The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-12-03

able"
His daughter flashed round a start
ling glance.
II am going to stop all this" she
said, "Yes, pappy, | am not going
to stand 1t. won't see you trampled
on. He may be 'smart'-that Pax
ton. So am /. I've got as much nat.
ural wit as he any day of the world.
i will show him" She held out rig
id little hand. "Do You know the
last mean trick he's been upto? He's
had his name painted along all the
pike fences and cliffs. Come to Pax.
tons for new goods That's what
he's put up. It's nm insn.tl-it means
Tint our goods arc dl''
Fields looked around.
Yell, he said. sour stuff ia pooty
toPable seasoned, Louisa NJ" She
wheeled about.
"We'll get new. Well paint the
store and order whole stock OF ev-
erythin:. I'll 20 to the city myself
and order what is necessary. won't
hev no one get ahead OF you, pappy."
Fields looked miserable, but It never
occurred to him to make head against
Louisa Nj. Ruin would doubtless be
tile issue OF the reckless enterprise,
but Fields was helpless.
'I'll show him how to do business
said Louisa NJ. standing erect, her
nostrils diatcd. Fields shook his
head. He continued to shake it sol
emily at intervals in the days that
followed, when boxes and bales to his
direction began to tumble of the
boats which carried the Southern
roads freight down the river.
"Gittin' amove on yourself, hur.
Uncle jimmy" suggested the village
idlers, observing these signs OF trade.
But Fields jaw only elongated the
more. while his brow became O. net
work of conflicting wrinkles.
1t was remarked in open council ut
Paxton's store "that Uncle Jimmy
Fields warn't lookin' jest up to the
NOTCH"
"Mebby he misses that girl O. his M
suggested some one. She's away
sorn'ers He sets everythn by that
er Louisa M. Say, Paxton, l like
to died that night ut Wilson's
darce when you asst fer cudrille,
and she Jest sized you up and says
she's engaged fer every setl Lord, the
look she gave yeh, doubled barreled
and self-lodin! But, say, Paxton, you
ought'nt of give her the comfort OF
seein' you makea home-sneak on ac-
count OF it.
Paxton's cheek Redeemed. He was
slight and tall and his shoulders
twitched little.
"She has right 20 pick her friends"
he said. The other man strapped on
q spur, his foot on his knee.
"Fields is paintin' bis house." he
said. "They tell that he's fxin' up
inside, too. Reckon Louisa Ms
ben stirrin' him up"
After Louisa nj. q return the changes
became more marked. Two shades of
pea green illuminated the house with
out. Inside new stove and complete
stock of dry goods invited the viii
layers. Even the window underwent
a startling metamorphose from gray
ness and Crime togaudiness. When it
was found that prices were happily in
accord with all this enliving prospect,
town sases remarked that "Uncle Jim
my, when it comes to rale tradin,' kin
whip any young dozen O Paxton's
sort with one hand tied behind him."
Matters began to look dark for
Paxton. Public favor is an uncer-
tain thing, impermanent as the sud-
den rush OF bloom on an apple bough
in spring. Paxton's hour OF blossom
ing seemed past. He thought often
OF removing to another town, but he
had n certain sense OF surrender in de-
parture. He knew well enough that
she was at the bottom of his over
throw-that daughter OF Field 's-that
little gipsy-iaced creature with her
black silk locks. He could see the
memory in her oddly blue eyes, the
scoru OF her lips when she should hear
that he had given up the battle.
She never spoke to him now. Since
he painted advertisements on the
fences she had not as much rs looked
at him in passing. But she could be
gentle enough. Paxton remembered
how pleasant che had been when he
first came to town, the year before,
looking for place to establish him
self. When he decided to stay it had
been with more thought of Fields's
daughter than of Fields. He had not
thought OF competition, but this had
been thrust upon him before he con-
every thing adverse, and after Paxton
read this in the open disdain OF Lou.
isa NJ, he felt there was nothing for
him but to 60 on and be successful,
though success now had bitter drcgs,
and broke in sharp, spiteful spark!es
ut his lips.
One morning in May, Fields, survey
ing from his door the rocky hills, no
longer rugged, but rounding with
spring greenery to n virginal softness.
OF curve, fetched n big sigh.
"Mebbe it's only the time o. year."
he specialized, "but somehow ! don't
feel Jest ri9ht-'spech'ly when l git to
studyin' bout young Paxton.
Louisa Nj. gave the back OF his grey
head a glance of challenge. She was
setting things to rights in the show
case, and she thrust bone hairp;n
rather angrily into n bolt OF ribbon.
"Why?" she exclaimed.
"NNe've run him too hard" said
Fields, uncomsortably. "a friend of