The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-02-01

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reckless. He stopped by the kitchen
window Of his fathers house and peered
in.
The family were at supper. These
were the early years Of the Revolution,
and war had not yet utterly desolated
this region. Squire Dewitt's was still a
prosperous household, and he, fine old
patriarch, presided ut liberal board.
Opposite him sat the mild mother of the
house.
The harmony of "a lifetime Of love and
companion thinking on companion cares
had made her expression almost identi-
cal with her husbands. Pretty Kate. a
daughter of her parents old age, hustled
the meal along and hoped her Hendre-
Gus was not getting hungry. Jiercks
only sister, widow, was making two
smiles grow in the place of one on her
boy Tommy's round face by cutting his
| gingerbread fatter than usual. The cat
from dresser watched every morsel
aud every sip with feline look. which
is thief look. T.
This homely scene, instead of sooth-
ing poor Jierck, was double bitterness
| To him.
Curse the woman made my wifer
he thought. "She has spoiled my chance
Of home and tireside, of a happy age and
children to love and reverence me.
Curse her for making me hate my lifer'
He turned away, half mean, half fierce,
and stole In by the back door to the cup
board.
There sat the great jug as of yore. II
was OF gray stoneware with blue splash
es. Its spout was fashioned into face
on the broad grin. Comfort herel" the
grinning mask seemed to wink, and did
not reveal how short lived and bastard
was the comfort II promised. Jierck
heaved up its clumsy heft. balanced It
upon his lips and swigged.
There is a sage and honorable law that
limits the rpbbing of orchards-"E
your fill, but don't fill your pockets"
Jierck was rash enough TO violate this
also. He pocketed a pint of his sorry
comforter. He found an empty bottle
labeled Hair OIL" There were name
less unguents before Macassar, and this
bottle had held one Of them. Jierck filled
1t from the ing, and made for the barn
just in time to eyade pretty Kate carry
ing supper to the others and her Hen
drecus.
Supper was done. Dusk was come.
Jierck set ont with his party for the rem
devious. The peril was considerable.
Hanging was the penalty for being
caught. SO they sharpened their eyes,
pricked up their ears, trod softly and
tried to persuade the runt pony TO do the
same. Jierck brought up the rear in
state Of sullen contempt.
At the cross roads Major Skerrett and
his companion met them. Ii was night
now in the woods. A red belt Of day
behing Dunderberg stared watchfully at
the party.
ii will go down TO the house alone, as
we arranged" whispered the major.
The negro will admit me to the dining
room. Do you be ready on the lawn by
the window at half past eight II will
be dark enough for safety by that time.
When ! open the window and whistle,
jump in and take our man. That is my
plan. II anything goes wrong will
alter 1t. But nothing will go wrong.
SooupyI
He moved away through tho darkness.
The party waited in the woods, listen
ing TO the sounds Of evening. II grew
chilly. Jierck Dewitt retired again and
again, and slipped from his bottle labeled
"Hair OIL" He was ashamed Of himself
for violating his pledge to tho major.
But he soliloquized, IL am only taking
just enough to keep my spirits up--just
enough to make man of me after my |
making baby Of myself at sight of that
woman"
Just enough! II is not pleasant to be-
tray the errors of the past; but it is
truth grave in this history that the un-
happy fellow had much more than
enough when, at half past eight, he halt
ed his party under cover of the shrub
berry on the lawn at Brothertoft manor
house.