Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-08-13
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
By MARTHA MoULLoCH WILLIAMS.
Eouprrisht. Isee br the Author.l ]

swiftly running in places, in Othe
places spread to thin, lightly lappin
pools One Of these lay just above tn
ford Blacky, the patient, made b
drink of it instead Of the racing runne
that was barely hoof deep. As sh
splashed ponderously into the still wa
ter Squire Eecock raised his eyes ant
saw another rider coming hot foot alont
the road facing him. He was older thai
the squire, and lean and tall as the 9th
er was pursy He had wide, full opened
blue eyes and thin skin weathered h
reddish gray. His horse was gray, tot
"A neryously thin, flea bitten fellow
with blood showing plain on his slender
legs and arching crest. He was moving
at the fox trot-that most delicious o.
gaits to any who has the enthusiasm o.
horsemanship The motion was as un
like as possible to Blacky's coblike am
BILE. Yet she was unfeignedly glad tc
see the newcomer In spite Of her thirst
she raised her head from the fair water
and gave a low whinny of welcome,
then stuck her nose deep in the pool.
"That you, Jimmie Doolittle?" Squire
Eecock sang out as the gray horse clat.
tered into the ford. About II mer
been askin me terday when you died an
whar you wus buried. told 'em"--
"You might a-told 'em bout the fel
Ter that got rich mindin his own busi.
ness, Uncle Jimmie interrupted. The
squire went on as though he had not
spoken.
''Told 'ern you wus nightly like
Dicks hatband, so contrary it went
half way round an then tied IN er bow
knot. You oughter been here this morn
in you jes' oughter now, fer sho.
There's new lawyer in that case-the
Sally Ann Hooper land case, you know
He's on t'other side. Sho's you're foot
high, he's goin ter beat you all outer
yo' boots. Beats all ter speak that ever
/ heard in all my born days. Thar
won't be enough left er that thar
pleggoned Musgrave boy ter make er
respectable grease spot time this new
feller's through with him an you"-N
II want ter see him do hit Uncle
Jimmie said succinctly. II tell you
right now, squire, the man amt been
born that kin beat Jack Musgravo an
jestice both tergether. You see, yo'
gredge ergin Jack S so big you CANT see
nothin else, but mark my word''-
''This new feller-Paine his name is
he does beat all, fer jury ways"
Squire Eecock went on, wholly oblivi-
Gus of the retort courteous. "Why, he's
got more'n even ole man Turner had
Judge Turner, you know--an he could
jes' wrop any jury you could skeer up in
any er the deestricts Ground his little
finger. Did l ever tell you erbout the
time he got Bob Lucas off fer dog steal
in? You see, it wus this way. Ole Tom
Manson had er lead hound--er big, blue
mottled feller--that he thought more
of'n anything, exceptin maybe his wife.
Well, one mornln the dog wus missin,
nm the niggers said they seen Bob Lucas
a-tollin hit off the night before. OF co.'s
that didn't count much intel they went
an found Jupiter-that wus the dogs
name, remember-tied up hard an
fast, in Bob Lucas yard. Bob an ole
Tom had quarreled that spring erbout--
1emIne see, what wus it erbout now
Il know all that tale," Uncle jim
mie said impatiently. "Why, man, it
wus me that hung the fust jury three
days an nights. Eff I'd a.been on the
second one, ole Judge Turner ner no
body else wouldn't never a.got Bob Lu-
cas- clear.
Eyes, yes. remember. 1t wus you
that ole Judge Turner called King Doo-
little an the unorganized ignorance of
Jefferson county He"-
TOOK it all back when I met him at
this yer very ford with good big hick.
ory stick" Uncle Jimmie said dryly
"lt's 'stonishin how persuasive sech er
thing looks--when thar's a good big
man that amt afraid behind hit. "
sole Tom an Bob. they fell out over
Henry CLAY an Andrew Jackson" Squire
Eecock ran on. "Lordy, but them wus
times when men wus wuth believin in.
I've cen about quit believin in anybody
these days, less'n 1t is Ike Harris. He's
one er the ole Blue Hen S Chickens right
up and down. But he couldn't hole er
candle ter Gentry fust time ever clap
ped eyes on him. 'Twus at er barbecue
in the year o governors lection. |
went ter it from my brother Ben's He
lives over in Dyer, an we'd gone there
a-visitin. Pixy wus the least little trick
then. My, how the women thar did
hand her round ermong 'em Wife got
right skeered-'fraid somebody'd steal
the child, But no sech thought never
entered my head. She did do the cutest
things! Thar wus er preacher thar that
day-looked like he wanted ter eat her
up. His wife didn't have no child, an,
oh, my, if she didn't look black at himl
She WIS one er the Shelby stock--p'ison
jealous the last one of 'em, an low down
in thar ways. always did say ole Ned
Shelby oughter been hung fer KILN
that Teller Brown
"H-h-h! 'Twus ole Judge Turner got
him off, too" Uncle Jimmie edged in,
"dNlhB thC gray hoioS OuN uppii Niic
bank nearest town. The squire at once
reined Blacky beside him, flung leg
over to join its fellow and sat leaning
comfortably upon the pommel, not,
however, losing a word throughout the
arrangements.
Browns wife--his widder ruther--
wus er clinker, Uncle Jimmie heard
him say. At the same instant he heard
also the sound Of horses feet coming
at gallop from toward town. An
other road branched from the highway
some 30 yards before it came to the
creek. Evidently there We're several
riders. AT the fork of the road they sep
arated Two Of them went the upper
route. The third came clattering upon
the pair of takers. AS he dashed past
he whirled his hat above his head and
gave laughing whoop. 1t was the tall