Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-07-13

too. Reckon Louisa MS been stirrin'
him up"
After Louisa Ms return the changes
became more marked. Two shades of
pea green illuminated the house with
out. Inside n new stove and COM
plete stock of dry goods invited the vii
layers. Even the window underwent a
startling metamorphOsis from grave
ness and CRIME 10 gaudincss. When 1t
was found that prices Were happily in
accord with all this enlivening pros
pect town SageS remarked that Uncle
Jimmy, when 1t comes 10 rale tradln',
kin whip any young dozen o PaXtOn's
sort with one hand tied behind him."
Matters began to look dark for Pax
ton. Public favor is an uncertain thing,
impermanent as the sudden rush OF
bloom on an apple bough in spring.
PaXton's hour Of blOSsOming seemed
past. He thought often OF removing 10
another town, but he had a certain
sense Of surrender in departure. He
knew well enough that she was at the
bottom of his overthrow-that daughter
OF Fields. He could see the mockery
in her oddly blue eyes, the scorn on her
lips when she should hear that he had
given UP the battle.
SHE neV CT spoke to him now. Since
M PAINTED advertiser eats on his fences
she bad not SO much as looked at him
i'll passing. But she could be gentle
enough. Paxton remembered how
pleasant she had been when he first
came 10 town the year before looking
for n place to establish himself When
he decided 20 stay Il had been with
more thought Of Fields daughter than
of Fields. He had not thought Of COM
petition, but this had been thrust upon
him before he considered what il
meant.
One morning in May Fields, surN ey-
ing from his door the rocky hills, no
longer rugged, but rounding with spring
greenery To Il virginia. softness Of curve
fetched II big sigh.
"Mebby it's only the time o year"
he speculated. but somehow l don't
feel jess right-'spech'ly when l git
TO studyin' bout young Paxton"
Louisa NJ. gave the back Of LIS gray
head Il glance Of challenge.
Why she exclaimed.
We've run him too hard" paid
Fields, uncomfortably. "A zTend o
his named it To me yistiddy that he
couldn't hold out much longer. | feel
this ways: / had my chance and he
ought to hey his He hadn't no i'll
will to'des me. He was gittin' trade
far and squar', and he could o. KEEP
it If l hedn't Ondersold him crar be-
low cost prices. | feel eX mean and
or'nry cz a dog that sucks eggs. l
hain't treated him white"
Business is business" said Louisa
NJ. shaking back her hair. She was
Il little thing in gathered pink frock
but she looked TO Fields as immutablc
as the austere justice on coin Of the
realm. Perhaps, after all, she was
right, and he himself was swayed from
judgment by sort Of limp tendency
to see other folk comfortable.
Though Paxton might be, as Louisa
NJ declared him. the evilest of Adams
brood, 1t hurt Fields 10 see the hand
some young fellow going about the
village with drawn face and downcast
eyes.
I'm a-losln' nesl," he complained to
his daughter. That Teller has got
away with my appetita. I'd rather go
ragged as a picked buZzard than keep
this up til feel heap better. Louisa
NJ. TO mark thet last lot O calicors up
Il little" But under his daughters
A'NiElSllls tst lAt hANN q Asht.ssAh-
breath.
You leave things to me-" command
cd Louisa NJ, You don't know anything
about business. papa. We're only turn
ing his own blade against Paxton. He
deserves to fail. He came here year
back. honeying roInd and never say
Ing he was looking for place to To-
cate. j was nice to him. / used TO
talk to him free as air, never suspicion
ing he was aiming to do my father up.
Her voice choked. She had paled UNI
der her coppery skin and 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.
"Wa'al, he 'pcared likely young
rooster"
"Yaas. Erthough I'm jest OF willn'
he busted. K'ntucky fer Kntuckians,
says /. I'm pertectionis' every time
don keer nothin' bout the plat.
form"
ophy, suddenly cut in, mis- broad face
curiously sunken.
"Confound it, l say, n far chance
fer every one" He stopped to pad his
brow with punched red handkerchief,
his views shortened by two circum-
stances. He had remembered that Lou
lisa Nj. 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
run, his hat Off
"Say!" he painted, the cXhilaraton OF
bad news in his face, why, say! did
any OF we hear about Paxton? He's
went TO work and shot hissef. That
Teller from Burksvlle was tGlh!n' to Il
raft of us outside PaXton's store. and
we heard a rifle go off up steers in
Paxton's room. and he tore up thar and
busted in the door, and-Lordl wait till
/ get my BREATH got it from Smith
thet-"
In front Of the molasscs barrel In an
overturned quart measure and a long
nosed funnel suddenly rolled on the
bare floor in lessening arcs. Near by in