Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-02-06

crokeu, Piteously.
A few frosty tears dropped on his
grizzled cheek. Liz took up a corner
of her apron and wiped her eyes. All
the other women solcmnly dipped
snuff.
"They was sech fine clo'esl" unused
the old man. 1.-THE coat he'd silk lin-
in. Doctor said it war silk. An the
purtiest buttons!"
"An' them clo'es could q ben fixed
up fer Bud when dad got done with
'em," said Liz.
The old man paled with sudden pas
sion.
II amt er goin' ter git done with
'em!" he said in a high voice. bud
shan't hev 'em. Doctor woman give
'em ter me. 1 never he'd no new clo'es
afore. But amt got 'em now. They're
stole"
He broke down into fearless sobs,
that shook the old chair.
Don't cry, Daddy!' all the women
called in unison, and they shed few
perfunctory tears and passed the snuff
box around.
"You don't use tobacco in any form,
do yer, doctor?" asked one.
The doctor admitted that she did not,
and they looked steadily at her, try ing
to realize the phenomenon. Weeks
passed and Daddy still crooned over the
fire in utter detection. Old age, pow
erty and loneliness, unhappy trio, were
his sole companions. 1t was now be-
lieved that the clothes would never be
recovered.
Out in the woods one frosty morning
q heavy foot crushed into the dead
leaves, and big chestnut, falling,
struck the owner of the foot on the
nose.
He raised his black face toward the
treetops.
Hi! Dey's drappin' all de time now,
an dey's heap better'n con-"
He sat down in his tracks and filled
his pockets and shirt front, eating
voraciously the while.
Reckon I'd better be gwine now"
he said presently.
Raising, he picked lis way like cat,
through the underbrush, climbing con-
stantly till he reached spot where
huge bowlder cropped out and over
hung the mountain side. It's crest
commanding the whole valley, and it's
shelving underside made cozy shelter,
Thick pines crowded up and concealed
the entrance. The convict had been
so sharply hunted that he had been I'M
able to escape from the neighborhood,
and it was in the boldness of despera-
ton that he had chosen his retreat so
near the state road that he could hear
the voices of the country folk as they
passed to and from town.
He sat down to cogitate. "Ef could
git word to Rosy, or git to Rosy, I'd be
all right; but, Lordy! I can't do nary
one on 'em."
The train whizzed out from q cutting
and whistled sharply as it tore along.
The negro grinned with pleasure. He
was so much a savage that this nomadic
existence, though hunted and tortured
by fear, was sweet to him.
"Howdy, gemmen!" he chuckled, as
peering 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 cloes
and no work to do. Ho, ho!"
He rose and drew out a bundle, I'M
did it, viewed it's contents with series
OF laughing explosions, and then pres.
emily dotted his striped suit and ar
rayed himself anew.
Mighty fine clo'es fer fac; cost 9
heap O money"
He softly patted his limbs, twisted
lis neck to get glimpse of his back,
and creased all his black face into one
big smile. A mirror would have made
his rapture perfect.
Rosy won't know me in desc yere.
She'll TEX me fer preacher jest from
confunce."
He changed back to his striped suit
and tied up his bundle. A sharp wind
sprang up and drove before It drops OF
icy rain.
"Golly!" muttered the darkey. "Aint
It cold?" I'll resk a fire arter dark"
Down on the doctors farm every.
body was hurrying to get the crops I'M
der shelter. The last load had gone in
when julie Fraley looked up at the sky,
The clouds were rolling up like a cur.
tain, showing the far mountains deep,
intense blue etched with an amber sky.
burned eff 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 see as far as an Indian.
eyes, thet's smoke"
"Ther' amt no house thar
"Naw. Nary house."
julie walked away briskly.
Two hours later five men parted the
outrageous pines and tip-toed eau
tiously toward small opening under
q great rock on the mountain side. A
Whit of warm air stole out to them.
A great bed of Goals glowed redly, and,
with his feet to the fire, a negro in con.
Wet dress lay sound asleep. The men
had their guns ready. One pointed his
piece upward and shot tore through
the tree tops. The negro WAS on his
81.