The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-28

Ger certain circumstances 10 survey and
purchase = limited quantity OF worthless
!snd, and how the value Of said land 10 apt
70 nuctuats 5000 ding TO the conditions Of
the purchasers affections. SO Luoian
HaItredRs. sharp and prompt by nature in
. business Transaction, bought that arid
mountain land which he had no use for,
PAID double the price Coffee asked and took
three times as long as necessary for the
But in all that time not one word Of a
private nature did no have a chance to ex-
chanRs with Clarissa. He left the matter
entirely to chance, and finally chance
seemed to be propitious.
lie had announced that he would start
Tor home on Monday. That was Saturday
hiRht. and they were sitting. around the
pine knota blazing in the ire place. Lucian
nad CONS to make himself very much at
home. He got up and announced that he
was going to ths s%pring-he was thirsty.
Mrs. Coffee kicked a hound from under
ler feet in order to reaoL Jake, and jabbed
him with her foot.
"Hyar. Jake Coffee" she exclaimed.
take yo' lazy bones off, that hath an 90
= tn spripR." But Jake gave g snort OF
disapprobation and rolled over on the floor
fast asleep.
'pl 60. nanny" Clarissa said, rising.
day long"
"Clarissa and I will both po.n Mr.. Hart
redge replied, tho bucket already in his
q The two started out together.
IT took a long time to get the water. The
moon was shining brightly, but the thick
laurel. which had 70 often proved secure
hiding places for the moonshiners in times
OF revenue raids. now cast their deep shad-
wi over the moOnshiner's daughter and
her lover. Before they returned the die
mad been east. She had promised to be his
wife and no had taken her in his arms and
pressed upon her lips the first lovers kiss
they had ever known, while fleoks of moon
llgnt danced over their bowed heads.
ne entered the room alone with the buck
ct Of water.
why, whar's Crrissy" asked her
IT think she said she was going to walk
down to the COW pen. We have some news
for you and she preferred me telling you.
Ola, issa has promised to be my wife,"
\ "Whet!' The old man spranR to his feet
while his wife turned in her chair and
stared with her mouth wide open as though
she mad been stricken dumb. what air
tractsd?"
II think not" Hartredge answered with
a smile. "
WY, man alive!!" continued old Coffee.
still considerably dazed, "Cr rissy's my own
darter, an she's dear ter me az my eyeballs,
but l haunt no fool. She's a good gal, but
LORD! She GIANT write her own name-she
haln't never been out o. the shadder o. the
mountlng--why, adern my cats, man! she
don't know B FUN q bulbs footn'
u know all that, Mr.. Coffee. I have told
myself every word of it. and much more, a
thousand times over. But still love her.
! love her 80 dearly that I can't give her up.
bho has promised to marry me and death
.tsione can keep me from having herr ~
Mrs. Coffee burst into tears and left the
room hastily. Josh Coffee's eyes were dim
as he laid his hand on the young mans
shoulder.
You uns air are one in a Million" he
said in 9 husky voice. Don't low thar's
two mo- men in the kentry in yo' station.
ez 'ud "a offered to marry CPrissy, no mar
ter how much they loved her. You uns de-
sarve better"
The next day was SUNDAY. and at noon
meal M. Coffee had an
ment to make. 4
Look nyar, folks" he began. "the riders
done KEN, an there's gwine tor be meetin'
down at Shiloh ter-night. We uns air
ter 60. Ez fur me- I'm plum glad
Nv it. l low hit tex a good spiritooal
shakin' up ter git the taste o. the rsvenuers
oat'n nv mouth" ut4.lIgs@e
Air YOU uns a-gwine!' Clarissa asked,
shyly at her lover. He hesitated.
understood enough of the mountain
to know that all their peculiari- |
Ties came to the surface under the influence |
of their very Jealous religious meetings, |
shrunk from seeing Clarissa under these
t yinR circumstances and his cowardice 1
conquered his inclination.
II think not" he replied. II must fix up
things and I shall take that time for it. |
may ride down later and come home with
vou.'
About shutdown Josiah hitohed tho two
oxen to the wagon and the party started.
Hho khRon ~ nnk 40 A. - go
Mrs. Coffee. Clarissa and tho child
rem were on the straw in tho body of the
wagon.
Left to himself. Lucian HartredRe packed
his valise and smoked a cigar. Then he threw
IN a pine knot and tried to read a home
but the Pickering light hurt his eyes,
and his mind was way down at 'Shiloh
House." He took his chair outside,
and smoked two more cigars in the soft
moonlight, with the pine stirring drearily
him, and the tree frogs calling in
The distance, answered by the katydids.
10 a man or woman reared in tho city
there 10 nothing so narrowing ~ these
noises at night. He began to think
he would saddle his horse aud start down
tho mountain. Hf az" '
A soreeoh owl ON a pine tree near began
his lonesome 'To-whoo! to-whoo! to-whoo-
awh!' and in answer three or four dogs
bowling as though keeping a death
watch. Lucian rose in disgust and wen:
for his horse. . an 1EF
He found his way easily. In that rarefed !
ar and the stiffness of the night the sound
Of the singing and speaking could be heard
for miles. shiloh Mestin' House, was an |
Imprinted log room about forty feet square, |
doing double duty a. sohoolhoLss for three
in the year m church whenever
he circuit rider came to the "settlement"
his rounds. The house was lit by pine
knots. stuck around the room between the
logs and casting weird shadows over the
congregation.
Lucian Hartrsdge fastened his horse to a
'spling and joined a group Of young
standing at the door,
The preacher, q middle aged native, max
ing up In feEvor What he lacked in knowl- |
edge. WAS praying. his voice up on a high
n interrupted every few seconds by a
sOuled "Amen!' from some pious
The preaching wal over, aud at the close
the prayer the preacher made 4 fervid
beseeching the 'unsaved sin
to come to the mourners' bench, and
40 gave out q hymn to be sunG in the mean
while.
The men with their dogs were sitting on
,ne side of the church. the women with
heir babies on the other. Lucian soon
Clarissa.
BY soms fatality she was sitting in the
glare of a pine knot, her mother on one
Tide OF Asr, \ woman unknown to him with
. baby. IN her arms on, the other. Old Mrs.
female another, and all three were
Bnuff.
Luciaa folt as though some one had
damned him in tha fsNa Na hnu oftan