The Portland daily press., 1895-12-26

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Steve found his horse he'd been sold, he
flew into dreadful rage. An couldn't
blame him, though I tried to pacify
him. tellin him his pap he'd right to
do as he pleased He he'd no right to
sell my horse, cried the boy. He gave
him to me right at first, an [ raised
him, an he'd nicker to me an let me
do anything with him, an I loved him,
an fer pap to sell him without even tell
in me he's no better than horse thief.
=" Oh, Stevey, says I, don't talk sol
It's wicked. But the bov was wild.
It's not wicked to tell the truth, he
said. 'What'd he Civ him to me fer if
he was goin to sell him? say he is
thief to sell what didn t belong to him =
Oh, dear, deari His pap heard Steve. fer
jist then he came in an grabbed the boy
by the collar an flung him across the
room. The poor fellow staggered an
saved himself from fallin. an the squire
caught him again, kicked him sayagely,
an openin the door threw him into
the yard. You needn't think Steve
didn't show fight. But what could
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man? I was that scared couldn t move
orspeak. An as fer Barbary she was
white as sheet as her pap shet the
door on Steve an turned round He
looked at US a mint. His eyes was glar-
in an his face red as fire. You git to
work, miss, an as fer you, he said to
me, you let that boy alone. None O.
your pettin him. Do you hear?' I didn't
say word, an he went in the room,
bangin the door to after him.
"We looked at each other Then Bar
barry, with her white face set sort O. like
her fathers, walked to the kitchen door,
opened it an went out in the darkness,
fer it was cloudy evening. An supper
was late, OWN to the men bein at work
in the lower meadow. / dished up the
meal an calleS all hands, but neither
Barbary or Steve came in, an we ate
without 'em. Twas mighty feared their
pap would ask fer 'em, but he didn't.
An as soon as the men went out o. the
kitchen went to look fer 'em. 7 soon
found Barbary. She was settin on the
back porch oryin. But she wouldn t say
one thing about Steve. She dried her
eyes an helped do up the work, an then
went up stairs-said her head ached an
she was goin to bed. he'd to go in the
room, as it was bedtime, an I didn't
know what to do. Islipped out an hunt
ed fer Steve. Then I went up stairs,
thinkin mebbe he'd gone round the
house to the front door. But he hedn t,
an the Boys said they hedn t saw him.
So I he'd to say before I lay down, L
guess Steve ain t in the house.
"'Let him stay out then,' said the
squire, angry as ever. He hedn' t spoke
to me all the evenin since the fuss 'I'll
let him know I'm boss here
81 didn't sleep much that night, an
I thought, WELL Sally Humphrey was
happier woman than Mrs. Squire Hill
yer, reckon, but Mrs. does sound bet
ter. Not a word was said in the morn
in till breakfast was called Then lit
tie Tom asked fer Steve. I reckon he's
asleep in the barn., said pap. Go tell
him to come in. He's acted the fool long
enough The boy went, but soon came
back, saying he 'couldn' t find Steve I
see squire's face change color. But he
sat down to the table without word,
an we was about half through breakfast
when there was a knock at the back
door. Barbary opened the door, an a
strange man walked in. Squire he
said, good mornin. That horse bought
of yer yesterday is missin, an thought
mebbe I'd find him here. He either got
out O. the stable or was taken out
For a mint nobody spoke. Then
Tommy said: Pap, Selim amt here.
Mebbe Steve's gone after him.
Who's Stevef' said the stranger.
He is my son, answered pap quickly.
You shall hev our help, sir, in gettin
your horse. Set down an eat bite while
I look about bit. The stranger sat
down. an Barbary poured his coffee
while followed the squire out AS soon
as the door closed behind us he grabbed
my arm. Where's that boy?' he whis-
pered savageiy. 7 don't know. said,
fer didn't. He looked at me. His face
turned most the color o. ashes. %
Godl' he cried. Then he hurried toward
Che stable.
ST was kind O. stunned fer awhile I
saw he thought Steve he'd gone an got
the horse an was gone. But / knew bet
ter. felt somehow Steve was not that
kind o. boy. The stranger came out,
an pretty soon he an the squire rode off.
I went in to Barbary. She was tryin to
eat, with tears runnin down her face.
'Barbary, said 1, 'where,k kin Steve
be? Your pap's nearly crazy fer fear he
has stole Selim an gone off. Barbary's
face famed up. Steve's no thief, she
said, wherever he is. An I couldn' t
get another word out O. her. It was an
awful long, hot day, an we had big
ironin to do. Barbary worked hard all
mornin, but after dinner she got real
sick, an made her go out O. doors an
set in the shade After awhile heerd
her call me, an goin out see Phil
Thomas a-talkin to her.
" Ma, she called out as soon as she
| see me. Phil saws Steye'S at their house