The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-12-03
stab. and required constant bolster

Though Paxton might be, as Louisa
M. declared him, the evilest OF Adams
brood, it hurt Fields to see the hand
some young fellow going about the
village with drawn face and downcast
eyes.
"I'm a losin' fesh!" he complained
to his daughter. Tibet Teller hes got
away with my appetite. "l'd rather
go ragged ez picked buzzard than
keep this up. I'd feel heap better,
Louisa NJ, to mark tibet last lot o.
calicoes up little"-but under his
daughters chastising eye he drew a
tagging breath.
"You leave things to me-" com.
manded Louisa NJ. "You don't know
anything about business, pappyl We
nre only turning his own blade against
Paxton. He deserves to fall He
came here year back honeying round
and never saving he was looking for a
place to locate. / was nice to him. !
used to talk to him free as air, never
suspicioning he 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 the summer
the end came. Paxton assigned for
.thegood ofhis creditors. Alawyer from
huntsville came co take charge of
things and the steamboat landing
was deserted, as men gathered in
rield' s store to discuss the happenings.
The river was sinking and traffic was
nearly suspended. Cows grazed on
the sun-burned pastures 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.
"Wa'al, he 'peared likely young
rooster"
"Yaas. Erthough Pm Jest ez willin'
he busted. K'ntucky fer K'ntuckians,
says I. I'm q pertectionis' every
time don't keer nothin' bout tho
platform" Fields, listening to this
acute philosophy, suddenly cut in,
his broad face curiously sunken.
"Coniound 1T, l say, u fair chance
fer every one" He stopped to pad
his brow with a punched red handker-
chief, his views shortened by two cir
cumstances. He had remembered
that Louisa NJ. was somewhere in the
back OF the store, and just then, too,
q throng OF men had opened to admit
young fellow who came across the
porch at a run, his hat off.
"Say!" he painted, the exhilaratlon
OF bad news in his face, "why say!"-
did any OF We hear about Paxton.
He's went to work and shot hissef.
That Teller from Burksville was talkin'
to raft OF us outside Paxton's store
and we heered rifle go off up steers
in Paxton's room, and he tore up thar
and busted in the door and-Lord!
wait till | get my breath!-I got it
from Smith thet-"
There was a little sound behind the
huddle Of men, q sound like sharp
breath and clatter OF tin and q
heavier resonance.
IN front of the mola sses barrel an
overturned quart measure and long
nosed funnel rolled on the bare floor
in lessening arcs. Nearby in thegloom
OF the inner apartment something had
fallen, something which looked like
limp heap OF pink calico, and which as
Fields lifted it trailed flaccid arms,
its little neck letting the head back in
sickening way OF lfelessness.
Outside the sunshine lacquered the
river with milky gleam. Adelicious
blueness misted distant hills, and near
by Fields store blueiay flashed its
wings, uttering rasping cries. Two
men coming up the road werelaughing
as they sauntered along-one, an eld-
erly person, mopping his face.
you scared ms out OF years
growth, just the samel" he said.
knew you were down-in-the-mout
and when that shot rang out-I-well
naturally thought you had done for
yourself. / went up those stairs four
steps at q time, shouting to those fell
lows below TO run for DOCTOR"
Paxton gave rather grim smile.
"Ibelieveyo u're disappointed thatit
was only chicken hawk | was firing
atp' he said. 'Mrs. Wick had Just
called to me from the back yard to
shoot it. She's been missing pullets
lately.
80 you let 60. Say, Paxton, some
thing must be the matter down ut
fields! Lcok! isn't that Fields cross
ing the road? He's carrying--it looks
like a woman!"
Fields lived opposite his store in q
white cottage. Paxton, staring ahead.
caught n vanishing glimpse of the old
mans clumsy figure, his arms over
flowing with the spring-like freshness
OF Louisa NJ. gown.
"Hclo!" said fellow on the skirts
OF the little group OF men at the store
steps, as Paxton strobe forward.
"Yeh amt hurried then? What's tibet?
Oh, about Fields-why, it's Louisa NJ.
She's q little iainty, | believe. Some
Of them fool-boys KEN in and blurted
out about you bein' wal, the boy
unly told what he heered--I don't
blame him--but Louisa NJ. she just
swouned agin The meriasses barl and
Uncle Jimmy he"
But Paxton was not listening any
longer. He had crossed the road and
gone up the path to Fields front
door, and he had gone with so vague
% generalization that when Fields
himself numbered toward the thresh-
hold, q look OF relief on his stolid face,