Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-25
'AB" BECAME A HERO.

tied on his sunburned face, and ns lie sat
ON u stump by tho bride path ho dug his
heels into the stony soil and uttered
maledictions on the world in general.
Abithar Achish Higgins was evidently
waiting for some one who was not Oh
time. Abithar Achish was the Scriptural
name bestowed upon "A tall, ungainly
youth of twenty summers by q mother
who was deeply religious, and was taken
haphazard from the good book, just like
all tho 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 Il duin fool fer stay
in here" said the youth TO himself as his
heels dug very viciously into tho soil
why don't yer get outen hyar an SEQ
ther world? Yer lit fer sumthin better
than livin an dyin in these mountings
like yer par did, IN never a KNOWN
nothin. Ii yer git outen hyar yer kin
make or forum. an thet's sumthin yer
outen thcr clutches o ther revenoos
when ser make little whisky. Bgosh,
Alb. why don't yer start terday!'
Alb answered his own question by as.
sumng standing position and kicking
hinge 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
h.u I,,Ne in, tar nj fav
ter make fnrtun'."
Alb turned slowly and began walking
mp the bride path. He had taken scarce
half II dozen steps, when soft voice
issued from the bushes and hailed him:
oh, Alb, what silly thing yer gittin
ter be!'
Alb stopped and n broad smile spread
over his homely face as he turned and
saw girl step into the bride path.
I've heen hidin in ther bushes fer o
half'n hour. said the girl, IAN | heerd
what scr said about goin ter Saint
Looey Ha maxim yer FORUM. Air yer
gitiin t., gnod fer Barker's Clearin?"
'Wn, Ncr wanter teaze feller fer,
Melia,| ~,Ild hb in deprecating tone
IA he R.ri thr girl sat down in the shade
and cIa,'rh hands lovingly.
Msis>, Rankin was pretty, despite
the M ;,mly bonnet that surrounded
her face and honiespun dress that lily
fitted her form. Her father was 'in
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 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 Barkeris
Clearing
Ab and Melissa had been ''sparkin"
for two years. and it was evident to the
whole clearing that there would be o
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 a 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
ker's Clearing. Goss was n young Jaw
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 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 III make
rich man of you" were Goss' parting
words, as no left the clearing to return
to his home in the city
The words had been spoken in jest,
but Abithar cherished them i'm his heart,
and rs the days passed he became more
and more convinced that out in tho
world was wealth and fame for him rs
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 whore Inc was and not attempt to
battle with the great outside world.
Stay right hyar, Ab," said Melissa.
wy can't yer bo content like yer pap
wuz? He WIZ born right hyar at Bar
ker's Clearin. an ut Barkers Clearin he
fled Yo amt no better'n yer pap air
yeT'
What is there hyar fer man to do,
Melissa? Ef stay hyar I'll never mount
ter nothin, but ef | go out an see the
world maybe kin get rich. Maybe
can get ter lie what Mr. Goss said WIZ
CT hero-one o them fellers like Apoller,
OF like ther man as flung hisself on them
Ostrian spears ter save his country.
kain't dl et ef | stay hyar. Ef | don't
git out u hyar I'll never be wuth
shucks
But whatll become of me, Alb, eft
yer 60 way" asked Melissa in n fearful
voice
When get ter be one o them rich
heroes III come back arter yer. Meliss,"
said Ab. as he frightened his clasp about
her waist and kissed her cheek.
You'll fergit me when yer get out'en
hyar, Alb" and the girls sobs shook her
slender frame.
II won't nuther," said Alb stubbornly.
''Yos, yer will, Alb ] know yer too
well. Zeke Bigler went 10 Saint Looey,