The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-10-23


Hullo, thar, You shet that gatel
The old mans voice rose into per-
feet roar as he uttered the last words;
his eyes grew furiously angry. "You
shet that gate," he called again, cor
go round by the pike; that amt no
public road"
Hes done shut it," said the small
boy, peering down toward the
meadow.
"Can you make him out, honey9"
asked old Davey. zone o. the cap'n's
men, wern't he?"
"No" said the small boy, truthful
ly; "'twasn't nobody but colored
boy"
81 thought you was gunno raise the
roof off the house, the way you hol-
lored," remarked Mrs. King even
ly. "1f Cap'n Dove can spare
two-mile road l should think you
could let the bit o. meadow GO; be-
sides, folks is feared to pass through
on account o. the Durm."
1.-The Durm nin't gunno hurt no.
body" said old Davy, "thar amt no
more harm in him than in colt. If
they set down on the Durm at the
meetin' Ill have my say about Doves
dogs"
The old man was sitting in the door
way now, the small boy close beside
him. "Wal," he said, speaking to
himself, 'leavin' the cap'n out, they
amt bad set % folks. Ef they'd
been satisfied with the fust arrange
ment, and taken nothin' but the strip
o woods from Dove, they could had
the bit o meader. But l amt gunno
give piece o road that's as necessary
as the whole big bit, and have it said
that Dove give the people the road.
''He's mighty little and peaked; lie
that what you're thinkin' of father?"
Mrs. Kings calm voice somehow
seemed to startle the old man. "No,"
he cried roughly "I amt thinkin' o.
nothin' o the kind. He's big enough
fer five year old.
johnny were bigger" said Mrs.
King. "He had stouter limbs an
weren't so pnny in the body. Davy
most skeers me when he's undressed.
Johnny were bigger in every way"
Mrs. King gathered the little boy
into her arms, the old man helpin G
her tenderly. "lIe's mighty light
weight" she said anxiously; 'mebbe
rs Benjamin Stone were thisaways; /
dunno; / think of L was you, and
wanted to raise the boy, I'd let 'em
have the bit o. meader."
The old man closed his lips tightly
for an instant; then he spoke gravely.
"You've got lot o foolish notions in
yer head, mother" he said. 81
Lumored you more'n once, but it
didn't do no good. let Jim
Coombes have them seed taters, when
knowed he weren't gunuo pay for
'em, and / got that there colored man
of without a trial. But you didn't
raise Johnny"
''He weren't so little and peaked ms
this'n, said Mrs. King unreasonably.
"Wal, mother, / amt gunno do no
manner o foolish things skeerin' my
self about the boy" said the old man
impatiently. "The Lords give him
to us, whether to keep or not can't
say; but know fer one thing Sam
Dove amt gunno pint no fun ut me
about the meader road on account O.
IA little feller like that. No, they
amt gunno git the bit o. meader that
away through little Davy. Mebbe
after awhile they can put in good
fyin' machine to carry 'em over an
the cap'n can give the whole o the
road sure enough an run the hyin'
machine into the bargain"
"You're bound fer to keep the
Durm in the meader?"
To this question old Davy answered
testify: "The Durm's got as good a
right to the meader as you and ha We
to the house. 1 don't buy animals to
pen 'em up in the barn or stake 'em
round the place. The meader's mile
long and if thar amt room in it fer
the Durm and the road, too, why, the
road can go. l amt too much for ac.
commodation anyhow. Them dogs o
Doves IL worry the bull mad some
day. I'd shot the hound dead il
he'd bit Davy."