The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-01-09
Of yourself, and goodnight, Mr.. Char

OF youreen, vkoounikhv, nhr. JnAx-
lie.v
John was awake when the heavy
steps came up the stairs. He know
1t was his brother, for these late
hours were getting frequent tslnce
the war excitement. In vain he had
reasoned with him and begged him
to give up habits that running
him body and soul, and he had only
q few minutes before fallen asleep.
After an hour Of such mental excite-
ment and pain on his account, that
his nerves were as unstrung v .
woman's.
"Charlie, Charlie" he said, when
his brother tottered into the room,
''why do you stay out this way to
worry and distress me. Yon prom
ised me only last night that you
would let whiskey alone, and here II
10 again tonight"
al have not been drlnking-but
very %little," he added, for he was
not yet 80 lost as not to despise .
lie. "I would have been here sooner,
but I met Jack Hazel and he was
telling me a great rig.a-ma-role
about some fellow that told another
n he'd give him a thousand dollazs
to get me out OF the way. Jack said
he saw him coming this way and 90
he followed me to warn me. IL
might have been Jack himself for
aught I know"
"Nonsense," said John, "Jack
Hazel 10 as harmless as any fellow
could be. He is a good fellow. I
never saw a better boy to his fam
lily"
John had doctored there, and he
knew.
dwell, he wouldn't tell me who it
was that wanted me killed, although
he knew, but he said he didn't know
the fellow that agreed to do It,"
said Charlie, sleepily.
And John thought the news did
not trouble him much for he was
soon asleep.
There was no hurry about break
fast on rainy mornings at "The
Elms," and the next morning was a
very rainy one. IL poured in tor
rents, and Charlie slept on, tho it
was long after milking time.
HIS mother still had him to milk,
tho of all things, he despised II
most. She d d not call him up while
the storm was so fierce for he could
not milk, and he would have to be
around the kitchen stove with Ellie,
who always helped to cook break
fast.
Aunt Ria was in a stew this morn
ing, Ellie told her, meaning she wa
worrying and scolding.
"The IRE wouldn't burn, there
was no water drawn, and no mea
out Of the meat house," said Aun
Ria.
"Well Inl put a shawl on and rpl
out to the woodhouse and get som
kindlings," said Elfe, Sand go to tn
meathouse, too"
"Lor, child, the rain'n waeh yo1
away, but this here misery in m.
back is aw III, l tell you and
dare'snt get wet"
"It won't hurt me-" said Elhe-a
she set out umbrella in hand, to g
to the woodhouse.
The road was back OF the wood
house, aud she saw that a man ha
Just ridden up to the fence. He wa
soaking wet, and he looked 80 pal
and scared that Ellie looked at hi1
expecting to hear him tell some
thing dreadful. Her heart was J
her throat as it were, and his wore
proved he was a bearer Of bad new
as she thought.
"There is a dead man lying dow
in that hollow" he said, pointir
his finger to the wooded pastnr'
800 the folks here know of itY"
"No sir" she answered, 1--WE ha,
just gotten up and no one has bot
out but me.n "Who is it, and no
came he there2"
=, SHE was shot" the man sal
"and please tell the men folks to Q
tend to him. He is lying on the
land"
So saying, he Immediately turn
. and rode off, leaving Ell ie so 81
denly struck with horror that .
= forgot to go to the meat-house.
"Here, Aunt Ria" she 81
:, throwing the kindlings to her.
must run and tell John and Char
:, there Ia q dead man in our pasture