Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-05-20
SUE ANN.
BY JULIA X. wETHERILL.

a primer. "Ef yer KICK him he ii sci
right down an yowl fer an hour"
This clay-colored philosopher was
seated on the front steps, his elbows on
his knees and his head between his
hands. staring fixedly at the dog be-
fore him.
''Why don't you give him sumpin to
growl fer, then?' remarked Spanish
Jack, who was staggering restlessly
up and down in front of his friend and
host, Usher Milestone.
1t was just before sunset on chilly
autumn day, and the locality was Sink
emsank, settlement in the heart OF
the piny woods. There was not much
to be seen except brown pine ridges
and infertile fields, full of stumps and
broken by red washes.
rhe house in question was a rickety
frame building, standing on long legs,
which gave it the air of having come
merely to pay the surrounding land
scape d morning call. A great blaze of
smoky freight flared through the win
dows.
A reply was prevented by the voice
of Mr.. MILESTONE S mother from within:
"You, Usher! ham't v had 'nough
O. settin' on them air steps? Git up, n
come in to supper" adding with start
ling suddenness, Plague take tn fry
in-'pan!"
AS the two men entered the illumin-
ot.I tall oil. Il Of lao
darkness like revelation. In the UNI
certain light, her countenance waver-
ed between beautiful and horrible; un-
til clearer-leaping flame disclosed a
wild, soft mass of dusk hair, and
features somewhat Egyptian in cast,
but according well with the warm
brown of her cheeks and warm red of
her lips.
The gentlemen of Sinkemsank did
not find Sue Ann Milestone hand
some. They lowed she had mighty
fine figure; but added that she was too
dark-complected.
"Hullo, Sue Ami" said Spanish
Jack, loosely, ''when'd you comb your
hair las time? Ii looks like the devil
fore day."
A remark that Sue Ann could not
altogether grasp, always turned her
sullen. She was not nimble- wittod, so
she merely remarked, as she seated her
self at the table, Il dunno what you're
talking bout. p"
She raised to his face pair of eyes so
dark that it seemed as if they must al
most cast a shadow on anything they
regarded. They had the look like the
eyes of person slightly under the in
fuence of an opiate, giving the impress
sion that the next stage of the trance
might prove startling.
She did not seem as il she belonged
to the Milestone family. Usher him.
self was tall. but of weedy growth,
with an aquiline nose, and general
sallowness of coloring-a frequently
recurring type in the piny woods. He
favored" his mother, except that her
eyes had an evil expression, while his
were merely fishy; and she had long,
fang-like yellow teeth tia: reminded
one of row of forgotten tombstones.
"Ole Lissy Milestone was much
feared by her neighbors. 81 met up
with Cory-don Oolam, yes day." re-
marked Usher, presently, an he axed
me to give him that air bride hangin
in the shed. hain't no use fer't."
You're gittin mighty givey in yer
ole age, Usher" was Lissy comment
THAT Cory-don Oolam amt never gone
TO do you no good turn. He's small po-
taters, N not many o. them. But you
always was fool, Usher"
"Well-hemr' said Usher, waving a
discussion-"h tole me there's camp
meetiri' gone to he hilt mex week"
Where bouts?' asked Spanish Jack.
Same ole place. That's whar Bob
Ransom fit with Simon Blacksmith. m
got his jaw broke, but he went on a
fghtin', m never knowed his jaw was
broke till twas all over. Y can't beat
the rozzum-heels of ole Mississip' fer
spunk!"
"Spunkl" echoed Spanish Jack,
laughing contemptuously. You folks
don't know the meanin' o. spunk.
The's fellah up our way used to be
always talkin' n braggin' he could
whip his weight in wildcats. Him n
me got into sorter fuss swappin'
bosses N he sneaked up benin me in
Fighters saloon. N stabbed me in the
side with his knife. Then we clinched,
m if they hadn't pulled me off'n him
I'd tore him to pieces, though didn't
have no weapon. / wish they'n "a let
us be. I'd "a liked TO killed him dry
sol Reckon | weighed him out one too
many pounds o. wildcats that time" he
concluded with laugh of reminiscential
triumph.
Sue AIMS heavily dashed eyes bright
ened as they fixed themselves upon the
hero.
Spanish Jack-or, to be exact, John
Jones. the former title being merely an
affectionate nickname-was splendid
specimen of the up-river desperate,
with handsome face and figure, who
had retired to the piny woods in the
evasion of some slight difficulty at
home.
He was Sue AIMS ideal. There was
nothing he would not dare or do-ay!
or brag about afterward. Her strong,
vivid nature luxuriated in the contrast
he presented to the ffaccid types that
surrounded her. They were narrow
chested, weakened and loose-jointed;
faded in color; thin of voice. They
shufilcd as they walked. When they
found an opportunity to sit down they
sank inertly.
Spanish Jack. on the contrary, was
rarely quiescent. As he talked he made
. gestures and staggered up and down;
his eyes flashed. the color leaped to his
dark check. The tones of his deep
,oicc were so different from their reedy
T. pes. Most of the men she knew we're
=. i'y1iaiily in their way as he was, but