The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-09-29

long. Call me Jess, che says to mother,
cause love ye already. Call me Jess
Lord, Lord! She were delightful
creatur'--tall nd slim. with black hair
| nd eyes the color of water. You sh'd
hev' heered her laf Mother used to say
ct made her feel young agin to hear thea
laf, ct was so good nd hearty.
Jess cd pull dory against any feller
along shore. nd they all 'mired her after
thet big shoal o. herrin come in late, nd
,he helped pick the nets 'cause they was
short O. hands nd dories. She saved oil
rrazy Bills life one day when his boat
capsized in squall Bill never forgot
| that, cracked as he were. The little un,
Neddy, too, how she did love 'iml He
were fat, solemn looking little Teller,
onstidy on his legs nd jes' beginnin to
talk. Favored Sam. but he'd her eyes
bootiful eyes!
We'll, one mild, bright day in winter,
the Breezy agin dropped anchor in the
| harbor. She he'd fust rate haul O. fish
aboard 'er, nd they'd been q very easy
trip.
"Sittin ct supper Peter (my brother
thet's dead) said the men off the Breezy
was raisin hi with their money down
to Jilly's. ST Jilly KEEP the store then
nd sold bad whisky in back room.
'Yeh didn't see Sam Weston with 'em,
| did yehT mother asked, kinder anxious.
She was very fond O Jess, mother was.
No. said Peter. He must hey' steered
straight home Mother give a sigh O.
relief nd asked us not to go a-nigh Jilly
nd his crew thet night. We humored
'er md staid to home. member Peter
| played ON is Gordon all the evenin
Lord, how he did make the thing work.
1t alays pleased mother nd father so.
Long arter midnight, when we'd all
| turned in, cd hear the singin nd howl
in goin on down to Jilly's. Et must hev
/ been bout 2 in the mornin thet couple
o the devils come reelin by, yellin md
cussin. Then | fell asleep, md the mex
thing | knew was sittin straight up in
bed a-list'nin. Et was a knock thet he'd
woke me-a knock ct our door. Quick
jumped into my clothes nd run down
| below. A secon knock come, SO very
gentle thet ct made me feel queer
| thought of the 'Moonfaced Lady nd the
1 Il
yarns-Lord, mol | didn't unbolt the
door, but called out low: who is it?
What d'yeh want?
''No answer. Then agin, little loud
er: who is ct? Tell me what yeh want
Nd n strange voice answered: It's me,
Jess. Let me in Nd | threw open
the door. In she walked with the boy
in 'er arms. 1t were Jess, md yit it warnt
Jess. didn't dare to speak. A fearful
look was in 'er eye. Mother was up by
this time md in the room The gal walk
ed straight up to 'er nd put the boy in
er arms. Mis- Jameson said she in
| thet cold, strange voice, Mis- Jameson,
I've killed Sam. He wanted to strangle
my baby. See! See! The black marks
on his soft little neck. drove a knife
deep, deep, into the cruel heart, nd with
thet she seemed to let go O. 'erself, fell
| right down on the floor screamin, md
ct was all Peter nd cd do to keep 'er
from banging erself to pieces.
''Neddy begun to cry. He were
frightened, poor little fellerl nd moth
er took i'm away, huggin i'm close.
Father md Jack Andrews pulled over to
the islun nd come back lookin white md
skeered. She done et,' was all father
cd say, she done et.' Then come some
black days-Jess carried off 'pd Sam
buried. Et seemed the wagabond he'd
gone home thet night mad wi the drink,
md he must have, set out to strangle his
boy. The marks were on i'm.
Some say Jess were murd'ress, nd thet
she ought t. hev been hung, but I can't
see ct in thet light. Anyway they let
'er be, md ct warn't long afore she lef'
this world O. 'er own accord. Poor
creatur'! Poor suff' rim creatur'r'
"And the little fellow, what became of
him?'' ventured to ask, breaking the
long pause that followed the capn's last
words.
THE little feller?" repeated my friend,
raising his bowed head and mechanically
rolling bit of thread. 'Well, d'yeh
see green dory over by the lighthousey
"Yes, capn."
"And fine, strappin boy in 'er settin
a lobster trap"
YES"
| .sThet's the little Teller '-RoSton Tram