Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-08

her lips when she should hear that ne
had given up the battle.
She never spoke to him now Since
he painted advertisements on the fences
she had not 50 much as looked ut him in
nassins. But she could be gentle enough.
Paxton remembered how pleasant she
had been when he first came to town
the wear before looking for place to
establish himself. When he decided TO
STAY it had been with more thought OF
Fields daughter than of Fields. He had
not thought of competition, bus TINS haa
been thrust upon him before he consid-
cred what it meant. 1t meant every
thing adverse, and after Paxton read
this in the open disdain Of Louisa NJ. he
I felt there was nothing for him but to go
ON and be successful. though success
now had bitter dregs and broke in sharp.
spiteful sparkles at his lips.
One morning in May. Fields, survey
ing from his door the rocky hills. no
longer rugged, but rounding with spring
greenery to virginia. softness OF curve,
fetched big sigh.
"Mebby it's only the time o year. he
speculated, .sbut somehow don't feel
lest right-'spech'ly when ! git to study
in bout young Paxton"
LOUISA NJ. gave the back Of his gray
head a glance of challenge. She was
setting things to rights in the showcase.
and she thrust bone hairpin rather
angrily into a bolt of ribbon.
..Why?' she exclaimed.
1 .We'ye run him too hard" said Fields
uncomfortable. "a friend o his named
it to me yistiddy that he couldn't holt
ont much longer. feel this ways:
had my chance and he ought to hey
/ had his. He hadn't no i'll will to'des
me. He was gittin trade far and
sauar', and he could of KEEP it eff ! hedn't
undersold him clar below cost prices.
| | feel ez mean and ornry ez fee dog
that sucks eggs. hain't treated him
white"
Business is business" said Louisa
/ NJ, shaking back her hair. She was a
little thing in gathered pink frock,
( but she looked to Fields rs immutable as
4 the austere justice on coin Of the realm.
! Perhaps after all she was right, and lie
| himself was swayed from Judgment by a
sort Of limp tendency to see other folks
comfortable. Fields resignedly modelled
his big clay conceptions upon the tiny
! marble models of Louisa M ideas, but
somehow, though, his unwieldy notions
were grotesquely like the pattern. they
were soft and unstable, and required
constant bolstering into shape.
Though Paxton might be, as Louisa NJ
declared him, the evilest Of Adam 5
blood it nurt Fields to see the handsome
Young fellow going about the village
with drawn face and downcast eyes.
Am a-losin tlesh!" he complained to
his daughter Tibet Teller hes got away
with my appetite I'd rather 90 ragged
ez picked buzzard than keep this MP,
! I'D feel heap better, Louisa NJ, IL
| mark ihet last lot o ealicoes up "a little,
bat under his daughters chastising eye
be drew tagging breath.
You leave things to me-" commanded
Louisa NJ. "You don't know anything
about business, pappy! We're only turn
ing his own blade against Paxton. He
deserves to fail, He came here year
back honeying around and never saying
he was looking for place to locate.
was nice to him. | used to talk to him
free as air, never suspicioning ne was
aiming to do my own father up" Her
voice choked. She had paled under her
coppery skin, and her wet eyes were like
violets that tremble open in swart
| March bank.
Finally along toward summer the end
came. Paxton assigned for the good of
| bis creditors. A lawyer from Burksville
came to take charge of things, and the
steamboat landing was deserted, as men
gathered in Fields store to discuss the
happening. The river was sinking and
traffic was nearly suspended. Cows
grazed on the sunburned pasturage of
the lower hills. Tan colored hogs idled
about the paveless streets, and children
of corresponding tint of complexion
played shrilly on the perilous river slope
"Waal, he 'peared a likely young
rooster
"Yaas. Erthough I'm jest ez willin
he busted Kentucky fer Kentuckians
says l. I'm a pertectionis' every time
don keer nothin about the platform
Fields, listening to this acute philoso-
ply, suddenly cut in, his broad face GU
riously sunken: "Confound it. l say,
far chance fer every one."
He stopped to pad his brow with a
punched red handkerchief; his views
shortened by two circumstances. He
had remembered that Louisa NJ. was
somewhere in the back of the store, and
just then, too, the throng of men had
opened to admit young fellow who
came across tho porch at . run, his har
of.
"Sayr he painted, tho exhilaration of
bad news in his face. "why, say.-did
any of ye hear about Paxton? He's went
to work and shot hisseY. That Teller
from huntsville was talkin to a raft of
us outside Paxton's store and we heerd
a rife go off hp steers In Paxton's room,
and he tore up thar and busted in the
door, and-Lord! wait till l get my
breath!-I got it from Smith, the
There was little sound behind the
middle of men--a sound like sharp
breath. and a clatter of tin and heavier
| resonance.
In front Of the molasses barrel an
overturned quart measure and long
nosed funnel rolled on the bare floor in
lessening arcs. Near by in the gloom Of
the inner apartment something had
fallen, something which looked like
limp heap of pink calico and which, as
Fields lifted it, trailed faccid arms, its
little neck letting the head back in a
sickening way Of lifelessness.
Outside tho sunshine lacquered the
river with milky CLEAN. A delicious
blueness misted distant hills, and near
by Fields store a bluejay flashed its
wings, uttering rasping cries. Two men
coming up the road were laughing as
they sauntered along-one. an elderly
person, hopping his face.
lyon scared me out of years growth.
Just the same!" he said. II knew Won
were down in the mouth, and when that
shot rang oIt--I-well, l naturally
thought you had done for yourself.
went up those stairs four steps at time,
shouting to those fellows below to run
for a doctor"
Paxton gave rather grim smile.
II believe you're disappointed that it
was orly chicken hawk was firing
att he said. Mrs. Wick had j,;st
called to me from the back yard to shoot
it. She's been missing pullets lately
$50 you let go. Say. Paxton, some
ihing must be the matter down at Fields.
Lock. Isn't that Fields crossing the
road. He's carrying-it looks like
woman
Fields lived opposite his store In a