The Cecil Whig., 1886-01-09

This is a pretty kittle uy fish,
the giant mused, as he strobe along
the road. IL know in reason that
he's guilty. Pore Mile. She driv
her ducks ter mighty bad market
When he arrived at the cross roads
he found a crowd of men gathered
about the door of a log house which
served as a Jail. Sim Bumpus and
Scott Patterson stood guard at the
door. Lige was suffered to enter.
Brezentine sat on a box. His face
wore an expression of despair.
"f1ow are you, Lige"
Lige nodded.
'You find me in pretty bad fix
Brezentine remarked, as he showed
his hands into his pockets and leaned
back against the wall. '1f they send
me to the penitentary it will almost
Kill Millie with shame, and it will be
a disgrace to the Petticord family. |
wish | was dead.'
$50 do L. Big Lige replied.
Don't be too hard on me-
Il don't want to be hard on yer a
tall. It's fur Miles that wish yer
waz dead. She could stand grief bet
tern she Ken disgrace. Jim Polk
Brezentine, | believe yer ought ter
be in prison, fur ! don't believe God
ever put homes bone in yer body,
but for Miles sake and fur the sake
Nv ole man and ole woman that |
love, | won't see yer go to the pen
"How can you help it?i
"Plltell 'em that l stold the money!
30 Ligev exclaimed Brezentine,
springing to his feet,"O you noble
''Don't put yer id hands on me.
Set down thar, ur III slam the day
| ilSHt ouleH yer.
Lige opened the door and called
Patterson, Scott said he, 81 wish
yer'd go over and tell Squire Boyle
ter come here
Scott hurried away and soon re-
turned, accompanied by the Justice
Of the peace.
"W'ye, how're yer, Big Lige?
How's all the folks p the magistrate
asked as he shook hands with Lige.
"AlPs well. Squire, yer've got
the wrong SOW by the year, this time
Pm the man that stold Dyes
money!
"Whatv exclaimed the Squire.
81 say that Pm the man.
"Wall, then, how came Jim Polk
with the money
81 owed it to him and l gin it to
him shortly airter l stold it,
"Jim Polk Brezentine, is that soH
"It is fact, Squire. When l was
accused of taxing the money | could
have told where got it, but did
not want to involve my friend Lige,
and, sir, if he had not confessed it
would have said nothing, but would
have let them send me to the peni-
tentary.'
"Mr. Brezentine,' said the Squire,
"give me yer hand. | didn't Know
when the folks called yer no count
and trif1ing that there wuz so much
grit in yer. Give me yer hand
| Jim Polk and the Squire warmly
shook hands. Big Lige shuddered
and turned his back. "Lige,' said the
Squire Gas yer confessed, thar amt
no use in preliminary trial before
me. The Circuit Court is now in
session and I'd better send yer down
right away ter be tried. Mr.. Brezen'
tine, you can 90 home. SIR
"Wall, WALL said old man Petit
cord, when Brezentine had related
Lige's confession. 81 never wouldel
. believed that he was thief. Wha,
is the world a-coming tere'
Coming ter end mighty fast,
replied his wife, as she ceased rat
t tling her knitting needles and gazec
thoughtfully into the fire. "Port
Lige.'
t That evening as Brezentine and
. his wife were walking toward home
Millie said:
"Pore Lige; l thought he was one
of the best men in the world
'If he's guilty, and he certainly is
what is the use of pitying him? Yo,
think more of him than you do o
me, anyway
"Jim Polk, what's the use of talking
Z that wayo'
r "Well, you do
r "Now Jim Polk
ooh, shut up. You are sorry nov
that l didn't go to trial in his place.
am getting sick of hearing you talk o
t him.
Lige's trial consumed but little time
+ as there was no pretense of defense
, Old man Petticord was in the court
+ room when Big Lige received his sen
, tence of two years in the penitentary
The old man seized the giants hanC
? and wept like a child.
"My dear old friend said Lige
think Nv me ez yer ken, fur thar won
come er time-but no matter. Tell EN-
all at home that | love 'em. Tell EN-
that l would die fur 'em. Tell Mile
that-that-sh mustn't think too hare
, Nv poor Lige. Goodbye and Coo
bless yer
A year slowly dragged itself away
: Every night, when the weather was cool