Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-08-18

but under his daughters chastisinx eva
he drew Tagging breath.
"You leave things 10 me. commanded
Louisa n. "You don't know anything
about business, pappyl We're only turn
ing his own blade against Paxton. He
deserves to faili He came here . year
back honeying around and never saying
he was looking for . place to locate.
was nice 20 him. | used to talk to him
free a. air. never suspicioning he was
aiming TO do my own father up Her
voice choked. She had paled under her
soppery skin. end her wet eyes were like
violsts that tremble open In . 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
graxed on the sunburned pasturage OF
the lower hills. Tan colored hogs idled
about the paYeless streets, and children
OF corresponding tint Of complexion
played shrilly ON the pcrilous river slope.
"Wsal. he 'peared likely young
rooster"
"Yaas. Erthough I'm Jest ez willin
he busted Kentucky fer Kentuckians.
says |, I'm pertectionis' every time
dom keer nothin about the platform"
Fields, listening 10 this acute philoso-
ply. suddenly cut in, his broad face GU
riously sunken: "Confound It. say,
far chance fer every one"
He stopped to pad his brow with a
punched red handkerchief; his views
shortened by two circumstances. He
had remembered that Louisa NJ. was
somewhere In the back of the store, and
just then, too. the throng of men had
opened TO admit q young fellow who
came across the porch at a run, his hat
OF.
"Sayr' he painted, the exhilaration OF
bad news In his face, "why, sayt-did
any Of ye hear about Paxtony He's went
to work and shot hisse'f. That fefler
from Burksville was talkin to a raft Of
MS outside Paxton's store and we heerd
rife go Oh up steers in Paxton's room,
and he tore up thar and busted In the
door, and-Lordi wait till l get my
breath!-I got it from Smith. the
There was a little sound behind the
huddle OF men--a sound like a sharp
breath, and clatter of tin and heavier
resonance.
In front of the molasses barrel an
overturned quart measure and long
nosed funnel rolled ON the bare floor in
lessening arcs. Near by in the gloom of
the inner apartment something had
fallen, something which looked like
limp heap Of pink calico and Which, as
Fields lifted 1t, trailed fiaccid arms, It's
little neck letting the head back In q
sickening way Of lifelessness.
Outside the sunshine lacquered the
river with milky CLEAN. A delicious
blueness misted distant hills, and near
by Fields store bluejay flashed its
wings, uttering rasping cries. Two men
coming mp the road were laughing as
they sauntered along--one, an elderly
person. mopping his face.
''You scared me out of o years growth.
just the samei" he said. II knew you
were down in the mouth, and when that
shot rang out-I-well, l naturally
thought you had done for yourself, ]
went mp those stairs four steps at a 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 a chicken hawk I was firing
atre he said. Mrs. Wick had lust
called to me from the back yard toshoos
It. She's been missing pullsts lately
80 you let go. Say, Paxton, some |
thing must be the matter down at Fields. |
Lookl Isn't that Fields crossing the
roadi He's carrying-it looks like o |
womanl''
Fields lived opposite his store in . |
white cottage. Paxton, staring ahead, |
caught vanishing glimpse of the old |
mans clumsy figure, his arms overflow ,
ing with the springlike freshness Of
Louisa Ms gown.
'.Hellor' said fellow on the skirts Of |
the little group Of men Mt the store steps
as Paxton strode forward. "Yeh Amt |
hurted. then? What's theft Oh, about i
Fields-why it's Louisa NJ. She's a lit |
tie fainty, believe. Some o. them fool |
boys kem In and blurted out about you
bein--wsal the boy unly told what he |
heerd---l don't blame him-but Louisa |
NJ, she jest swounded agin the mer-
lasses BARI, and Uncle Jimmy he"-
But Paxton was not listening any longer. |
He had crossed the road and gone up |
the little path to Fields front door, and |
he had gone with 30 vague premedita-
tion that when Fields himself numbered |
toward the threshold, look of relief on |
his stolid face, the younger man could /
only stammer ut the reason Of his pres-
enee.
.They were telling me-of her-of
your daughter--I wanted TO ask"--after
all he stopped feebly enough and let
Fields I'LL out the sentence a. he might.
'sShe's all right now, thanky, Mr..