The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-22

they'd pay fer hit. En- we uns war hard
up; we had nary sugar nor coffee-jes'
bread en- a little bite o meat; en- Jack
SEE, sezzee, i hain't agwine ter stend
hit, hain't: | II jes haul the corn over
ter Stillinger's still Ell turn hit inter bug
juice. Hill fotch huff ter buy sugar
an coffee.
$50 he hauled hit over thar ter the
still, every bit o our crap we had to spar,
en- the stillers stilled hit on sheers. The
shotes, they followed Jack, en- the rev'nue
they followed the shotes en- busted up the
still, en- throwed out the mash en- the
beer en- the whisky en- away went our
years crap at a lick. En- wussur an all,
they cotched Jack. Stillinger he got Ell
way-he's a ole hand at the business-en
the rev'nue took en- brung Jack ter At.
lanty."
"Then you didn't git no sugar nor cof-
fee!' said the jailer, as old Bigby paused.
mary drap," said he mournfully, shak.
ing his grizzled head, sen we lost our
leetle crap besides. But what's sugar en-
coffee ter Jack bein' tuck? Me en- his ma
en- the gals wish we uns never heared tell
sugar en- coffee. What's sugar en- cof-
fee ter Jacks lynn thar a-perishin'
away, weaker AN baby" cried the old
man in tremulous voice.
Here the sick mans nerves gave way
under a food of self pity, and he began
to weep.
"Thar-thar-honey," cried his father,
trying to soothe him, "don't ye cry" He
thrust his hand into the pocket of his
copperas jeans coat and drew out a gaudy
red and yellow cotton handkerchief.
la! Lar he calculated, ''ef l haint
clean aforementioned all bout hit! Why,
honey, eff hyar hain't anew henkercher
yer ma cent me. She saved up all O.
ole Speck's aigs en- sol 'em Christmas, en-
buyed hit fer We fer a present, en- she's
been a-keepin' hit fer We ever sence."
But the gaudy handkerchief, far from
comforting the prisoner, overwhelmed
him with home sickness.
Take hit away!" he sobbed. ''Take
hit awayl Oh. ma! Oh, ma! I'll never
see We agin!'
The stalwart mountaineer dashed the
gay handkerchief under the bed, and
kneeling beside his son, Graded him in
his arms as if he were baby.
Thar, now; thar, now; don't We take
hit SO ter heart. YEN git well en- see her
yit Pap'll nuss his boy tell he sees her.
Don't! don't, my Jackie. my baby! Oh,
my Lord!' he moaned in sudden terror
at his helplessness to comfort. The I'M
happy fathers tears mingled with his
sons, and he vainly strove to dry them
in his blue checked handkerchief.
The friendly jailer's eyes filled, and his
throat swelled, and fearing he might be
swept away in the sea of woe, he hastily
retreated to the door, and nearly knocked
over the doctor, who was entering.
"What is the matter" said he. "Come,
come, this won't dol"
"He won't hush, said the father. "Ef
his ma was only hyar ter nuss him he'd
do better"
well, he must get well and go to her.
Here's something that will cure him fast
err than all my medicine" and the doctor
held up the paper. "See, the judge has
sent you a release" and he read it aloud.
Now, bigby, you must get well, so you
can travel"
"Tll never get well in hyar," said the
prisoner, trying to stay his sobs. "All
crave is leetle sunshine en- fresh ar"
"Well, you shall have it just as soon
as you can travel"
"Pap, We say the suns shinin' out
slider" said the prisoner.
"Well, hits a-shinin' right smart"
said Mr.. Bigby, winking the tears off his
eyelashes. Eyes," said he, qualifying,
as it were, his assertion, ~ mought say
hits a-shinin' right peart."
"En hits a-gittin' warm, hain't hit?"
asked he. Springs a-comin', hain't it?"
Springs a comm on" assented Mr.
Bigby. 1.-THE SHOWS done melted and
gone, the peach trees air a-bloomin', the
buds O the ellums en- the willows air
a-swellin', the red buds en- naples air
a-bloomin', the bees air a-playin' in the
sun afore Their gums, en- the young calves
air a-bleatin' in yander pastur'," he said,
adding bit by bit to the rural picture as
his sons hungry eyes seemed to devour
him. "The jaybirds air beginnin' ter
sing, en- soon the voice O. the turtle will
be heared in the land" he concluded.
"Then I'll CO." said Jack, homesick fol-
a sight Of what his father had told him.
sit will be great risk" said the doc
tor.
"Well, I'll risk hit. What's the use O
dyin', like a rat in hole, in this hyer
jail?' said the prisoner.
at is almost certain death to venture
insisted the doctor. "Wait till you get
little better"
EFF mus die, femme die at home,n
cried Jack. "'Pears like / could die
easier thar"
Seeing that he was determined to 60
the doctor ceased to urge him. "Haye
you the means to take him homer" he
asked the father, who had arisen and
seated himself on the side of the bunk.
"Well, yes" said the old man, 81 sold
my critter afore leavin' home ter git the
money ter come hyar on"
"If you sold your horse, how are you
going to make your CROP" asked the
friendly jailer.
"Well," said Mr.. Bigby, undaunted by
the dismal prospect ahead, II thought al
how I'd sell my COW en- calf, arter Jacb
is well huff to do 'thaut the milk, en- buy
a steer. Only femme git him back tel
his ma in the mountains en- we'll scratch
long somehow"
The sun shone bright and warm; the
air was sweet and balmy; spring wal
coming fast, and April seemed to hav,
haefanad a1onoy tho road IN r,aat MoroL
and strewed few of her days in hii
calendar. The sun beamed into the cal
where Jack Bigby lay on two seats, ap
parently half asleep. For the first hall
of the journey the excitement, the
change, the thought of home, had kept
him up.
"The sun-the ar" he cried, delight
eddy, "hit's powerful good, papl"
"Hit's mighty peart," said the old
man, alphabetically.
But now, his little strength exhausted,
Jack lay in state of collapse that hil
father mistook for sleep, with the sun
SHINING full into his face, though he did
not seem to know it.
wake up, Jackie" said old Bigby,
cheerfully. 1--WE air out er Canton now,
en- gwine in ermong the mountains. Loob
at EN-"
The sick man reused up. and with hi,
iathers assistance raised himself so as ia
look out OF the window. As far as tn.
eye could reach range after range Of
mountains met the view rising one above
the other. The invalid gazed unon tben,