The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-03

"W'y, pap, eff that's all yer feard of, don't
60 said the girl through her tears. 'Td
druther be burnt out an hev ter live in a
holler tree like 'possum, an ter holp do
what's gin the law an amt right tall
''But Bert's goin' ter gin me heap o.
money fur shown him the gully up ttS
creek this time, and if you-un's air a good
girl, I'll spend it most all on gittin' yer new
| tiXin's, ribbons an sich," he said trying to
| pacify her.
81 don't need 'em, pap. All want is fur
you-uns ter do right"
1--WE kin live like fine folks, Bert says, if
I'll holp him. Wy, Lenita, you-uns kin put
on more style an any gal along the Roarin
! Fork, when git that money" he said, try
ing to tear himself away from her clinging
arms. But Lenita would not let him go.
| mo, pap, you shan't go. Ye got ter stay
ter home" she said, locking her arms more
tightly around his neck
Had it not been for the liquor BerS Coles
had given him to drink in their interview,
Joe Frenchy might have yielded to his
I child's entreaties. But, warmed by the fluid
poison he had imbibed, her opposition reused
demon, and in freeing himself from her
clasp, he flung her aside with too violent
force, and she fell to the floor, cry of pain
escaping her as her head struck the rough
boards. Frenchy did not look once upon
his daughter to note the result of the fall
but he rushed out of the cabin and took the
! little tiower-starred path up the Roaring
| FORK.
For Ion" time Lenita lay moaning on the
! floor, holdin5 aor hand to a slight wound on
the side Of her head When she felt able,
| she sat up and looked around her. She had
been partially unconscious before, but now
she remembered everything, and look of
mental anguish settled upon her face She
tried to get up. but she was so dizzy she sat
down again When she felt somewhat re-
covered, she spoke aloud:
"I've big notion ter leave him, strikin'
me down this away. But done gin mother
my word ter stick ter pap through thick an
thin, an reckon I'd be doin' ill ter up an
leave him alone by hisself It'd hurt
mother powerful-lik in her angel home so
fur frum the Roarin' Fork, ter see me go
away frum pap, jest cause he struck me
me down.
Then she managed, with the aid of a
bench, to get upon her feet. She staggered
to the door, where she got pan of water.
After bathing her head in the cool liquid
she felt much better, and seated herself on
the threshold of the cabin, where the balmy
south air played softly over her face, like
the touch Of a loving friend.
"Poor pap" she said, as big tears filled
her eyes. He'd been drinlzin' some o. Bert
Coles Struggled whisky, or he'd never
pushed me frum him so cruel like. He
never treated me that way before; but he'll
feel sorry fur it when he comes back ter his
self Poor papv" and the girl wept as she
| thought of the probable fate of her father.
The day wore away The sun went down,
leaving the bluffs tinged with wondrous
| halo Of amber and purple. Lenita had nearly
| looked her eyes out, and yet Joe French did
not come, Had any thing befallen hint
Her mind pictured hundred awful fates for
him. Yet she waited in great mental tor
ture, by the doorway, her dark eyes gazing
far away into the gathering darkness,
hoping TO catch glimpse Of his figure COM
ing home Far into the night she watched
and waited thus.
1t must have been near midnight. Lenita
was at her post Suddenly Joe Frenchy ap-
peared in view down the path. The rising
moon partially lit up the woodland, and
Lenita could see that he staggered as he APP
preached the cabin, slowly and laboriously.
IN moment she was by his side, assisting
him to gain the house.
80, pap, yer shotl" she cried, as her
strong young arms supported him across the
threshold and to rude couch in one corner
! Of the cabin.