The herald., 1896-09-20
SUNDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 90 1895

The rector stepped past Breeze and faced
che ring again. The red pyle and his spec
killed. foe, the only two that were spurred,
were now facing each other, painting and
covered with blood, each watching the
other for chance to strike and raising
and lowering their heads as they feinted
nrd spared for advantage. The men had
ceased to watch the fighting birds and
were all looking up at the rector. He
pushed forward to the edge of the embank-
ment and balanced himself on the crrlm-
bling reservoir rs he did sometimes on the
edge of the pulpit platform on Sundays
before he began his sermon.
"You may throw me down if you will.
I have no doubt that you are strong
enough to do So" he began in q clear,
high voice, speaking to Breeze without
looking at him. 'But will not go down.
Even il you throw me down. will not DO
silent. You must hear me. Jacob Breeze,
and you, James Edwards, and you, Will
liam Buglale, and all the rest of you who
are engaged in this shameful business, you
are doing a wrong in the sight of AL
mighty God'
"When he said William Bugdale," said
that individual in telling the story after
ward, ''it went through me same as q
knife. But it beats me to this day to know
low he saw me when I was down behind
pile o. ties, where I'd gone after Mick
Flynn when he let hall them birds hout on
my red pyle. Someow 'ad to stand hup
when he called me name, an then he went
on to give it to nus tho worst you ever
oard. The Judgment day won't be no
worse. He took us hup before the white
throne like an it kind o. seemed to me as
though he was a-goin to be one o. the wit
nesses against us hail. the way he went for
Us there. His voice KEEP gettin clearer an
solemner-only it was so lawful sad-an
then all at once he rung hout command,
like he was BLOWN on trumpet, an then
stopped:
"'In the name of the Lord Jehovah, I
command you to stop this fight instant
lyr"
Bill paused for moment in his tale,
and then went on: "IIe looked grand
nothin short of it. He just looked lawful
as he stood there in the last red o. the sun.
light, strotchin hup his long harm an new
er moving muscle, while you could ear
the sound OF his voice come hechoin back
from the mountain shove. / felt as if the
bank would fall in on me, an kind o.
wished it would. I wanted to go an 'ide
mcself somewheres-only it seemed as if
couldn't move. The reservoy was as still
as a church, hall exceptin the happin O.
them birds down in the middle of tho
ring. But nobody looked to see which was
gettin tho best of it. You might "a
thought we was a-waitin for him to pro-
nounce the Enthusiastically, somehow,
he didn't seem like a preacher either. I'd
been to church afore that niglit-of course
1 'ad-but when the parson said it lad to
stop we never thought he was preachin or
nothin. We thought he meant 1t. re-
member wondered that the birds didn't
stop fightin theirselves-an them jest get
tin 'ot an wild with blood. 1t wasn't as
if some man 'ad said we was to stop. 1t
was as if'--Bill sunk his voice as nearly
into whisper as was possible for him
sit was as if it was some hangel!
ibid the men mind him? W s, they
lad to mind him! Didn't tell you it was
like the Judgment day? Jake Breeze
could easy have broke his face as he stood
there or pitched him 'ead an 'ee]s down
the reservoy bank. But he only made two
slidin steps an caught the speckled bird
jest as tho red pyle WAS a-holdin him down
to carve his cad hoff. I grabbed my red
pyle right back O. tho wings an whoppsd
him into the bag afore he knew what was
'appenin.
"'The match is hoff, permanent says
Jake Byeece.
4 thank you, men,, says the parson
Then he went on to make hus speech
about kindness to the least of Gods crea-
lures; but forget what it was, hexcept
that he said just before he stopped that
hevil was wrought for want of cart. as
we'll as for want O. thought.
Hell begin to pray nexc says Jake
to me on tho quiet Then he says hout
loud, This ere match beir declared hoff'-
est hain't been declared hoff yit, says
Mick Flynn from behind the pile O. ties.
"'Oh, it's hoff all right enough, yo'
la'guardP says 'Pud' Edwards, swearin
at Mick under his BREATH for the men
was afraid to touch Mick or even to cuss
him hout loud while the rector was there.
"'This match bein declared hoff, says
Jake again, louder than ever, lookin
straight toward the pile O. ties as he spoke
'yous sports en- come an git your stakes
L don't wand no stakes, says one fell
low from Mud Corners. Give the Doodle
to the parson.' Nor me neitherp Nor
mep yells one an another.
'Gentlemen, l cannot take your
money, says the rector as perlite as If he
was refusil third cup o. tea in a parlor.
~ASSs
Thank you for your good will he says,
beginnin another speech, but 'Gobbler'
White cut him short:
"'Yous men that has famerlies come an
git yer hood. Yous sports like me an jake
ere and Skinny Bugdalo en- watch an see
me put hall that's left of the stuff that
in this box into the 'ands Of MIR. Warne to
use for nissionaryin-or any way he likes. ;
THAT'S hall Only-I amt ashamed to
tell it, but it seems queer-the rector got
hold O. some O. hus, especially me, afore
L left the ring, and we was confirmed ERE
last Heaster. 1 give MIR. Warne my red
pyle right there in the ring that night, an
'ain't seen him since The rector was
goin to invite his Bible class around to
heat him once, but told him hadn't no
'eart for it. So he give that knp. He tells
me now that the red pyle is as peaceable as
a turtle dove an stays Apply an eontented
like in the back yard of the rcctory. Poor
fellow! He's gettin hold, fancy. Well,
hall of us has our day. Gillian W. Ford
in Lippincott's Magazine.
all Rtr~ .I1lr~