The news boy., 1894-11-03


tains and through the pines in way
that. to one experienced, indicated a
storm. John Maynard, in his light
buggy: on lonely valley road in
North Carolina. hungry, tired and
with weary horse, had concluded not
to attempt to drive on to Shelbyville
until morning; and, under the suppo-
sltion that he would ind dwelling of
some kind, had turned his horse up n
steep, stony narrow lane, on either
side OF which lay low snake fence.
Having reached the first rising" the
eorse paused of his own accord for a
breathing spell, and John, pcering
about him into the darkness in vain
effort to discover some signs of hab-
itatlon, became aware of small light
IN a patch of woods on his left. 1t
was not the light from window of a
house, for it was small, and moved
alohg slowly in dancing, uncertain
way for short distance, then re-
NAMED stationary.
"A will-o'-the-wisp in the dismal
swamp, perhaps" John muttered.
Anyway, l intend to find OUT" and
he got out of the buggy, jumped over
the fence and made his way as rapidly
as possible in the direction Of that
curious spot of flame.
He felt, as he stumbled along in the
darkness, that he was doing foolish
thing in thus gratifying his curiosity,
and he was conscious of slight shock
when, at last, he reached the light;
for it came from a small lantern which
stood at the head of a solitary grave
Enclosed by Il low picket fence OF
rough stakes. 1t was marked by a
plain slab of wood, on which was
painted, in big, black, crooked letters:
SARAH,
AGE, S."
John Maynard stool looking at it a
few moments, wondering by whom the
Eantern had been put there, and for
what reason. AS he turned away he
saw small box at the foot OF the
grave. He picked it up and pulled off
the slide-cover, disclosing to view a
pair of iron-bowed spectacles, ard Il
ball CT gray yarn with four rusty steel
knitting-necdles thrust through it.
"Well! This certainly beats any
shing ever saw before calculated
John, as he put the box down again
and walked back to his horse and
buggy in the lane.
He drove on for about half a mile,
and was beginning to wonder if he
would be obliged to spend the night
in the woods, when the barking of a
dog told him that he must be near
dwelling of some sort; and a few
minutes later nc perceived two-room
cabin standing in the middle of small
clearing. Before it burned small fire
OF pine brush: and as he stopped his
horse at the bars which did duty for
gate. n lank yellow-and-black hound
came bounding down from the cabin,
barking loudly.
''Halloa." shouted John, at the top
OF his voice; and "Halloa, yerse'f," re-
Sponded thin, sallow woman in
coarse homespun dress, as she ap-
peared at the door of the cabin, a
short-stemmed clay pipe in her mouth.
My good lady, I'm looking for q
place to stay overnight. Can you ac-
commodatc me?' asked John. in his
most ingratiating tone of voice. Il
can't very well sleep out in the woods,
you know"
WALL meow, stranger" responded
the woman, in n drawing voice and
without removing the pipe from her
mouth, "the ole man en- the gals hev
gone up in the head of the cove ter
singin', en- they jst haiu't anyone
hyah but me; but if yen light, I'll do
the best 1 kin fer ye. Yell halter
look after ye own stock. Jist ye TEX
him down ter the barn, en- yc1l find
plenty o roughness en- some nubbins
o corn; en- when We git through jis'
come in the big house hyah, en- I'll go
outen the little house en- cook We some
supper"
"Have you got a lantern?" asked
John.
mo, hain't. Pap he's got one. but
he don't let nobody lay finger on it.
I'll put light outen the fence, though,
en- ye kin see by hit, l reckon"
Reaching up to little shelf near the
door she took down knife and
piece of fat pork, from which she cut
generous slice. Laying it in n tin
plate she carried it out to the fence
and set it on post. Then, taking a
half-burned stick from the fire in the
yard, she lit the pork, and left it to
burn smokily in the wind. BY this
light John took his way to the barn.
found the ''roughness" and corn, and
made his wearied horse comforta BILE
for the night.
Returning to the house, he sat down
on a splint-bottomed chair just within
the doorway, until his hostess came to
the door of the little shanty in the
rear to summon him to supper.
Meow, come aout en- git bite"
she said.
He followed her into the little
house." which was used solely as
kitchen and dining-room, the cooking
being done at an open hearth, before
which was frying-pan, an old iron
teakettle and two brown stone
crooks. In the middle of the room
was pine table, its appointments be-
ing of the commonest and cheapest
description. The crockery was thick
and heavy, and badly chipped; the
knives had crooked bone handles, the
forks were two-tincd, and tin tomato
can served as a coffee pot.
"Neow jist go over in the corner thar
en- rake Tige offn that STOOL" said the
woman, referring to large yellow
dog sitting on puncheon stool in a
corner of the room, zen draw up. On
this side yen find pickles, en- on
t'other, ,ingurns Jescut butter ell make
q beginnin'. We're mighty people ter
live nj home hyah Won't We hey some