The Penn's Grove record., 1894-09-07
HIS CHANGE OF HEART.

The cats, the dogs, the cattle, and
the chickens instinctively Stunned
Farmer Jacob Ladd. He was harsh
with his Woodworking wife, had been
unkind to his only son, and a bitter,
unreasoning hatred ranked In ms
heart against men.
His wife, a gentle and timih woman,
was beloved by people who feared and
hated her husband. She was huSilyat
work mending a quilt. Another
woman was in the roOm-a neighbor
who, for the sake of seeing Mrs. Ladd,
had braved the chance of encounter
ing Jacob. Mrs. Ladd paused in her
work aud said with a sigh
''Did you sec the pore c%ritter, Mis-
Lindsay? They passed right along by
our gate. / tried 20 keep from a look
in at i'm, cease l couldn't bear to see
his %SuTcrin'. The idcao : Poke Baker,
if he is a sheriff, drivin' a pore boy
long the big road, jest as if he was a
y~carlim' calf, fore he's been proven
guilty o the murder. It's a shame"
yes" the other admitted, they
ought to treat him human, but |
reckon the'sno doubt under the sun at
be killed Squire B~roadenaX. He laid
ali night close by the B%roadnaxes', an
when they cotch i'm in Spring Place
he had two hundred and fifty dollars
in lis pocket. | reckon he did the
KILN; fer how could a pOr tramp like
'im, 'thout a whole rag to lis back.
have so much money: ?"
Mrs. Ladd sighed again, and her
motherly face grew o serious. She
let the quilt glide to the floor.
sit looks mighty bad" she said.
''TheY'll likely find him guilty an
lang i'm for it, pore boy! He passed
as nigh to me as the bed post, an it
made me think O. my lobe. Who
knows whar on earth my boy is to-
day? l hain't hardly been able to
close my eyes for the last month, for
thinkin' about i'm. I'm afeerd he's
dead; Texas is mighty unhealthy.
81 hain't had a letter from him in
more than two months" she went on,
presently. 'lt's been two years sense
he let his fathers boss drown, and
Jacob driy' i'm off,"
She told again the sad story, famil.
lar to her guest, how Tobe had driven
the horse into the river, ignorant
that the water had risen; how the
animal had become entangled in the
harness, and had drowned in spite o,
the boys efforts to ave him, and how
his father had driven him away and
forbidden him to return until hi
could bring back the money that tht
horse had cost.
II believe he's dead" Mrs. Ladd
sighed
She wiped her eyes on her needle
punctured fingers, and went SLOWLY
over to a wooden box in a corner
Raising the lid she lifted out a blacl
coat and walstcOat a pair Of trous
ers Of light color, and a pair Of calf
skin boots, with high heels and rec
tops.
"His Sunday Clothes" she ex
planned huskily. "Tobe was might,
proud of 'em, hut he wouldn't tax,
'em with him. He said he wanted tc
rough it-that he didn't want to pu.
on style; he said / could save 'em til
he got back. But he lowed if h
never did get back, for me togive ZEN
to some Teller that needed 'em."
Jacob Ladd still sat in the door
way. The dusk was falling over tn,
hushod earth, when a man under
SLOUGH hat rode up.
'IIello, Jake" he called out, paus
ing at the gate.
Ladd rose quickly and went t
him.
1--WE seed 'em ALL" said the man
IN a whisper. oven meet at the COZ
ner tonight at neven."
"All right" said Ladd, "IIl b
thar. Well save the county the eS
pense of a long trial. It'll be tina
much in the pockets Of the tax-pay
ers."
1t was late In the night at tn
crossroads store. Peter Morgan, tn
store-keeper, had closed and locke
the door, and stood leaning agains
it. Some twenty rough men wer
sitting and standing about in wills
pering groups. The last two to al
rive were Jacob Ladd and a burr
black man.
"You fetched Ike, l see" remarke
Morgan, as he cautiously admitte
them.
"Of counsel" grunted Ladd. "Wh
else kin climb a tree like him? Eo
Know he's afeared to give us away, al
he is fond o. sech amusements."
me negro smiled grinIly,
"Wcll, We are all here, I believe,
said Morgan, 'and as fur as I'm abb
to sec, ye're all Of one mind. But t
make shore, I'll put it to a vote
All in favor hold up the right hand,
Every hand in the room was raised
The storekeeper handed out a coil c
new rope.
Ladd took a lantern, and led tn
silent band from the store and dow
the little shaded forest road to tn
village, where the jail stood. Lad
raped upon the Jail door with tn
head of his walking-stick, and his fe,
lows moved up close behind.
"Hullo! Who's thar" sounded
yruT tones from the room occupie
by the jailer and his wife.
"Git up an see, Nelse Murray" al
iwered Ladd.
The men pressed nearer together
Some OF them drew their revolver
and pulled their hats down W. the
eyes. Ladd's face was entirely hiC
den. A chain ratified on the doc.
and a pale bearded face appeared in
light opening.
what is it you want2" asked tt
,4iler in an unsteady voice.
"Jest yore prisoner, Murray, that
un ES9lsd Ladd in a cultural u