Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-05-09

which was always gived To the myster
ious Siders.
seated myself upon a stump an,
awaited his reply. He was crude
rather stupid looking man, clad in !
rough garb that betokened his rura
environments ragged cloth cap ;
heavy, well patched suit, which ha,
once been of gray material, Il collar
less shirt and high boots. His hai
had been close cropped a few days be
fore, in token of the coming of summer
and his unkempt black beard slooc
out in bold contrast to his seeming
badness. His nose was narrow, long
and hooked, and his eyes were ieeI
set beneath shaggy brows
After long pause he replied to my
question in drawing tone and Will
the manner Of man perfectly con
vinced of the truth OF what he said
"Ef you uns he'd ez much in your
head ez Pete Siders hez in his little
finger, you'd be smart man"
But who is he ~ | exclaimed. 81
have visited this valley yearly since ]
was boy, yet | never before heard
of him. He does not live hereabout
does he ?"
Soper seated himself beside me and
replied
mo, he don't lie lives up the
valley across the river Ii uster live
near him, tell me and him he'd words
and fell out. You see Pete he was
wonderful smart, and | was no match
fer him. My place almost iined his,
and he mawried my sister. lie know
ed heap, did Pete, and he'd read
most Of the books they is. You uns
'ud hev enjoyed talkin to him, YOU
would. fer he'd Travelled lot in his
younger days an he'd good ejurcation.
An at music-hedgins | kin feel
thel old fiddle Of his'n goin thoo me
vii. 1t jest made you all bluelike
when he played >orreful pieces. He
tho't heap OF thet fiddle. he did.
All, but ! tell YOU they is few men
like Pete Siders =
How did you ever happen To part
with this paragon, Sam" | asked.
"Paragone ," he repeated sadly. a
never hear him called thet. Mebbe
he was one, fer he was most everything.
How did We hev words Hawgs-
jest few hawgs done it. Sometimes
| think it was my fault, an on them
DAYS when low I'm to blame | allus
intend to go over to his place an make
up. But I've never ben able 10 git
oil nj them times, an when | kin cit
off | alus blame Pete an cal'late he
kin come To see me-
1T must have been very serious
trouble ~ said |.
"Hawgs,' he replied. "Nawthiu
but few mean pigs. You see, | wa,
livin up there three summers ago.
made 'rangements with Hiram Bender
who he'd a farm close be my place, ieI
him to let me hev three young hawg,
in September. tended to iatten EN-
up an butcher 'em when it come cold
One day, in corn husking time, | goe,
over to Hiram's to git 'em When
asst him fer 'em. he looks at me sur
prised like, an sais, sails he, Why, Sam
Pete Siders got them pigs. He tol m,
you say'd he was to git EN-, an you't
pay me fer EN-, ez YOU owe him fel
his hevin helped you three days in the
woods last winter was Jest knocked
| knowed Pete was hard up, fer he'd
kinder ben layin off all summer, bu
never th0't thet of him. never lei
on to Hiram. but jest went right ovel
to Pete's place. | found thet he'd
gone and killed them beasts and turn
ed 'em into butcherin's. When | to
him what Id come fer, he draweC
himself up ez fer ez he could. fer he.
a leetle man. an sails, Does YOU mcar
10 call me Il thiet p Then | sais. i
never owed you no money, Pete Siders
Sam Soper, sails he, haint YOU shame
of callin your brother-m-law tibet
An then he turns an walks into ih,
house and shets the door in my face
| hain't seen him sence, fer | couldn
stan livin near Pete an not bein OF
peaceful groun's with him. give VI
my place there and got job here
tending the canal lock-"
"And sometimes you think yol
were to blame ," | asked
Sometimes, he replied Pete h,
he'd curious WAYS, an don't b'lieve h
meant no harm. oughtn't hev callc,
him thief.
Soper suddenly started to his feet
and, shading his eyes with his hands
gazed up the river.
"a fiddle he cried "Out on tn,
river, heard ii plain. There il j
again -
sprang to his side and looked NJ
the stream at black object to whicl
he was pointing. 1t was a boat, an'
we could see man sitting in its stern
rocking to and fro. Then | heard ;
quick succession Of harsh, gratin:
notes. low, but distinct, and | saw tha
the man was fiddling