The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-04-03

that's LIZ DER yonder; and ne nooaeu
in the direc lion of his wife, who was
seated on box which stood beneath a
window. Her eyes were fixed on the
speaker.
''Lizi" he suddenly exclaimed and
with somewhat more energy than he
| had displayed in his narrative, for his
breath had failed him several times,
"Liz, Liz don't look at me like that
1 Gamma bear it cannaP and he
broke off into a long groan.
His wife dropped her eyes, but still
sat like a statue, with her hands
clasped in her lap. The injured man
struggled for breath, and then went
on:
81 know'd Liz wor fond O. Jem,
cause he wor fair aud handsome, but
I loved her the bestest. Ay. though
we be navvies, doctor. we can love-
only some people thinks as how we
just pair off like! But they're wrong.
Well, to be gettin' on wi my story.
LIZ ERE had no eyes for me when Jem
wor about, and got jealous. All the
old friendship tween me and Jem wor
gone on my side, and l began to hate
i'm. The crisis came one night when
/ meets Liz a-comin' from the tunnel,
which wor then bein' bored. Iwor on
day duty, aud Jem wor workin' at
nights, cause then we worked day and
night in shifts. She had ta'en him
down some supper, and I could see how
things wor goin'. So l up and tells
her of me love, and axes her to
marry me. Liz treated me bet
ter AN I thowt she would have ;
she just says. Bill, L don't
dislike We, but like Jem better, and
I've promised 'im.' Iwor furious
Incest remember it, dessay, Liz
but she iurst turns on 'e1 heel and
walks off, sayin' as when the drink wor
in the wit wor outl l had had drink,
thee know'st. l went down to the
tunnel and meets Jem a-comi1' out wi
truck o. muck-we call earth muck,
thee know'st. l didna let him see that
l wor angry, so Lust jokes wi him
like. As l wor goin' through the tun-
mel thowt struck me; if wor just to
come up behind Jem, and gle i'm a
push in front of the truck, it would
perhaps lame i'm, and then perhaps
Liz would ma be bothered wi a lame
chap. I left the tunnel and went
'ome, but didna sleep that ere night.
Next day took Jem's place driving,
and 'twere then I worked out my
plans. Thee know'st there be timbers,
called side trees, on each side to sup
port the roof O. the tunnel It'll the
brickies take the work in hand, and l
thowt as how, if / wor to hide in one
of them just in the darkest place, and
when Jem comes on just put out my
and and gle him push, it would do
all wanted. l shanna forget that ere
day! The idea growed Gu me, and
when I left work, made up my mind
to do it. So I walks down about 8
o'clock the same night, and just as l
reached the open cutting, heerd Jem
wish Liz good night. I wor fair mad
wi jealousy. ] had murder in my
art. Keepin' out O. sight O. Liz, I
creeps down just in time to see Jem
take the horses back into the tunnel
to bring load o muck up. I creeps
down in the darkest part, and past
the shed where Bob Dalton wor pump
in air into the tunnel, wi'out bein'
seen. l know'd every inch O. the
place, and l 'ad made up my mind wheer
to hide. / soon found it, cause l 'ad
put big stone theer. Besides, I 'ad
picked out spot which wor always
wet, cause of q spring which we had
tapped above, which wor always run
min. Then it strikes me as how, if /
wor to put the stone in Jem's path, he
might stumble DER it; SO puts it
theer. 'adna long to wait afore EN-
comes down the tunnel, which wor a
bit on the incline.
"My art begins to thump until 1
wor afraid Jem might ear it, but just
then he comes up to wheer 1 had put
the stone. He stumbled DER it, and
the horse sweyved little, but he
nearly recovered hisself, and so Iputs
out my hand and gently pushes i'm.
He falls down on the line, and the
truck goes DER i'm, cause l herd i'm
groan. I slipped behind the truck,
and out again into tho cutting wi'out
bein' seed, and bunked off back to the
town. wor scaredl Next mornin' 1
heerd as how yem 'ad met wi q acct
dent, and that he had stumbled DER a
stone, supposed TO have tumbled from
truck afore his, and the truck 'ad
broke his back. wor bit sorry at
fust, and then l begins to be afraid
they might trace it to me. But | said
nowt to nobody, and the inquest said
as how 'twere a accident, and ! didna
trouble myself. Then Liz and I wor
spliced, and though We havena pulled
together both the same way, yet /
would "a done anythin' for her! Thee
know'st it, dostna, Liz?"
The woman looked up. Her face
was pale in the extreme; her black
eyes blazed, and her fingers twitched.
She rose and approached the bedside.
Murderer !" she Kissed between her
clenched teeth.
''Liz Liz p the mans voice brok e
in imploring sobs. s'Forgive me |
Forgive me! Doctor, and he turned
with a piteous look to me, sax her to
forgive me-"