The Cecil Whig., 1886-01-09
Romance. A"''''''. fiction:
'eBIG LIGE-'' -
[CoNTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE

! loved Mlllle, an
"Wall, WALL" said the old man,
"why the h didn't you let her
marry him! Hush, now, hush. We
won't argy. We've been livin' to-
gether too long ter argy at this late
day. Who that at the door? Come
in. Why it's Scott Patterson. Come
in, Scott
give got some putty bad news" "
said Patterson, as he advanced and
placed his hands on the back OF a
chair. 'Jes' airter dinner ter day
Jim Polk Brezentine come out to the
crossroads and got putty full. Long
toward evenin' he got on his mule
and galloped off, but he hadn't gone
fur till the mule flung him again a
tree. We tuck him home an the
doctor says he KANT git well. Yer d
all better come over ter his house. y
They hurried over to Brezentine' s
house. The wretched man, moaning
and groaning, was, the physician
said, beyond all hope When the
medical man told him he could live
but few hours longer, he howled
like wild beast.
"Oh, Gcd will send my soul to
hell" he cried. "Millie, come here.
Lige did not steal the money. | stole
! it, and he went to the penitentary to
shield you. God forgive me for"
He became speechless. Tears
streamed down Petticord's face, but
they were not in sympathy for Bre-
zentine. Mrs. Petticord, taking Mil
lie into her arms, whispered:
"B'ar up ez we'll ez yer ken. The
Lord will bring all things right
| A profound sensation was created
when the people heard of Brezen-
tines confession, and when they
turned away from a new grave in an
old orchard, one ofthe Dye boys re-
marked:
81 never throwed dirt on a tri-
finer man."
The night was bitterly cold. 1t
was the night before Christmas and
old "Quinzy' Petticord, his wife and
his daughter sat by the blazing fire.
Millie had just placed Lige's chair
in its accustomed position when the
old man remarked:
II reckon that prediction we sent
down ter the guv ner will do the
work. He KANT keep Big Lige in
thar a dav airter he knows the truth.
Now, Mile, don't cry round here.
| splze ter see people a-snuhin.' |
know in reason he-open the door,
Millie, don't yer hear somebodyo'
Millie opened the door. Big Lige
stepped into the room. The old man
seized the giant; the fat ole woman,
as her husband afterward remarked,
fluttered like a duck, ,and Millie, after
she had shaken hands with Liee,
wiped her eyes on her apron and
took her old seat, just across the
hearth from Lige's chair Lige sat
down, took up an ear of corn, as
though he had just come in from the
stable, and began to shell it.
"Millie," the old woman cried, as
she wiped her eyes, go an fix Lige's
supper fur | know he amt had
nuthin' ter eat sense he left here.
Poor Lige.''
Don't pity me" Lige replied.
"Why," the old man asked, "ain't
they nearly worked yer ter death
down thar?'
''Shar, no; it want no trouble
tall to keep up with them fellers.'
"While Miles gettin' supper
ready let me tell yer the news" said
the old man. "Sim Bumpus an Sal
lie Patterson is married Squire Boyle
is down with the rheumatic. He has
been on the lift fur three months.
We have been all well, 'cept myself.
I've been putty stretchy time or
two, but | amt been bed sick sense
yer left u.s. Thank God, Big Lige,
that yer air with us wunst more.
reckon Miles got yer smack about
ready. All she had ter do wuz to
put it on the table. Come"
"Big Lige, said the old woman
as the giant arose from his seat, Il
couldn't think no mo- NV yer eff yer
wus my natril bornd son"
Six months had passed. Big Lige,
who would not permit himself to be.
a hero, avoided company, shelled
his corn and made his collars for the
work horses. Old man Petticord was
happy again, and the old lady, con-
stantly requested not to "argy,"
seemed not to have ever had mo-
ment of trouble.
1t was Saturday, and the old man
and his wife had gone to "meetin'"
down at the ford. Big Lige sat in
the "big room," engaged in making
a new bottom for chair. Millie
came in from the kitchen. She
looked at Lige and blushed. The
giant became confused.
'Oh, Big Lige." said the girl, 'let
me tell you something awful"
She knelt down on the floor be-
side him and said:
'long time ago person done
me an yerset great wrong One
day when we killed hogs. Sallie Pat
terson told me that yer said this ter
her: 'Sallie. Millie loves me an eff
she don't marry me she will die; but
| don't kere-I am goin' ter ask her.
an when she says yes, l am goin,
ter laugh'-wait till | get through
sn her face. She allus has been
tryin' ter ketch me- Then when yer
asked me, Big Lige, | couldn't hep
but say No thank YER"
'Did Sallie say that"
"Yas, she did"
81 wish she wuz man. Ef she
WIZ ez big ez Samson | could slam
her agln the face Nv the yearth."
ooh, Lige,' she said, clasping her
hands, won't yer furgive me?'
"Angel," he said, as he took her
in his arms, 81 amt got nothin' ter
furgive. would die fur yer"
"Lige, ! have loved yer ever sense
| wuz little grl, but thought you
hated me ="
When the old man and old woman
returned, they found two happy
souls, and when Lige said, We air
goin ter git married." the old couple,
with one voice exclaimed. "Thank