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

put them on, don't you? Come in here.
And now l must go-go-oh, yes-go
to feed my chickens. But there's one
thing more. Here is a nice pair of
trousers!"
"Doctor!"
"It's all right, Daddy! They will just
fit you, I'm sure"
Such droll figure awaited the doc
tors return. A little gray old man, his
small spindle legs rafting around in
the fine black trousers, his ragged,
faded calico shirt abashed in such COM
pany. He looked at her speechless, his
wrinlSled face working.
She smiled at him.
II have a vest here for you, Daddy,
and I'll give you clean white shirt to
take home"
"Doctor!" the old man gasped. "I
cayn't-"
Don't worry, Daddy. Try ON the
vest"
He put it on, Juggling weakly at the
buttons.
"Jest what 1 needed" he muttered,
husl1ily.
"You look very nice, Daddy. There's
only one thing more, and here it is
the finest, warmest coat in Buncombe
county"
She held 1t up by the shoulders and
he drew it on.
"Now, is not that lovely coat?"
He stroked the soft cloth gently, pull.
ing at the fronts with his stubby fin
gers.
Its lined with silk" said the doctor
Daddy, shouldn't know you"
He looked down at himself in a dazed
way. Then he started.
"I'd better go home now" he said,
hurriedly.
'Tnever had nary suit O. clo'es afore.
God bless ye, doctor"
He caught her hand.
I'm so glad to give them to you,
Daddy" she said, softly, with tears.
The next day julie Fraley came up to
mend the roof, and while he warmed
at the fire he told the story of
Daddy's return home.
"We wuz a-pullin' corn, me an Liz
an Bud, an see the ole man err comm
down the hill, an L says: Look yon,
Liz! Is tibet yer dad?'
"'Naw!' says Liz. Tibet amt dad.
Looks like ole Preacher Freeman
'Sure nuff-he did look pint blank
like ole Preacher Freeman. An we
watched i'm tell he crossed the branch,
an when he CHM up the bank he stag
gered 4 bit-yer know Daddy's mighty
onstiddy on his legs-an' knowed who
hit was, an said:
"'Tis yer daddy, Liz An Liz were
plum outdone at she didn't know her
own daddy" concluded julie, indulging
in one of those silent laughs peculiar
to his kind. He went up on the roof
presently and the doctor came out from
time to time to overlook the work, al
ways charmed into lingering by the
wonderful beauty OF the landscape
The house sat upon one of the foot
hills of the great Appalachian range,
east of the French Broad. Looking
west one saw a wooded, undulating
country, rolling away into the valley
and there stayed by the massive wall
the blue. Along the mountain side the
railroad made it's way over high trestles
and red clay embankments, and at
times one caught the sound of the
the rumble of wheels, and saw
the train rush along, small in the dis
lance like child's toy. All at once
there was a shout from julie Fraley
and at the same instant a shot rang
out.
"Thar's a convict got off," cried julie,
when the doctor appeared. II saw him
jump off the train"
The doctor shivered.
And they didn't stop"
"Why, no, but the guard fired on
him. They'll send a party back when
they gifts to Biltmore an offer $1OO re-
ward fer him, likely. Don't wish 1
cd git it,"
will he get caught, do you thinl1?"
81 reckon. They gin'ally does. He's
TUX ter the woods now. They apays
does when they makes a break. But
he'll git an outing, anyhow. Dog
goned eff blame i'm"
Mr.. Fraley, where do they go when
they escape like that?"
They lays in the woods. Mebby
they knows niggers that'll feed 'em an
give 'em clo'es. They're al'ays in a
mighty hurry to git shet O. their striped
suit, an eff they do sometimes they git
away fer good"
Daddy John came once to visit the
doctor, wearing his new clothes, and
then he paid visits to all his kinsfolk
and old neighbors, and the queer, pa
thetic figure in the fine black suit,
weakly climbing over the hills, became
familiar sight.
Then one night a terrible calamity
befell and the next morning it was
known all over the settlement that
Daddy Johns new clo'es at come in
the doctor woman's barI had been
STOLE"
Horsemen riding to town drew rein
and discussed the theft for hours
Every other woman put on her sun
bonnet and called on her next neigh
Dor, and then the two went together to
see Daddy John. So it happened that
when the doctor arrived she found the
Ill A.. Il