Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-15
SHAKE RAG UNDER THE HILL.
CONTINUED from first page,

n end. las, that | do, said |, but
I'd swear on the Bible was ,hinkin'
of someone else. Then, Samuel
my dear Samuel, thou last made me
very 'appy! ave thought of zee,
and lonoed for zee with a great
longin' ever since first knawed
thee, hut 'ardIy 'nped for this. Oh,
my dear Samuel An then the
dragon up an kissed mr! ISIS she
did-the dragon kissed me!
Elizabeth said /, art a gone
mad? no. said she, q knaw wot
thou art, an | take thee with my
h eyes open, for better or for worse,
till death do Us part. O, Samuel, |
am very 'appyn an then she went to
cryin' like ASH er 'eart would break,
an zee can't reason with wumman
WHEN she cries; FOR she only olung
the closer SO wot was | to do? |
could only old FER up an let Ter cry,
an kiss Ter when she 'eld Ter mouth
up. She is a witch, for she pos
se,sed me in spite of myself | am
gonerl Why was ever boorn?"
"Out with the rest of it, SAM"
said Jack. "W hat happened when
you got her home?"
AN that's the shame Of it
that's the clmcher! deserve to
ave poke put on my tongue! Well,
us got 'ome at last, she leanin' on
my arm like glrl in er teens; an
INTO the gate, an up the gravelly
walk with the bushes on the side,
an unto the porch an into the 'ouse,
but she still lad my arm; an when
we got in, there was Ter mother an
that sly chap Dick Torzrr who
cleans up the tallin2s from old dig
| gings, an Elizabeth said Or as if
she lad forgotten, an pulled away
'er arm an tried 10 look 'shamed.
was 70 dazed that | sat down on
the big yellow tomcat that yelled
| like seven devils. Dick--thee
knaws Dick never could hide me
since | punched lis 'ead down at the
iaveru-Dlck, zee up an says, Get
IF that cat Sam PlIchard! Wot do
zee mean comm ere with Elizabeth
Jane dangling on thy arm, an sittiu'
down on The cat? made for ~,
for was mad any'ow, but Eliz abelh
screeched an got between Us an
followed ont Samuel, my dear sam
uel, thee mustn't quarrel with thy
Drotherp 'Brothrr?' squeaks er
mother. 'Brother?' bellows Dick.
on my now it's out Samuel, an
she runs off into the pantry rs if
she WAS 'snamei. Then 'er mother
griuned like "A chessy cat, an Dick
SMILED, an they both shook lands
an wished me joy, an FER mother
fetched Elizabeth out aud wished
us 10y together. DICK an is moth,
er couldn't be kind enough. |
reckon they 'ad right to be, for
she leads them u pretty life, I've
'eard tell. But It's all fixed, an
we're TO be married in May. An,
dear! | wish | was deadn.
Sam's narrative had proved to be
much more serious than was antlcl-
pated, but Molly and lack were still
disposed To take ludicrous view of
1t; being SO happy Ia their own be
troIha they could thiuk of nothing
in connection with marriage III a
serious night.
Joe was strangely silent. That
morning at breakfast he had been
unusually bright and gay, spoke
hopefully of going to work IN the
spring aud chaLted and joNed more
than was usual for hlm even when
/ entirely well. His sudden change
from volube gaiety TO Jaclturn
/ grImuess was assembled 10 some sud
den ludIspuslllon, under cover of
| which excuse he soon left tlle room,
and beng soon followed by the Two
lovers sam and Ina were left to-
/ gelhcr. Tue latter stood az the
window su-piclously quct, unhng
with the curtain tassie, and when
Sam spoke to her she did not an
swer, lhereupou he went to her aud
partly turning her about, while she
slightly resisted, he found she was
crying.
NV hat art a. cryin' for, pet? Is
it about the dragou?" No answer,
50 he went on. Never fear; Pm
never marry or if | fly The country,
if ee' say 50. Doot a say SOP"
And she nodded
The curtain of memory has fallen
here, 50 what sam next uld Is not for
US 70 know, We can only guess.
joe sat that morning ia the room
IN which he had undergone 80 much
suffering. The chill wiutry weather
had decorated the small window
/ paues with fantastic designs, eX-
Guiding the dre.ry prospect Of the
barren land. lu that htue room,
made coy and attractive by the
gentle haud oil woman, was placed
all that the limited stores OF the