Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-12-11
CHAPTER III.

In the windmill on the clay land
worked Joe Western, white with -four,
white faced, white handed, and with his
hair more fully powdered than any foot
man at the hall. XII
He did not, Of course, live in the mill;
he lived In q low brick house, one story
hig.i, rooted with tiles, a bowshot off the
mill. On the red roof, turned 10 O warm
brown by age, grew patches OF stonecrop
Of a golden yellow The cottage had
bit Of garden round it, sur
rounded by a ditch fringed with
willows The garden formed an OBJ
long patch, apparently taken out from
field This was, however, not the case
The garden and house of the IN lller wert
older by at least hundred years thai.
the field, which had been inclosed withiI,
the memory of man from whit hal been
common long before the Oldest naa
could remember, or before the oldest man
could tell of having heard by older men
before him, there had been q windmill on
Ring moor, and the miller's cottage had
stood where it stands still. Ring moor
was moor no more-it was all inclosed,
and cultivated, and drained.
In the, cottage Joe Western lived with
his mother His father was dead. He
had fallen one day when drunk, from
the steps that led up into the mill, and
had broken, as folk said, every bone in
his body. This was an eXaggeration. lie
had broken two or three, but one was
enough to settle him--his skull, which
struck stone. s.~ssss.a
When old Miller Western died Joe Yves
10 years old. Weighty responsible
tiles rested on him. He had his mother to
maintain, his own future to determine.
He was advised by all his fathers friends
to throw up the mill, as beyond the bust
ness powers of beardless boy. How
| could lad without a hair on his Chin
withsonly down on his upper Ip-conduct
u millS Joe was q silent fellow, very
| self contained and reserved. He listened
to advice, and did not combat the reason
| ing of his advisers. What could he say.
Nothing but time could grow the neces-
| sary hair on his face which would capaci-
tate him, in public estimation, for carry
ing on the mill He had broad shoulders;
/ he put them under the burden without n
| word, and pursued his own course He
kept on the mill. C - rs
/ Joe had been brought up to the bust
ness, and he knew its ms and onts thor.
onghly; when his father had been tipsy,
Joe had had to manage without him.
Now he was dead, Joe, would manage
without him. =
Joe was so reserved, so cold, that the
neighbors could not make him out. He
sowed no wild oats. He sowed nothing
but the sweat of his brow. The man who
had served his father-a reserved fellow,
handy and obliging, but not very sober
| left him.
"The young cockercl is well enough, y
said he, "but he don't Crow can't gel
on with chap who hasn't a word tc
say" sAA tF@
A case of conscieii ce arose in the neigh
borhood. 1t was doubted whether it were
right to continue dealing with O miller
without beard on his chin; but partly
from Incidence and dislike of change, anG
partly because there was no other mil
near, the old customers did not fulfil
their threat Of leaving, and Joe Western
soon acquired fresh 'customers-he gave
good measure. His hand did not go intt
the bag too often, or, had not SO big {
grasp as that Of his father Moreover
he did not mix inferior grain with thu
good sent him. ,, ssgss s8st
with great love for her son, not un
mixed with fear. Even she thought i
was strange unnatural for one of joel
nge to be 50 taciturn, SO resolved, SO I'm
socinble. u ts 7esa M
She shook her head and sighed to he
friends, "Joe is good lad, good as gold
without vice Of any sort in him. Hell
N never marry, that's certain, and pity /
Il Is. He would nowhere find a younl
woman serious enough to suit him
!; They're all giddy patcs nowadays
thinking of nothing but dress, putting
, all their wages on their backs, u 4.
, eThat would never do for Joe, he is 81
, for saving They like chattering; h
hardly ever tails. They are all TO
| laughing and singing and dancing.
| never hear him shout or laugh, he scare
i smiles, but goes as quietly at his worl
. like a machine. II were not his mothe
l should find it dull here with him, and
! don't know what should do withou
| the pigs and the poultry. Did you eve
t before see any one who never talked ex
/; cept held got something to sayi My 10
| don't, and that would not content
young woman" &fkiE3f re
3 One day when fresh northwest breez
/. was blowing, and the white clouds wer
flying over the sky, the mill wings wer
: whirling with great vigor, and the win
l rushed of them in spouts Of cold air.
3 Happening TO go the mill door, 10
. was surprised and startled 70 see Nttl
!, figure Of a girl turn out Of the road, IN
] come over the short grass toward th
: mill, With the eyes raised 10 the SAIL
The child came on unconscious Of dnr
, ger. unaware OF the danger of approaef
s ing and coming within the sweep Of thpe
n mighty revolving wings. -.
r Joe called to warn the cinld OF; 81
{ she either did not hear. or disregaf,3s
q the monition. Then. with q frown q
: an exclamation Of impatisnce, jos 81
: down the steps, strobe over the toE
! caught the child By the ann and rou8el
9 swung II aside. ~ il.
o ssWhat are you about hereiH hB &&41
! sYou might hare bern X ilicd-r aA
r The child was TriptolemE YeilgNIz|
& Redfern. ss
3 ''I'm doing no harn," she said, q
; dauntedly. I'm not going 70 60 !
q mill ~