The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-09

ering houses before the Introduction OF
shingles. They were rough boards
riven out Of pine or oak trees, and they
were about three feet long and four
inches broad. Near one extremity
they were perforated by a large gimlet
and through the perforations pegs three
inches long was driven, so that the
clapboards could be hung along lathes
fastened across the rafters, at proper
distances. Early in the morning, jacob
had begun his work, and when the sun
was two hours high, he had reached
the topmost round. His girls were
throwing the clapboards up to him.
and had just gathered the last armful
for that purpose when they dropt them
to the ground and uttered cries OF
alarm. They retreated to their mother,
and directed her attention to the gate
where, mounted on a sorrel, a bay,
and snow-white horse, three fierce
looking men had just halted.
"Och! Iokkelly, shust look" cried
the old woman. The old man turned
his head and, seeing the cause of bis
daughters alarm, apd his wife's sur
prise, addressed the strangers, as fol-
lows:
"How t'ye do: goot beeples Pm glat
to see you. Come now, won't you
light and haf your hosses fed; and resht
ontel dinner is readily. Come, light,
and make yourselves at home"
"That's just what we're going to do,
old man." said one of the troopers.
"Dat is right" said Jacob, II likes to
see beeples free and easy. Polly, ,"-ad-
dressing his wife,-"wat is you and de
gals gwine to have for dinner?"
>"Well," answered the good woman,
1--WE was mindted to hat some red cow
peas nit pacon, und gabbitches, und
saur kraut, und milk und bread"
GAIL dat is frsht rate" applauded
her husband. "But you musht not
forgit de tree bunches ofred peppers, of
de long, spindlin' sort wat purns like
de fire of Pelsypub, and"
"Hold on there with your pepper"
cried another of the marauders (tor
such were they, belonging to Tarleton's
"no quarter" legion) "and listen to me.
Have you gotany moneyin the house,"
"Blenty, and to shpare," replied
Jacob. eff dat is wat you wants, you
is welcome to it for would pc glad to
git rid of de revverflucht shtutf. 1t gifd
me drouble enough to git it togedder."
"That's just what we are here for"
said the first speaker. $50 come down
and get it for US; or tell US where to find
it. You are such a jolly old codger,
that it is pleasure to rob you-espec-
tally since you have such fine-looking
girls. May be, we won't burn down
your house for their sakes, if they do
not scratch our faces too much, for
they look devilish strong"
This last expression made the poor
girls cling closer to their mother, who
looked up at Yokkelly, and felt her
heart sink within her, as she saw the
vengeance-glance gleam for an in
slant from under his black, bushy eye
brows, and she feared excessive retri-
button for her husbands love for his
daughters far surpassed his love for
money.
"Come, come, old fellow, make
haste; we can't wait long," cried the
same voice.
"Oh, don't pc in hurry" answered
the gun-smith. "I've only few more
clapboards to fasten on and would
like to finish while I'm up here. You
see, Tn an olt man, and cannot move
apout so quick as use to could. I'll
gif you a hundert tollers in gool for
dat bay mare you're on"
"That old fellow is got some trickery
in him, Tom" said the trooper in.an
undertone who had not yet spoken.
II say, you old scoundrel, how are you
going to pay hundred dollars in gold,
when every cent in your house belongs
to US ,"
"Well, py de life of me, I had forgot
all apout dat" exclaimed Jacob. Il
don't pellet, howsumdever, dat would
haf one of your bosses as free gift"
"Why?" asked one.
"Pecase," continued Jacob, "dey
have, all tree Of dem, got de worst sort
of sore packs"
"How did you know that : are you
a conjurer ?"
"Wy I saw you comm up de road |
yondter two hundert yards away, be-
fore my gals pegin'd to screech ; and I
saw dat de poor creeters glfd away |
under your weights. De sores musht |
py dis time pc eat down to de pack
pone."
"Begad, that's true but come along |
down ard give US your money. If we
don't get more than hundred dollars
we will kill you and your cid woman /
and burn your house, and carry off
your girls"
Here Polly looked up at Yokkelly,
but hastily turned away her eyes tight
ly closed for the glance that shot
forth from under his brows was like
the momentary purplish lightning
streak that sometimes darts athwart a
black cloud ; and she thought of the
verse in her morning reading out Of
her German Bible: DEM des Menschen
Torn Mm NIGHT, aoas uor Goet recht ist.
II pellets dat I is apout done now,"
said Jacob, "ano Pm comm down.
!, lot,o honrarC |