The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-01-21
A BIT OF GLASS


IOuE tEOUUlc - OVcIWOIh-iuuSS
are sound-heat all right-go to the
mountains for . months shooting.
Rough it for four weeks and you are
safe Tor years Of work."
My physician pronounced this ult;-
matum and left me. His advice fell in
with my inclination. For somewhat
over fortnight had been 'roughing
it, in the mountains in the interior Of
Virgins To lose my bearings 30 COM
pletely seemed an absurtlity In one ac-
customed to long hunting expeditions,
nevertheless all day long ! had seen
neither mountaineer nor mountaincer' 8
cabin. 1t was keen and chilly-an at
mosphcre conducive to relish for the
most homcly OF suppers. Tired. hungry
and baffled by the incomprehensible
topography of those great ridges. my
perplexity deepened into the gloomy
certainty of . supperless bed under the
pines. It frightened suddenly when q
tall man in homespun. with an ancient
gun upon his shoulder, slowly crossed
the ravine below me. A moment later
was beside him.
"Hit's bout dark now, stranger
you just come home wild me-Joe
Craddeck. Of Fodder Top Ridge
faint more'n couple Nv mile furder
on" he Hospitality urged.
That was how it happened that sat
down that first time before Joe Grad
decks small log cabin.
A fire blazing on the hearth filed
the low ceiled room with red glow Of
pitch pine.
I'VE hev strangers toll bull ofting. "
my host remarked. "Howsumever.
the last stranger es come erlong took
sick en- died. That wur on'y jes' when
Dildy's a baby gal. kase he give her
. buzzom pin Wild glass bead in hit.
Dunno or could call her mine wen
hit wur savin' fur Dildy's glass
sinner"
Luck was against him." said.
stretching my feet to the blaze. ibid
he meet with an accident?'
'Jes' 80. stranger, the accident wur'
he done tux sick en- died. 'Twan't
long ago. Dildy's growed up sence.
Heah's Dildy now"
He motioned over his shoulder with
out looking around. A girl of sixteen
stepped into the doorway and hesi-
tated shyly, while she toycd with her
long plaits Of black hair. Two things
riveted my attention instantly. They
evoked sudden. irrepressible desire to
know more of them. They were
Dildy's face and the pin fastening the
collar Of Dildy's blue cotton dress.
The one was INCIDENTALLY beautiful
the other simply mystery in this OBJ
scure cabin. 1t was nothing less than
one Of the finest diamonds had ever
beheld. Tongues Of fire seemed to
dart and scintillate in weird brilliancy
from the magnificent solitaire. Some
traces Of amazed curiosity and doubt
may have been reflected upon my fes-
lures, for the mountaineer said:
'.Hit's my Dildy. stranger" by way
OF introduction. zen mind me that ar
buzzom pin il the one the Cun'el gin
her."
"Will you show it to mep" asked
in bland. persuasive tone. after Dildy
had shaken hands with me in shy cor
diality.
l owned to intense curiosity, not un-
mixed with some misgivings. The spot
was certainly isolated. The man Grad
deck might be any thing from the unso-
phisticated mountaineer to the crafty,
inscriptions highwayman. Closer in
spection satisfied me that the stone was
ION color" Of remarkable brilliancy
and set in old-fashioned style. The first
glance showed me that it was Of great
value.
1T is beauty" l said. cautiously.
''Mebbe so; Dildy likes HIT" careless
" retorted Craddeck, pulling at his
corncob pipe. I'D chunksd hit in
the Goals long ago eff the Cum Ell es
died hadn't guy that ar thing to Dildy.
Hits Gurus how that ar bit nv glass kin
shine"
wasp"
'.Dunno % ! svsr thought to ask
him. Wils. she mout : done hit I'd
5ss' come home from follsrin' Jackson
an Early four yeah nv nghtin' in thu
valley On round Richmond. Plowiu'
en pitchin' corn hedn't KEN handy,
liks handlin' = muskit en-, ksm to
think nv hit faint never been handy
sense" hs added. meditstivsly.
''Was the stranger . soldier In the
Southern armyw
sQunno - y wur-ths Cun'sl he'd