The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-08-13
VOL. XXVII.-NO. II.

and old mother, and he was not afraid of
being disturbed during his interview The
news of the murder had not reached them,
he knew; it was too soon for that He
watched Tidy, hidden by the old-gold and
scarlet leaves of a young silver maple, and
saw her stoop beside the COW, performing
the feat of milking with both hands, send
ing white cross. streams into the foaming
pail Her head rested against the cows
glowing red coat, and formed the third
shade of red in his line Of vision.
"Tildy," he said, coming forward and
also straight to the point, "is you got any
bread you could git me? I'm goin' mat
ter of fifteen mile or more long the noun
tain side and lef home in sech hurry
forgot to bring any dinner
"Well yes, answered Tidy, blushing
a little at his sudden coming, for she had
Just been thinking of him and wondering
why he hadn't come home with her the
night before, 'ef you'll take holt and milk
Spot while I'm gone won't lose no
time Is late this mornin count o bein
up at the corn-shuckin'."
"Hurry up" he said; "I amt got no
time to waste, kin tell you. I'll hev to
go 'thout it eff you amt back plaguey soon.'
"All right, she murmered, and hasten
ed away. Bill at once turned up the milk
pail unceremoniously and drank the con-
tents; for "a bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush, and if Tidy delayed too long
he would at least have had the milk he
thought, He had MIXED the pail as full
as Tidy had left it, and trife more, when
she returned with generous supply of cold
corn bread and some very biious-looking
soda biscuit, made of the lowest grade of
-four, with the saleratus showing; in gener-
! GUS streaks of green throughout them. 1t
: was the best she had to offer, and they
' were both happily unconscious that the
D biscuit were not the best in the world.
'Heres few sweeten taters, too, Billy,
:, as you'd like, maybe" she said, smiling,
] "Ts sorry, amt got no meat for you"
81 amt hongry yit, he answered, "but
e L mought git so. l thinks heap of you,
+ Tidy, and Is goin to tex you out West
with me some day; and don't you forgit it.
:, He was in no mood for love making, nor
# had he time for many soft speeches, but it
came over him that this woman was the
e only person in the world who would care
s whether he were hanged or not, and so he
n said what he did to please her.
s "And Tidy, don't you say nothin' bout
# seein me this mornin', want this here
+ trip KEEP quiet-like, but I'll tell you all
S bout it when see you mex. And don't
/. you b'lieve nothin' agin Inc nuther, eff you
e don't see me for some time, no matter who
d tries to make you.
e "No," replied Tidy, looking into his
S bad, black eyes with her weak blue ones.
h "Good-by, my girl, Imust be going rs
s got long walk ahead O. me, as be had
e indeed.
e Oh, the misery for him of the days that
e followed! The wandering up and down
t among the mountains with the mark of
e Cain upon him; the cold and the wet of the
northeast storm without shelter; the sleep
e lessness; the footsore Weariness; the perpet-
e ual, anxious dread. The lovely red leaves
e of autumn were not beautiful to him; they
e suggested only blood. The wild grapes
!. with which he appeased his hunger choked
p him as he remembered the innocent child
days when his mother used to take Jack
:; and himself to gather them for winter use.
,, He almost thought no death could be worse
t than the life Of hardship and fear he was
living.
Y Twenty days after the murder Bill
t Sprouse was captured and lodged in the
K county jail, and all the world believed him
II guilty except Tidy. She had discovered
e the meaning of his mysterious sentence at
parting, and, like many another woman,
e believed her sweetheart innocent simply
e because he said he was.
J, The fury and indignation of all classes
s at this fearful and unnatural murder passes
t description. The men would have torn
the murderer limb from limb in their mad
d frenzy if they could have laid hands on
10 him. and when he was at last taken they
felt impatient for his trial and execution.
n The process of law seemed too long for
n such wretch to be allowed to live. Mr..
e Scruggs was greatly excited, and openly de-
e clared that there was no necessity for a
S trial, and that Bill Sprouse ought to be
hanged at once.
If When two months had passed and the
n trial had not even begun, Mr.. Scruggs
IS could bear it no longer. He called the men
e together and made brief but effective
speech
v 'Thar amt no sorter use in waitin' any
= longer for the law to do its duty, he said:
d "Hit's seldom it does its duty. If law was
O worth anything, how comes that man Ken
is ney, as murdered the poor woman wasn't
d hung? How come he is free this minute,
$ agoin to and fro in the world, and walk
/ in up and down it like Satan? And the
# first thing You know Bill Sprouse will be
let off the same way. He's got money to
e pay the lawyers with, and they'll try to
e save his neck. They'll make out he's
d crazy, and it do seem past all believin as
E he could ha' been in his senses aud kill his
ole mother Eff hadn't seed him mex