The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1894-09-29


Louisa M. "You don't know anything
about business, pappyl We're only turn
ing his own blade against Paxton. He
deserves to fall He came here a year
back honeying around and never saying
he was looking for a place to locate. !
was nice TO him. | used to talk TO him
free as air, never suspicioning he was
aiming TO do my own father up" Her
voice choked. She had paled under her
eoppery skin, grid her wet eyes were like
violets that tremble open in a swart
March bank
Finally along toward summer the end
came. Paxton assigned for the good of
his creditors. A lawyer from Burksville
came TO take charge of things, and the
steamboat landing was deserted, as men
gathered in Fields store to discuss the
happening. The river was sinking and
traffic was nearly suspended. Cows
grazed on the sunburned pasturage Of
the lower hills. Tan colored hogs idled
about the paveless streets, and children
Of corresponding tint of complexion
played shrilly on the perilous river slope.
"Waal, he 'peared likely young
rooster"
"Yaas. Erthough I'm Jest ez willin
he busted kentucky fer Kentuckians,
says |, I'm a pertectionis' every time
don keer nothin about the platform.
Fields, listening to this acute philoso-
ply, suddenly cut in, his broad face Gu
riously sunlsen: "Confound it. | say,
far chance fer every one"
He stopped to pad his brow with
punched red handkerchief; his views
shortened by two circumstances. He
had remembered that Louisa M. was
somewhere in the back of the store, and
just then, too, the throng of men had
opened TO admit young fellow who
came across the porch at a run, his hat
off.
"Say" he painted, the exhilaration of
bad news in his face, "why, sayl-did
any of We hear about Paxton? He's went
to work and shot hissef. That Teller
from huntsville was talkin to raft of
us outside Paxton's store and we heerd
a rifle go off up steers in Paxton's room,
and he tore up thar and busted in the
door, and-Lordi wait till | get my
breath!-l got it from Smith, the
There was little sound behind the
huddle Of men-a sound like a sharp
breath, and clatter of tin and a heavier
resonance.
In front of the molasses barrel an
overturned quart measure and a long
nosed funnel rolled ON the bare floor in
lessening arcs. Near by in the gloom Of
| tho ont oA,,,atl,tpor boI
fallen, something which looked like a
limp heap of pink calico and which, as
Fields lifted it, trailed haccid arms, its
little neck letting the head back in a
sickening way of lifelessness.
Outside the sunshine lacquered the
river with milky CLEAN. A delicious
blueness misted distant hills, and near
by Fields store a bluejay flashed it's
wings uttering rasping cries. Twomen
coming up the road were laughing as
they sauntered along-one, an elderly
person, hopping his face.
you scared me out of a years growth
Just the samer' he said. Il knew you
were down in the mouth, and when that
shot rang out-I-well, | naturally
thought you had done FOR yourself.
went up those stairs four steps at time
shouting to those fellows below to run
for a Doctor"
Paxton gave rather grim smile.
II believe you're disappointed that il
was only chicken hawk / was firing
afr he said. MRS. Wick had jnst
called to me from the back yard toshoo
it. She's been missing pullets lately"
$50 you let go. Say, Paxton, some
thing must be the matter down at Fields
Lookl Isn't that Fields crossing tn,
road He's carrying-it looks like t.,
womanr'
Fields lived opposite his store in Z
white cottage. Paxton, staring ahead
caught vanishing glimpse of the ole
mans clumsy figure, his arms overflow
ing with the springlike freshness o
Louisa NJ. S gown.
"Hellor' said a fellow on the skirts o
the little group of men at the store step
as Paxton strobe forward. "Yeh ain
hurried. then? What's tibet? Oh, abou
Fields-why it's Louisa NJ. She's a lit
tie fainty, believe. Some o. them foo
boys KEN in and blurted out about yol
bein-waal the boy unly told what h
heerd-l don't blame him-but Louis
NJ, she Jest swounded agin the mer
lasses bar'l, and Uncle Jimmy he
But Paxton was not listening any longer
He had crossed the road and gone NJ
the little path to Fields front door, ant
he had gone with so vague premedita
ton that when Fields himself lumbere'
toward the threshold, look of relief OF
his stolid face, the younger man coul'
only stammer at the reason of his pres
ence.
"They were telling me-of hero
your daughter wanted TO ask"-afte
all he stopped feebly enough and lie
Fields fill out the sentence as he might
''She's all right now, thanky, Nh
Paxton" said Fields. 1--WE got word a
they wasn't no truth in them reports.
He waved his hand behind him. 'She'
in thar"
Paxton had already seen her, tn
stern young foiler of his commercia
prowess, sitting back in a rocking chair
her lips rather white, her eyelids drooI
: ing.
She managed to lift them as Paxto
came into the room. She even held he
hand ont and glanced up at him jus