The morning call., 1891-07-10
A WORTHLESS FELLOW.
BY CLARENCE NJ. BoUTELLE.

BY CLARENCE NJ. BOUTELLE.
"a worthless fellow; simply a worthless
fellow" The words were not new to Bill
Fedden, but scOwl crept darkly up his
handsome but weak and dissipated-looking
face as he heard. He looked quite capable
of thrashing the man who uttered them. and
equally Incapable Of giving any other denial
TO them than the denial of mere brute force.
The denial of brute force and the assertion
of muscle are going out of date in these
days, almost at the threshold of the twen-
tieth century. But of denals or assertions,
poor Bill Fedden had no other.
Perhaps Charley Chase spoke with greater
emphasis than was necessary. A Western
donation party brings all classes together.
Bill Fedden might have been out of place
there, but be didn't look So Doubtless he
would have looked so in church; no one
could say; he hadn't been there for years;
no one looked for the Feddens at church.
But the donation party was a different thing;
wild games and laughter went ON under the
eyes OF the minister who shouted the truths
of religion to his rough hearers on Sund ay,
Eni who shouted to his rough sous and
rough oxen at their work every other day
in the week; he even took part in them
sometimes himself; and the young people
always took as much enjoyment out OF the
as they did out # that education al agency,
the spelling school, or that worldly amuse-
ment, the genuine western country dance.
And all the Feddens always came; and
they were always liberal; and they had al
ways been welcome. Charley Chase was
emphatic. He evidently meant to impress
the girl TO whom he spoke. He aimed at
the sensitive side of her nature. Every one
In town knew the truth of what he said he
intended the girl should feel as well rs know.
nd kf.dN hR arA Z
meant to punish him for it.
A small house is well crowded on such
occasions as these, and Bill found himself
long time in crowding down upon his
victim. This one and that had hearty word
for him, but his answers TO all were short,
and his eyes were fixed on the couple he
was following. Charley Chase whom he
meant TO trash within five minutes, and
Alice Brown, the minister's daughter,
whom he as fully intended to marry-some
time
Tom French kept him for half a minute
talking about deer hunt they were to make
when the next snow fell, and be thought Bill
in queer mood indeed.
No liquor Ia his breath, perfectly sober;
what ais the fellOw?
That WAS what Tom French said to him
self as Bill went on.
Len Edwards, usual champion at spelling
schools. quick with figures, and generally
counted the smartest young fellow any,
WHVic ia inc flNiulAgY uiQ illlnscl1 CEtulI DY
his acuteness.
whats up? You amt going to kill
Charley. Chase, are you? What's he been
dong?"
PIN going to thrash him; you mind that"
said Bill
$50 ahead; Pm well fixed" and Len
leaned ND against the window sill behind
him. I'll open the window when you
begin to sweep the snow out Of the yard
with him."
An OLD maid who believed she had mis-
sion to convert young Fedden, and who,
perhaps, was simple ana honest in her be-
lief, albeit the neighbOTS always said, Con
vert and marry" when they spoke of 1t, in
tercepted him, and got an oath in answer to
some remark which was intended to be
kind and considerable.
A wild, dashing girl who had Bilps atten-
ton the whole of the winter before, and
with whom he had quarreled, held out her
hand in friendly way, with reckless look
In her eyes which would have kept him
longer half year ago than it did now.
Bill met man he owed, growled when
the money was asked for, but paid it and
went on. He growled more, perhaps, when
man who owed him insisted on paying
him. He had followed Chase through two
rooms already, and his anger had not cooled
a bit
He met the minister next. talking with
stranger, and lie had to be introduced. The
minister Was bluff and frank and hearty
the minister's daughter-but ne hurried on.
"a worthless fellow; simply worthless
fellow" aud the tones in which the minister
tod it 10 the stranger WIRE as bluff and
frank and hearty as those he had just used
To Bill. Full OF earnest conviction, laden
with the very spirit of truth, and so loud
and clear that Bill heard them.
He paused. He couldn't thrash the min
Ster; he couldn't thrash the minister's
daughters father. Should he thrash any,
q fha IafN
opened the door near him and stepped out
into the night A strange look was in his
face; something very like sob came from
between his set teeth.
He thought of it as he stood there. Drink
from his DoyhOod; difficulties with his teach
ers, from whom he had learned next to
nothing; difficulties with the neghb0rs;
growing reputation for fighting; strong sus-
picions as to his regards for the rights of
property. This was his reputation. And
yet the handsome young fellow was not I'M
popular. Pearie Bradstreet had gone far
Their when she offered her hand to him to
shake that evening, despite the quarrel they
had, than any girl had ever gone yet, but
half score OF good girls would have ac-
copied his attentions. He knew his reputa-
tion; he knew the excuses all his acquaint-
ances were always ready TO make for him.
"a worthless fellow" was usually said in
pity.
TOO latep'
The words were those of utter despair
and WEAKNESS, hiding for little, at least,
the anger he had felt.
In great crises in life we Often give at
tention to very little things. AS Bill Fed
Den turned away he saw a man bow his
head suddenly and kiss woman he held in
his arms. They were standing In front of
the window which was to have been the
point of view when Charley Chase received
his thTashing at his hands, And In among
those IDEAS that make lives tragedy stole
one of those which M a n If DIV
He'd better open now. That's better
than seeing man licked"
But the comedy of his life was forever
over for Bill Fedden in half minute more.
for as the couple turned TO enter the house
again by the door through which he had
Just come, and through which they had
doubtless preceded him by only a little
time, the light from the window showed
him the faces Of Charley Chase and Alice
Brown.
Tine stars shone down on a face hardly
less white than they; the teeth cut Bips
lips nntil the blood came; his groan would
have made listener shudder; but he
tramped away toward his home, leaving
Alice Brown won and Charley Chase un
punished.
CHAPTER II.
Fedden slept late the next morning. so
late that score of men came to arouse
him. But Charley Chase slept later. and
only one fair woman tried yanly to rouse
him.
Bill came down, hardly more than half
dressed, when he heard the confusion be-
low stairs. The kitchen was full of armed
men. Judge Lynch was not entirely un-
Known in the region. and whatever Bill
knew OF the past or the present. he knew at
once that he stood almost on the threshold
Oh the great future. Whether his visitors
came there to hang him or not, they could
never afterward agree themselves. AT any
rate they didn't do it. Two men out of the
twenty or more. one of them sheriff, in
Sisted on an arrfet. Strong wills overcaine
weak ones, and by noon Bin Fedden conId
have been lynched only by men bold enough
to have stormed the county jail Weak