Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-12-07


residence, and success there meant loss
of prestige to them sooner or later
If ne should become popular, their
popularity with the roughest portion of
the community would he thing of tho
past
They must get rid of Dan Bash some
how.
But how? That was what bothered
the Monk brothers and the men who
followed them.
At first they seriously thought OF break
ing up the school
Bill Monk very soon discovered that
pan wouldn't work. Bad as the conn
ty was, the people wouldn't like to be
pointed out as the most reprehenSib G
people in the STATE.
at would not do to get all the decent
reople down on them," Bill Monk said,
to which Ned Monk sOrrOwfu ly assent
ed.
"Same time, Bill" said Ned, "'won't do
to have people talking about this chap
so much Tell you what-.et's tell he's
not so much to brag of, or feller that
can do so much, and knows so awful
mich as Dan Bash does, wouldn't co
foolin' in his time teachin' school way up
here"
"That's a bame good idea," said Bill
Monk. "Well work it for all it's worth
Blamed if l think he is straight. He's
likely got powe.fu rea-on' for coming
up here"
So that it seemed to the Monks quite
clear now that. if they managed it right,
they would "give Dan Bash a heap Of
bother before long"
Meantime Dan Bash was making
friends every day.
There was good deal of speculation
concerning the young man whom nobody
kaew anyth ng about, further than he
chose to tell. And he said very lit o.
He had reasons to keep his own counsel,
he thought. At least he kept his affairs
to himself.
If there was anybody more than an
other who knew who and what Dan Bash
was. people said it was Hank Dawson.
The schoolteachcr was frequent Wis
itor at the blacksmith's. 1t was petty
we'll known, too, why he went tn re.
Club Dawson's beauty and h gh spirit
was as we'll known-aS widely known
as her fathers smithY and great
strength, for Hank Dawson was giant
in strength. He had lifted one four
barrel and set it on top Of its fellow, and
set third on top of the second, some
thing unheard Of
AS the giant of the Corners sat beside
his fire, smoking and listening to Dan
Bash relating his prankS at college
which Dan did some time for Hanks di-
version-he would laugh heartily.
"Thcre amt many young chaps like
that" he would say to his only daughter,
Club, when Bash went away.
One evening, after Dan Bash bade
them goodnight, Chub leaned over her
fathers shoulders and stroked his hair
softly, as she sad:
"You seem to think good deal of Dan
Bash, dad"
"Well, a sort of way-yes He's a
mighty knowing chap"
"And he seems to be square out and
out"
eyes; he does"
"And he's lively company"
powerful lively"
Hank Dawsons mouth was drawn
down now. He was resolved his daugh-
ter should lead the talking.
"Dadl"
"Well?"
"Dan Bash has asked me
"hello! HellO."
Hank Dawson knew very well what
was in the air. He had good eycsight.
"You don't mind dad"
i ,..st
ayes OF course it is. And I told
him it was. And he knows unless you
like him it's no use his comm round any
moro
"Chub," said Hank Dawson, "you're
the best girl from here to the forks of
the road He's blamed handsome fell
low. ] don't know nothing about him
more than just what he tells us; but
like him, and if he can satisfy you and
newly, then, that's all there's to bo
said You'll set the day. and we'll mar
ry you to him. l don't count on giving
you up-I won't do that"
"No, dad told him wouldn't leave
you, for you've been father and mother
to me. Besides, there's way for all of
us here. That's settled on
81 knew 1t, ChuD.
"Of course you did I'd like to see the
man who would take me away from you.
You've got t. have your pipe and sit by
the fire, or it wouldn't be like home to
me-"
"That's just like you, Chub-just like
you"
There were tears In Hank Dawson's
eyes, but he wiped them away furtively
and Club did not see them.
So it was soon known to every one
that Dan Bash was going to marry Club
Dawson, the blacksmth's daughter.
Mr.. Potts stood on the porch telling ii
to all the travellers as the latest news; his
wife, not content with assisting her hus.
band at the tavern, went around among
the neighbors relating all and much
more than she knew concerning the
preparations for the wedding
Hank Dawson was going into the town
to buy her new silk dress-a blue silk
dress, and a white bonnet and white
veil Club was going with him, OF
cour:e-"how could Hank pick things
for gal?"
1t was true. For some reason Dan
DaSn ndU Ueen very dHAlOuS W SCU UI0
wedding over. Club wanted more time
-she was determined not to be married
so soon-but Dan Bash was an ardent
lover. He pressed her so that she con-
sented to marry him in month.
The engagement enraged the Monks.
The marriage must be prevented at all
hazards With such an ally as Hank
Dawson, the power of the Monks would
soon be thing of the past Two such
men as Bash and Dawson would rule the
county-or so much of it as was useful
to the Monks.
"Theyll never marry, said Ned Monk,
L. IA