Daily Yellowstone journal., 1886-05-07


the village, did not extend even its out
ermost circle to the old farmhouse. IL
Jack returned home after day or two
in town looking something the worse
for his visit, poor Anita took more than
usual pains in preparing delicacies to
tempt his appetite, and insisted on his
waxing three grains of quinine every
morning to keep OIL the chils she was
sure he was going to have in the fall,
and the father was too much accustomed
to the independent habits of his children
to suspect cause for anxiety on his eldest
sons account.
During all his childhood and boyhood
Jacks fidus Achates had been a neigh
boris son, Arthur Wylie by name. Atacit
alliance, growing out Of proximity, kim
dred tastes and the common route of q
short cut through the woods, had bound
them together through all the rough
and tumble experiences of an old field
Jack, as the eldest scion of the house Of
Clemens, must HE away to college to ac-
quire that knowledge which should fit
him for the proper management Of a
property, toward whose delving in classic
mines had contributed, the first inter-
ruption Of their almost daily intercourse
occurred. Arthur could not be spared
from home by widowed mother and
three or four sisters, and his advantages
for culture were limited to a country
school; the use Of fine library collected
by his father, who had been a scholar
lovely and loving women, and the dig
nifty and responsibility Of his position
no mean advantages, according to my
way of thinking.
That summer they were good deal
together, bnt Wylie was making a crop,
working twenty or thirty negroes on his
mothers place, and could not get off
every time Jack wanted him. Occasion
ally they passed day in town together,
and then Jack appeared at home in the
evening, bright and CHEEKY, and free
from the .malarial headache that so dis
tressed his sister
THE summer wore away and October
came. 1t was just one week from the
time fixed for Jack TO set off for the law
school, when one fair Saturday morning
Arthur Wylie rode up to the gate and
called him. He had business in Belview
and wanted company. Jack gaily joined
him, and Anita, from her chamber win
dow, saw them ride away together.
They spent the day in town, and started
out in the early evening. 1t was lovely
weather. The atmosphere seemed full
of golden sparks thrown out in wenton
superabundance from the sun lolling on
pile of yellow clouds. As they passed
Judge Hughes house, Annie (who is
now my wife,, with three or four other
girls, stood chatting at the gate. She
says they all remarked how handsome
the boys looked. They sat and managed
their horses with that easy grace only
acquired by the habit of horsemanship-
Jack, slender, graceful, his light-brown
hair and clear blue eyes making him ap-
pear effeminate except for the nascent
mustache which Swallowed his lip, and
certain air of masculine gallantry; Ar
thur, broader, taller, and darker, sun.
burned and strengthened by his acqucint-
ance with wind and weather, but not
roughened and bearing himself like q
knight in beauty's presence.
About mile out they overlook old
Flanagan in his cart, as drunk and as jolly
as an Irish lord. When they came
alongside he lifted jug and hlccoughed
out, Come now, take drop
Arthur was passing on, but Jacks
comic sense was touched. Lifting the
jug to his lips he said, Here's to Irish
independence, Mickey. Bad luck to the
queen!
THE devil himself must have been in
that brown jug. for with one taste of il
from being full of fun and merry good
humor, Jack grew heady and boisterous.
would keep along by Micky Flanagan.
alternately teasing and humoring him
and taking many pulls at the wicked
Irish jug, in spite of all Arthurs urging
him to let it alone and come along with
him.
1t was the vilest of vile stuffs, and
Jack was soon drunk and quarrelsome.
when they were little more than
half way home they overlook Hawkins,
a neighbor. a surly fellow, who made his
boast that he wouldn't stand foolishness
from anybody Some resentful memory
of this must have stirred in Jacks befog-
ged brain, but exactly how what oc-
CURED came about nobody knows-he
could never remember. Hawkins told
his lawyer the boy bullyragged and
abused him. that he would fight, and
struck him first-very likely; that Ar
thur took hold of him (Hawkins) as he
was furnishing Jack, and that he acted
in self-defense. When those whe could
testify Ia farmer and two Of his mem
came up, Jack lay prone in the road. his
clothes torn and soiled, an unsightly
figure, in a drunken stupor, and little
farther on Arthur Wylie, resting on his
elbow, blood gushing through the bosom
of his shirt and settling in a CHASTITY pool
in the dusty road. Hawkins was riding
off. One of the men was dispatched for
doctor. whose house was very near; the
other. an old negro, who had spent many
Saturday afternoon selling rabbit traps
and fishing with these boys. With many
quaint CALCULATIONS of grief and horror
he lifted 'Marse Arthur out of the high.
way and into more comfortable posi-
ton. The doctor came, calm, cool, pro
fessional. BY the dim light of lantern
busy, with the appliances of his art. An