Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-10-11
THE YELLOW WHEELS.
Bv MARIANNE DIE WOLF PERRY.

~ '-hhiHNNE MDlsF PIsNliH.
Joe Jcffus drove u coal team, great
numbering two-horse coal team and every
day of his life, Sundays excepted"
pcrched high above his business, he thun
dercd with his dusky load through the
streets OF the busy town. One large con-
Germ used quantities of soft coal, and Joe
had found out that the easiest haul there
and back was along the fine broad avenue
where those who owned trotters specdcd
them, and those who did not sat upon the
fences and made disparaging remarks.
But OF all those who flew past Joe rs he
laborcd along the road, not one excited
his ire half so much rs Il man with ''ycl-
low wheels"
Sometimes il was horse of one color
and sometimes of another, but always
''yellow wheels" Joe just hated the
very sight of him. lie was so we'll
dressed, he was so sclf-containcd, his
steam" was SO spicll and span, and he
drove 50 WELL that to himself Joe had
wasted upon him all the choice cpithcts
that hc-had learned in the army.
Joe Jelfus had driven team of some
kind ever since he could remember, and il
the war maturing about the same time. he
should enlist us Il WAGNER and become
driver OF II mule team.
He saved his bountcs and his pay. and
mt the close of the unplcasantness con
cludcd to settle down and go to work.
But he missed being under orders, and
looking about him, woocd and won his
ncxt-door neighbor, n fragile little
light-haired factory girl, and sworc
allegiance to her for life
His hands and face were not black and
grimy then, and his dark curly hair
crowned q head of youthful, manly
beauty.
Youth had long since gone from Joe,
the little light-haired girl had become a
delicate, ailing woman, and his heart
sank many and many n time as he climbed
up the dingy stairs to his attic home.
The ''littlc woman" tho, had proved on
the whole, good investment. Every
month little from his pay went into the
great stone savings bank in the center of
the town.
"Wouldn't the time ever come the
little woman kept asking, "whcn they
could buy the little corner lot they could
see from their windows, and over which
the soft summer brcczcs coming up from
the river kept the grass and trees so
green2"
And then Joe would light his pipe and
go down and sit upon the doorstep, and
think, always think about the "yclIow
wheels"
Now this feeling was not so very
strange after all, for into cverybody's life
at some time or other, in some way or
another, there enters something very,
very nearly akin to the man with "ycl-
low wheels" And so it came to pass
that one day succeeding the timc-worn
wish from his tired wife, that, thunder
ing along the avenue, he canght sight of
his enemy.
He had pulled up toward the sidewalk
to see man. a line of heavy wagons
was coming in the opposite direction.
Joe kept bearing closer and closer down
upon tho 'ycllow Wheels" away from
the approaching teams; he had taken in
the situation mt glance. The yellow
wheels could be raspcd and cut into by
the end of his clanking whililc-trec, If
the man didn't pull out literally upon the
sidewalk. Now Joe could clear him lust
as we'll as not if he Wanted to; but he
didn't.
Unconscious of oil this, the owner OF
the "ycllow wheels laughed and talked
with his friend on the sidewalk. On and
on came Joe, his face blackcr than usual,
threatenings and slaughter in his heart
and evil in his eye. In less time than it
takes to tell it the heavy whifle-trec was
playing hide-and-seek among the yellow
spokes; the horse had jumped and
backed, almost thrown out the man,
knocked his hat off in the mud and put
one foot squarcly upon it, while Joe, un-
concernedly, face to the front, was clank-
ing along the road. Very soon Joe
knew the man was coming for him; he
heard the horses hoofs nearer and near
or, and now the 'yellow wheels" were
ahead of his team.
81 say" said the man, "what did you
do that fort"
$50 long" answered Joe, apparently
to his horses, really to the man.
III say" repeated the man, "what did
you do that fort"
And then Joe, using the most forciblc
expression he had learned in his army
days, asked him if he thought that he
and his -- yellow wheels owned the
whole street.
The man with the "yellow wheels"
kept his place alongside, but seemed bur
led in thought,