The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1894-06-02
twas becoz I be so poor, I can't afford

mare Dit o 'OOW."
Poor! wi al that money put away"
said Mrs. Warne contemptuously. mo,
Samuel. don't you get gammonen me.
Do you think l can't tell when you be
speaker truth or no? 1 tell you what
tits. unless you gives me e. I'll go over
to Bills this very. night and tell him.
give pounds! l liant got rs In the
world! I'll give you ) shillens, and be
pretty near rOOned dozen it!'
After some wrangling he at length
consented to give u sovereign; he fetch
cd it reluctantly, grumbling and groan-
ing all the time.
We'll, good night to zee, Sam; thank
We fur a very pleasant evening were
Mrs. Warnc's parting words as she left
him and made her way through the
snow, %chuckling to herself now and
then. She did not go straight home,
but turned off to the road that led to
Mrs. Longs. Mrs. Ling came to the
door, holding Il candle in her hand.
which she lifted high to see who it
was.
why, tits Mis- Warne." she said.
Whatever brought you out so late"
We'll, Mary, didn't l Say s,,nlmat
nd turn up? And Sc it has" said
Mrs. Warne triumphantly.
Mrs. Longs pale. tired face bright
encd as she saw the money. She half
put out her hand to take it, then drew
it back again. Il didn't ought to take
it from We, Mis- Warne," she said.
faint fur you at all; tbs fur the
childun. 1 shan't say how I come by
it; but this l will say, tits sl right,
sure 'nough."
"Well, you be good, mother" said
Mrs. Long gratefully as she took the
money.
mo, l bain't that" said Mrs. Warne.
remembering her treatment Of Samuel.
I'm feared l be a ter'P'e crafty old
WOman!'
AS Mrs. Warnc went to see her pa
tient the next day, every person she
met stopped her to give his expressions
Of the ghost Jim March had seen, In
Guiding Jim himself. who looked very
red and excited, told her that lust as
he got to the cross roads last night
with the horses new harness that he'd
been to fetch, he heard a voice call
out. II be Zatcn!" and then a terrible
scuffling noise; whereuron he had
turned round and run back to his
brothcr-in-law's house as fast as his
legs could carry him. ut baint amany
as can say they've a heard Zaten," he
finished with some pride; "but I can,
and Il terrible ugly voice he've a got,
too! It be like the scroopen O a I'M
creased wagon Wheel"
II shouldn't wonder at all, Jim, if it
waren't a warning to We not to stay SO
long ut the Horseshoe evenings; and
if you takes my advice you'll never be
home later than 8 o'clock again." said
Mrs. Warne. remembering that Mrs.
March had been to her q little time
back to complain that Jim was ''too
fond O. his glass O. All evening"
I'll warrant l never WILL" said Jim,
and he eve was from that time.
The m00 was darkening, and the
sunset crimson had died out Of the
west, when Mrs. Warne returned to
she reached her garden by the milk
give me a charm to hang on Brindle's
such a nasty COW. She kicked the
bucket over only this morning. I
thinks she's possessed by summat
evil"
CURRY we'll. I'll give you something
SS VA Ill ACA IL So 6AA . lOoOCoSCN
by summat evil. But is tits only a bad
my fortune long ago." chuckled Mrs.
Warnc, going into the cottage and
bringing out what looked like a string
of very ordinary brass buttons cut
from 4 mans coat; but the wise
woman said they were charms. and
every ono believed her. She drew one
off op1 rffa,.1 r. to tho Oir1
"Missus said 1 was to bring you some
milk for the CHARM" she said, taking
it, and bringing out q little can from
under her shawl.
Presently Il shepherd came to warm
some milk for his lambs by her fire.
Ills freezer harder nor ever" he said,
as he came in. There be such a bitter
wind comen athwart the moor, and the
stars be so thick, and glintens like d.
monds;;''
"Ah! it's amany years since I've
known it so cold-not since I were a
young maid. when, we had such a hard
frOstie they'd pick up the heares and
rabbits friz dead by it."
How many years ago were that,
Mis- Warnc:' asked the shepherd curl
ously.
"4Amany. many years a%go-long aforc
you were horned, Fred" answered Mrs.
Warne indefinitely.
1--we brought you a fagot o. fuz,"
said the shepherd, dropping his prick
ly burden on the hearth.
Put a bit on the fire, and I'll warm
you some e%lderberry wine," said Mrs.
Warne, bustling into the other oom
and fetching Il bottle of wine, which
she poured into a little saucepan and
set Oh the fire, that was nov blazing,
cracking. and flaring up the wide,
black chimney, lighting up the shep-
herds clear.cut, thoughtful face and
every detail of his clothing-his long
frieze coat, corduroy trousers strapped
in at the knee, his white linen jacket
and great thick lace boots-and making
the face of the dignificd old woman op-
pOsite him look more lined and strongly
marked than ever.
1T he cold out in the fields now,
F'red?"
"Ah, I'll warrant it to bc!'' said Fred,
drinking off his hot wine ut Il draugllt.
Then he stood up, Strengthened himself.
took his crook and milk can and de-
parted. When he had got to a little dis
tance he looked back Mt the lonely cot
tage, with it's n bright window and
the bleak line Of moor behind it. "'Tis
II terrible lonely place fur a single 'om-
an" he thought. But there no n
wouldn't do nOthen to She"