The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-08-30
FEIID ENDED

ersh1p were two OF the most promi-
nent citizens of Magoffin county,
eastern kentucky. Old Jake was
more prominent than popular. He
was a money lender For the sec
ton of the country where he lived
he constituted the financial center.
Poor men who We're compelled 'tto
make the most of little money!
could get it from old Jake, but the
conditions would make them wlithe
md groan much before they could
he brcnght to submit to them. A 25
pei. cant interest was always exact
e,l, and it must he secured by a
cruel ''cuttlroat mortgage.
Strange 20 say, he posed as great
pliilanthropist and would often de-
clare III the most public manner that
''ha didn't know what would become
of The country if it wasn't for him. !"
As it was, ne often assisted poor fel-
lows to pay the taxes of their little
homes for year or two, and later
to save all further complication, had
them assessed in his own name. He
was mighty rich,' but he didn't
feel himself too good to mingle with
his unfortunate fellows.
Often at Thompson's store he
would sit, the center of a worship
ing group, and tell in condescend-
ing manner how he had made every
dollar lie had hisself, I" and that early
in his career he had worked for a
bit day"-less than half what he
now i,aid good hands His boast,
ronjoined with srIndry and co.H1us
drafts of fierce, white 'moonsli4.Ie, =
would tend to temporarily blow up
rlie enlbers of hope in the dull brains
of the flattered, sycophantic listeners.
Each would resolve to emulate the
great man, and the resolutions would
last as long as the Frightening eff
fects of the drains
Old Rad Blankership Nyas popular
as we'll as prominent There were
numbers of men who would lay off
their coats and roll up their sleeves
to defend old Rad against a tongue
of slander. Hew;sS a man for whom
numbers would willingly get up "at
the hour of n,idnigbG'' and expose
themselves without q thought of
compensation He was a whole
souled, ',hully, good ole feller." III
brief, he was the leading moon
sinner of the section. By his kind
heart he had won enough friends to
enable him to laugh in scorn at all
attempts of the deputy marshals to
capture him or destroy his property.
Thar never WIZ better ole
man, said Tom La6mer. with af-
fection in his tones. 81 never go ter
him fer q drink, money-or no mon
ey, without gettin it. I spent 500 at
his still last week, an when I went
ter leave, all broke up an busted, he
give me a big gourdful ter drink
aforc / started an a quart bottle full
besides to take home. I'm goin back
ag'in jist as soon as my next pension
check comes. He knows how ter
treat er man white, he does"
1t is needless to state that old Jake
and old Rad got about all the money
that filtered into that section. They
were therefore enabled to live in ex-
cellent style and educate their chill
dren. Old Rad had a daughter,
Frances, whose beauty gave joy to
the eyes and despair to the hearts of
all the young men of the county.
From the time she was IA young
pumpkins began to array themselves
in the most striking rural finery-all
for her sake. To attract her eye
new boots with brilliant yellow or
red tops were worn.
Well oiled heads were set off with
new white hats, the crowns encircled
by yellow cords. For her sake crowds
would collect at the meeting house"
doors when she'd go in or out, and
many, many smart things" would
be said by said crowds that she
might hear and by hearing admire.
Many threats would be made by said
pumpkins to the effect that each in
tended at no distant date to back
up to her" and ''see her home" But
all action in the matter was post
poned from day to day and from
year to year. The little beauty was
not of their kind. This they instinc-
lively understood. They knew when
they would look at the matter in the
proper light that it was ridiculous
the idea that either could ever hope
to win her. Every curve of the face
and figure, every movement, every
word, every tone and every look-all
proclaimed her superiority to the
herd of uncouth, illiterate young
Bters around her.
She is en- material borned lady, jist
as same as the hignfalootinist kinds
down in the blue grass kentry, said
old Tom Burke, speaking to a group
of young fellows at his house one
day. An sich feIlers as sprouts up
in these sere hills and boilers amt
got no use fer her. None NV ye
wouldn't know what ter do with
sech er gal even sayin ye cud git
her.
One Sunday when Frances was
about IL she went to church down
on Bee Branch, about a mile from
her home. BY some occult means
known only to love in its yerdant,
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