
to the side o the brook, where l haC
used to meet Tom, and there | sat on a
fallen tree thinking of all the trouble
and how all my life seemed dead ant
buried with father and mother. Close
by me was a thick clump o palm, will
lows, and dog-roses, an grass al
/, a-tangle, reaching DER the bank; an
when I'd sat thinking awhile heard ;
rustlng and voice saying, 'Eunice
, lassn l knew the voice right well
though it gave me start at the mo
ment
els it thou, Tom asked.
, "'Aye,' he says, parting the leaves
, and looking through. I've been lyin!
l here all day to get glimpse O. thee.
! thought maybe thou would'st com
down here afore thou went off, an
; there's much that I've got to say t
r thee?'
d cit may be much or little an
swcred him, but desire naught from
> the, Tom. Dost thou know father
dead?'
0 AYE, Eunice, but that was ill-luck
y never meant to hurt thy father.
were all done in tn hurry. / didn'
7 notice as he were among the keepers
That's why l nun run the country.
:, might stand to be took up if there wa
naught against me but tn birds; bu
this O thy father is hanging matter
SO / nun run the country. I'm goin
q on board ship tomorrow, and w
brought the enow to pay thy passag
: out to me, lass, and we'll be wed whe
q thou lands
r Tom says, 1T is not for we tw
o to wed now thou hast killed father
~ wonder how thou canst think of such
q thing. Maybe trouble has made the
- dazed like.
n ~ didn't go for to kill thy father,
he says angrily.
THAT don't make no difference
says; 1t was thy wrong-doing tn;
caused thee to be going with poachel
e. and with a gun in thy hand. Thou wa
re warned and thou paid no heed. l ca
t. never wed thee, Tom l told the
ID thou'd break my heart, and no
ne | thou'st done it.