New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-05

| tor came out from time TO time 10 overlook the
work always charmed into lingering by the "oh-
| derful beauty of the landscape
| The house sat upon one Of the foothills OF the
great Appalachian range, east OF the french
| Broad.
| Looking west one saw wooded. undulating
country rolling away to the valley. ana .heie
stayed by the massive wall OF a great mountain
| that rose far into the blue.
| Along the mountain side the railroad made us
way over high trestles and red clay embank-
| ments and at times one ca Lght the sound of the
| whistle the rumble Of wheels and saw the train
rush along small in the distance like "a childs
| toy 49,, r,,
| All at once there was shout from julie Fraley,
| and at the same instant a shot rang out
| "Thar's a convict got on, cried Jule "hen .ne
Doctor appeared Il saw him jump off the
! train.
| The Doctor shivered
and they didn't stop?' 49,
why. no but the guard fired on him. They'll
| send party back when they gifts TO Biltmore'
an offer HUNDRED dollars reward fer him. likely.
| Don't wish cd git it..
will he get caught, do you think
| 81 reckon They gin'ally does. He's tux ter
! the woods now. They arrays does when they
makes a break. But he'll git an outing, anyhow.
Dog-goned ef blame i'm. 49,,
| "Mr. Fraley. where dc they go when they es-
CO., ~, that"
"They lays in the woods. Mebby they know
niggcrs that'n feed cm and give EN- cloes;
They're arays in a mighty hurry to git shet o
| their striped suit. an eff the. do sometimes they
DADDY John came once to visit the Doctor.
wearing his new clothes. and then he paid vi. us
to all his kinsfo,k and old neghbors, and the
! queer. pathetic figure in the hne black sut
weakly climbing over the ILLS became famllar
| sight
the next morning II was known all over the set
! Element that Daddy Johns new clocs al come
in the doctor woman's barl had been stole"
Horsemen riding 10 town. drew rein and dis
clssed the theft for hours. Every other woman
mt on her sun bOnnet and called on her next
neighbor. and then the two went together TO see
! Daddy John.
So it happened that when the Doctor arrived
she found the house so full that two OF the
women rose and sat on the floor to OFFER her
chair.
There was a curious stiffness in the house. One
| OF the women whispered:
Hits Jest like a buryin'. only thar amt no
! corpse"
| DADDY John was sitting by the fire. huddled to-
| gether the picture Of misery.
''Tve los my new clo'es he quavered.
I'm So sorry. Daddy John" said the Doctor.
taking his hard bony hand.
| II never he'd no new cloes afore." he croaked
piteously.
| cheek
Liz took up corner OF her apron and wiped
her eyes All the other women solemny dipped
SNUFF
.'They wuz sech fine cloes. unused the old
| man. The coat he'd silk linin'. Doctor said
It war silk An the purtiest buttons"
AN them cloes could a ben fixed up fer Bud
! when dad got done with en-. said LIZ.
The old man paled with sudden passion.
Il amt gon ter git done with EN-" he
said In a high voice bud shan new en- DOC
tor woman give 'em ter me. never he'd no
new clo'es afore. But I amt got 'em now.
| They're stole"
| Don't cry, Daddy" all the women called in
! unison and they shed a few perfunctory tears
and passed the snuffbox around.
You don't tobacco in any form, do yer,
| DOCTOR" asked one.
The doctor admitted that she did not. and
they all looked steadily at her, trying to realize
the phenomenon.
Weeks passed and Daddy still crooned over
! the fire In utter detection. Old age. poverty ana
! loneliness unhappy trio. were his sole COM
1t was now believed that the clothes would
| never be recovered.
| out in the woods frosty morning, heavy
| foot crashed into the dead leaves. and a big
chestnut. falling. struck the owner OF the loot
on the
He raised his black face toward the tree-tops
Hi Dey's drappin' all de time row. an deys
a heap better'n con-
| He sat down in his tracks and filled his peck
cts and shirt-front, eating voraciously the
| while.
Reckon I'd better be gwine now" he said
Rising. he picked his way. like cat. through
| the underbrush. climbing constantly I'll ne
| reached a spot where a huge bOwlder cropped
| out and overhung the mountain-side Its crest
| commanded the whole valley. and It's shelving
underside made cosey shelter Thick pines
| crowded UP and concealed the entrance
| The convict had been sharply hunted that
| he had been unable to escape from the neigh
| borhood. and II was in the holiness OF tespeIa-
| ton that he had chosen his retreat SO near the
| State road that he could hear the Voice OF the
country folk they passed to and from town.
| He sat down to cogitate EFF could git word
| ter Rosy or git ter Rosy. I'd be all right; but
| Lordy | can't do nary one on EN-
| The train whizzed out from a cutting ana
! whstled sharply II tore along
The negro grinned with pleasure. He was so
| much a savage that this nomadc existence.
though hunted and tortured by fear. was sweet
"Howdy. gemmen"" he chuckled. as pecr!ng
| through the pine boughs. he recognized some
| Of his fellOw-convicts on the train.
| Don't you wish you was me? Plenty grub.
heap O. new clo'es and work to do Ho, no"
| He rose and drew out bundle, undid IT.
| explosions and then presently DOTTED his striped
| suit and arrayed himself arew.
| Mighty fire cloes fer a fac: cost heap o
money"
He softly patted his limbs. twisted his neck
| TO get glimpse Of his back. and creased all his
| black face into one big smile. mirror would
| have made his rapture perfect.
Rosy won't know me in desc yere. She ii tex
me fer preacher Jest from confunce.
He changed back to his striped SUIT ana 'ed
A sharp wind sprsng up and drove before IT
drops Of icy rain
| "GOlly" muttered the darkey. Amt II cold'
! I'll resk a fire arer derk.
! Down on the doctors farm everybody was hur-
! rying to get the crops under shelter The last
| load had gone in when julie Fraley looked up AT
| the sky.
The clouds were rolling up like a curtain show
| ing the far mountains deep, intense bIue
| etched with an amber sky.
burned ef it's going TO storm, after all, said
| julie.
Suddenly he Strengthened himself.
Bud" he called, sharply. Look yon-on the
| mountain. Amt tibet smoke?
Bud could as far as an Indian.
yes. The.'s smoker?
"Ther amt no hOuse tharT'
Nav. Nary house"
julie walked away brisky.
Two hours later five men parted the umbrage-
| Gus pines and tip-tOed cautiously toward small
| opening under Il great rock on the mountain
| side
A Whit of warm cir stole out 20 them.
III. IL ~ .l.t .L.l neNI Id