The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-03-04
"JIST IN

crown from the head, of the tall fixing
mountain" in eastern Kentucky. Twi-
light was slowly creeping up the valley,
leaving black thrbated tunnels yawning
beneath the trees t~hat,crowded each side
of the creek. With quiet Jchatter the
chickens We're gathering beneath the
trees in the front of old Bill Copfeld's
log cabin, CHANGING about here and there.
seeking the bestjboughs in which to rest
through the coming night. A whip
poorwill was lifting its weird, monoto-
nous shrieks out on the mountain side at
the rear offthe house. Beyond the yard
fence in front, on a large oak, sat a
young man and a young girl. The lat
ter was Nellie Copfield, the prettiest
girl Sin all the country round" The
former, was her big, rawboned, but
withal handsome lover, Tim Holbrook.
The,two had been quarreling, but now
Il short truce of silence had interviewed.
The young giant sat with his head bent
over, vigorously, but unconsciously,
whiting on a pine single. The girl
sat twisting her fingers, making the
joints crack. and ever and anon flash
ing a detecting glance at her lover. Oc-
~casionally her sharp look would en-
counter his, and then two chins would
suddenly drop toward'two breasts.
Finally the young man, with a sudden
impulse, arose from the log. brushed
away the shavings that chung to his
clothes, and said:
"Waal, l guess it's time fer me ter be
gittin outen this"
The girl glanced up, and with Ii sug-
gestion Of sarcasm in her tones said:
"Im surprised at ye wantin to go 30
sudding! l thought ye was havin IN
awful nice timer
"Now thai amt no use in We tryin ter
take up that ar quarrel agin. l don't
feel like it. got JUPITER tell ye goodby.'
"Thar's plenty'o' time yit ter tell ,me
that. The moon,ain't hardly up yit. W
don't want ter go off in the dark. "
ginerally stay nearly all night. What.
yer hurry now The girls tones wers
full of affected pleasantly, and her eye.
glowed with soft radiance through the
gathering darkness. At the beauty OF
that upturned face his joints weakened
and down he sat again beside her.
He turned to the fgirl and said with
some desperation:
Il love yon, Nellland We know it,"
"O' course l do" returned the girl
laughing.
II can't hep lovin ye."
II know you,can't."
II loved ye the fuStStime | ever seet
ye."
Eyes, you did that
: "That's jis' why ye treat me like
, dog"
!, II don't treat ye like Il dog, Tim"
"Ye don't.'
mo, sub, l don't"
= "Td like ter know why?'
because I'm alters good an plcasan
20 my dog"
= Here the girl laughed aloud: but Tin
! exasperated beyond any further endu1
ance, leaped up. made IL rush for hi
mule, mounted it and dashed furiousl
away.
I AS the echoes of the mules hoofs die
out in the night remorse sprang up i
the heart of this little mountain ~coquettt
"Oh, goodness" she cried. ''wonde
what got inter him ter treat me tina
away? Jis' jumped up an runo off an neve
!; sed nothin. He's mad about s%ornethin-
o know he is. What could it he: neve
n seed such u fellow in my life; jis' flies q
y ter pieces, an a body never kin tell wha
n it's erbout. Well, | reckin it wud be a
for the best if he stays mad-if he
mad. Anybody that acks the fool tn;
" away why they'd be no liyin with 'el
arter they's married to 'em. never wi
speak to him agin. Lordy goodness,
know l never done nothin. Wonder
he was certain mad and won't never t,
to make up with me no moreT' And I'll
poor, injured little maiden smashed tw
big tears on her pretty, plump cheek
n crossed the fence. entered the house an
went to bed.
l. AS Tins mulertrotted along toward h
70 home his thoughts ran something lii
this:
- "Oh, Lordy Cord! what am l gwine t.
do? Life fer me O is a busted goul
=, ~ layin by the side O the spring O hapI
ness. I'll pine ar perish in front O Il
VI sweet warters, but CANT never drin
'em no more. My big feather bed wi
now be full O rocks when l lay down c
it at night. III git up in the morni
rs feelin sorry I didn't peg out durin slee
le I'll go ter my new ground ter pillow. h
Va won't have life enough in me ter Gu
when a root hits my shin. The hou
logs I'd got out ter build'a little hon
ts fer me an Nell will now rotfin the wood
The good milk cow l lately traded f
+ will go dry. The hogs bought ter NAL
us meat will wander away al go will
l amt got no heart never ter do moth
more. I've gotno more confidence in n
body. I thought Nell loved me, an
to believe she once did, but she is jis' Iii
T. all the critters. When they find out II fe
D. ler's too sweet on 'em it turns 'em sour
he And the great. strong mana weal
ling at this moment-lifted mp his voit
ne and sang the following stanza of despai
III Fare ye well, my lovin Nellie.
is I'll bit you adieu.
am ruined forever,
By the lovin of you.
~ "Oh, don't you be "a bit frightene'
ID young man, about that girl. Don't