The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-12-15

ne SAID:
I'm goin' over thar an wipe that
derncd settler out. I'm goin' to shoot
him so full O. lead that he'll weigh a
ton. I'll break up this squatter bust
ness right on the start
Il knowed Big Jim meant what he
said an I felt kind O. sorry for the
settler, but l didn't say nothin'. Ne
and the other boys jest set down an
watched Jim as he strided 'crCss the
prairie, an waited to see what was
goin' to happen.
when Jim got sorter close to the
wagon we see him draw his gun an
git ready to shoot, then we see him
edge up a little closer kinder keerful
like, then all to once we seen him
stop an wait like he was listening at
somethin'.
oval, [ recon most q half hour
must a passed hat way, an we got to
wondering what made Jim stan there
actin like that, when all to once he
whirled round an come back to us
lookin' the sOberest an s0Lemnest [
ever see a teller look in all my life.
By gosh, stranger, you may not be-
lieve it, but I'd a most swear they was
tears in old Jim's eyes, an l know
when he spoke to us his voice was all
a tremble like his feelin's was too much
for him.
"Course we was all s'prised cause
he was so blamed tough we didn't
s'pose nothin' nd tech his heart, an
we was anxious to know what he'd
heard over to the wagon, an so we
axed him.
oval he said, L went over thar
to shoot that settler, an l was slippin'
up to the wagon to git the drap on
him when all at once I heard a voice
the meekest, pitifulest little voice
I ever hear in my life. an [ knowed
in a minute it was the voice of a
leetle gal
"Jim's voice choked up 50 he couldn't
say nothin' more, so he waited a mo
ment, an then he went on:
"Fellers,' he said, that voice jest
went through me like a knife, an l
never felt SO one1y,'
"It was a good bit before Jim said
q word, an all 1he time he jest set
thar on a inverted bucket nussin' his
head in his hands, an actin like he
was dreadful cut up. We stood round
an looked at him, a wonderin' what it
meant but after awhile 1 ventured to
speak to him, sayin':
"What's ailin' you, Jim2'
Then he raised his head sorter slow
like, an in a tone so sad an different
from what his alIis was, that 1 didn't
recognize it, he said:
"'Boys, I'm jis' completely upset
by what l heard ver thar, an [ feel
SO blamed sneakin' mean that I've a
great notion to shoot myself. I never
knowed before how cussed quaire since
I was born. It was SO weak, an so
pitiful, an so helpless like. 1 heard
it say:
els the land pretty, pat Is it green
with grass like the old homo back
Eastf
eyes, it is very beautiful, darling,
a man replied like he was cryin'. It's
very pretty, an you will find the green
prairie almost as nice as the big
meadow back at the old home. When
you get we'll you car romp over the
plain and gather flowers and be very
happy
81 amt never goin' to be well any
more, pa the little voice said, and I
won't never gather nc flowers nor
romp over the paririe; but I'm glad
it's pretty, cause when I'm in Heaven
where the angels are, an where every
thing is so beautiful and bright, I
want to know that you and ma have
a nice home like the old one we lost.
I won't be with you very long now,
pa, cause I can hear the angels singin', |
an l know they're comm to take me
away. Don't cry, dear pa an ma, |
cause 1 amt sorry to go-only 1 don't
like to leave you. I'm so glad you're
goin' to have a beautiful home where
the grass an the flowers grow; an
sometimes, maybe, I'll come back to
see you
oval, Big Jim, he told over all
what the Ieetle gal said, an I never
see anybody what talked so gentle an
kind as he did.
"Fellows,' he said in conclusion, I
never felt $50 lawful as l did when I
was standin' there listenin' to them
words O. that child. Feared like every