Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-02
ALB" BECAME A HERO.


Mr.. Abithar Achish Higgins was in a
very bad humor. A deep scowl had set
tled on his sunburned face, and us he sat
on stump by the bride path he dug his
heels into the stony soil and uttered
maledlctions on the world in general.
Ablthar Achish Higgins was evidently
waiting for some one who was not on
time. Abithar Achish was the Scriptural
name bestowed upon a tall, ungainly
youth OF twenty summers by mother
who was deeply religious, and was taken
haphazard from the good book, Just like
all the names for the Higgins progeny.
And Abithar Achish's mother always
called him by his full name. But she
was the only one who did. Everybody
else called him Alb.
"Ab Higgins, yer durn fool fer stay
in here" said the youth to himself as his
heels dug very viciously into the soil.
"Why don't yer get outen hyar an see
ther world? Yer fit fer sumthin better
than ivin an dyin in these mountings
like yer par did, an never KNOWN
nothin. If yer git outen hyar yer kin
make er FORUM, an thet's sumthin yer
can't make hyar no more'n yer kin keep
outen ther clutches O ther revenoos
when yer make little whisky. B'gosh,
Alb, why don't yer start ,terday?"
Alb answered his own question by as
suming standing position and kicking
huge chunks from the decayed stump
that had served him as seat.
II reckon Meliss amt COMM" said
Alb, after kicking at the stump for a
time, IAN reckon III go home an tell
man as how I'm goin ter Saint Looey fer
ter make furtun'."
Alb turned slowly and began walking
up the bride path. He had taken scarce
half dozen steps, when soft voice
issued from the bushes and hailed him:
"Oh, Alb, what silly thing yer gittin
ter bel"
Alb stopped and a broad smile spread
over his homely face as he turned and
saw girl step into the bride path.
1--WE been hidin in ther bushes fer a
half'n hour" said the girl, IAN l heord
what yer said about goin ter Saint
Looey an maxim yer FORUM Air yer
gittin too good fer Barl1er's Clearin?"
"Wot yer wanter teaze feller fer,
Meliss?" said Alb in deprecating tone,
rs he and the girl sat down in the shade
and clasped hands lovingly.
Melissa Rankin was pretty, despite
the ungainly bonnet that surrounded
her face and homespun dress that lily
fitted her form. Her father was sin
Jail" at Jefferson City for the crime of
being caught in the act of illicit distill-
ing, and she and her mother lived alone
in a cabin that was perched upon the
bank of the rushing mountain brook
that furnished the power for the rude
mill that was the pride of Barkers
Clearing.
Alb and Melissa had been ''sparkin"
for two years, and it was evident to the
whole clearing that there would be
wedding as soon as Alb was old enough
to go to the county seat and blushingly
assert that he was twenty-one.
The leaves of the scrub oaks were fast
turning brown in the autumn winds and
blowing hither and thither on the
breezes. Melissa had noticed change
in her Alb Of late. Not that he appeared
less affectionate than of old, but that he
seemed preoccupied and discontented
with his surroundings. The change had
begun soon after Mr.. Goss had left Bar
kers Clearing. Goss was young law
student from st. Louis, and he spent the
summer at the clearing fishing and
hunting. During his stay Alb was his
constant companion. AS the two idled
away many a summer afternoon in the
shade on the mountain side Goss poured
into the ears of the listening Abithar the
myths and legends of ancient days, and
told of the great world that lay beyond
the rugged Ozarks that had heretofore
seemed to Abithar to be the utmost
bounds of the earth.
"Come to st. Louis, Alb, and I'll make
q rich man of you," were Goss' parting
words, as he left the clearing to return
to his home in the city.
The words had been spoken in jest,
but Abithar cherished them in his heart,
and as the days passed he became more
and more convinced that out in the
world was wealth and fame for him as
well as for others.
Alb and Melissa sat and talked as the
afternoon waned. Melissa strived to
persuade Alb that he would better re-
main where he was and not attempt to
battle with the great outside world
"Stay right hyar, Ab," said Melissa.
IVY can't yer be content like yer pap
wuz? He wuz born right hyar at Bar
ker's Clearin, an at Barker's Clearin he
died. Ye amt no better'n yer pap, air
ye?"
What is there hyar fer man to do,
Melissa Eff stay hyar I'll never mount
ter nothin, but eff go out an see the
world maybe kin get rich. Maybe
can get ter be what Mr.. Goss said wuz
er hero-one O. them fellers like Apoller,
or like ther man as flung hisself on them