The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-11

"The court will hear, then pass on
the admissibility of the evidence" he
said, with bow TO the voting element.
1t was neither law nor practice, but he
knew his public and had no mind to
balk it, with election but two weeks
ahead. Everybody was standing, the bet
ter to see and hear. At first they caught
hardly syllable. The newcomer 8
husky voice made but the merest rustic
of sound through the silence.
NANNY knows well as me, he was
saying. "She tried ter raise me honest.
My names Jim Hinsley, an I'm gram
son ter old Naomi Pickins, same as
that po' gal thar Nanny married fust
an never went ter the Eelanoy, but she
knows how her nanny signed the land
erway because Of er speckled heifer -
"Oh, daddy was right'' Rob whis-
pered to Mrs. Payne, then bent eagerly
forward. The man was saying in still
that whistling husky tone, ave lived
in Upton county, er fur piece from
yere, but Magnolyer, po gal, come thar
ter see us when her nanny died, an
thar this yere scoundrel, Noch Annis,
come with 'er, maxim out they was mar
ried, though she wa mt hardly 10"
Magnolia's face went down in her
hand. Noch caught her roughly aud
ierked her upright, then made for
ward leap and locked his hands about
the other mans throat, roaring out:
"Jailbird, how dar' you come yere
talkin over other folks privit corn
cerns?"
'Be quiet, my man! I'd hate ter
handcuff you before the time" Deputy
Sheriff Reed said, forcing him back.
Hinsley was coughing fearfully. lie
drank more whisky and went on:
81 was crazy ter marry, too, then. |
had jest met up with my Betty; hadn't
er been fer that l mought not er be-
lieved Noch so easy when he tole me
what er fine thing stealth horses was.
He had err gang, he said. Eff I'd jine
'em, we could make piles er cash, me
er visitin him in Missoury er the Eela-
noy an sellin stock from down our way
an him er doin the same in Tennessee.
So l, foollike, j'ined 'em. Oh, how we
trouble come, eff ever. But when il
come ter me an ernother po' chap they
want fer helpin US. We'd done well
that season Thar was money ter sheer,
an they thought 'twould 60 better be-
tween jest thar ourselves But they
give us far words. Besides we want
the sort ter give 'em away"
Sc
cy, and utterly foreign to the case.
demand that it be stopped" Mr.. How
ell began as the narrator paused to
catch breath. A big fellow, tall and
gaunt, in the front rank Of listeners,
set the lawyer down forcibly. saying
dryly:
Whatever else it is, sub, it's mighty
interestin, an as your friend I'm advis-
in you ter listen ter it an keep STILL
go on, my man." Mr.. Graball said
kindly. He had beckonod Rob to his
side. The strangers eye lit up at sight
of her, bat he made no sign that she
was not wholly strange. Clinching one
hand about the other wrist, he went on,
with awful effort:
"They talked help an pardon ter us,
an all the time-I found it out later.
they was payin ter-ter have us put
outer the way. That want all neither
Noch took er notion ter my Betty. Be-
cause she wouldn't have nothin ter say
ter him he---he turned her outen the
house l had lost everything ter buy fer
us. But she was good grit. She held
her head up an tole nobody, not chen
NANNY, but worked an shaved on, wait
in fer me, till-till the young one died.
Then she give up
The poor voice failed utterly. A great
sob choked and shook the wasted frame.
AS it passed Hinsley said: "She laid
bird that I was. She cried fer me day
an night Believe it er not. knowed it
an knowed she was dyin. Then all hell
couldn't or KEEP me in that thar chain
gang. ! run an tromped an hid an
starved, but-but God was good. l seen
Betty"
"Drinki 1t will help you" Mr.. Grab
ell said, holding cordial to the parch-
ed lips as rfnsIe, ..Naliowoa 1T he
looked up at Rob with adoring eyes,
then hurried on:
81 knowed this country round yere
because l stole er horse here once, the
very best horse, an, when / come ter
the place whar got it, it jest seemed
ter me couldn't pass by. Somethin held
my feet, so ] went in the ole conjure
woman's cabin thar at Roscoe, an She
she gimme wind Ter this yere rascal do
ms er Nochs. She knowed Noch g
nanny back i'm the ole times, but some
way she hadn't got at the right end or
things. didn't git it neither till Betty
told me jest fore she died. Noch had
showed her er paper an said he could
git big money fer it from two people,
an she looked at it an seen gran ma g
name at the bottom, with er big black
mark between. Betty was or fine schol.
ar; could read writin all oil that.
don't know er letter in tho book. She
tole me Noch aimed ter leave it with
his pardner-tho paper, You know.
After she died / settled with him, an
then looked fer it 'mong the things hc