Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-05-01

reaching upward from where he stood
a uptoe on the ricketty step Of corn
house hammered the big nails steady
and square and drove them home. Hav.
ing fastened one end Of narrow board
10 the upper side Of the wall nc drew
Il down diagonnlly ncross the dwarf
door and nailed 1t hard and fast. effect
ually preventing entrnncc. This done.
he picked up half a dozen fowls which
laid tied together on the ground and
went to the open door OF the cabin.
brushing rutllessly against The blooms
Of q red japonica bush In his haste.
All was dark inside. The wood In tile
fireplace was only smOldcring. not
burning. Tie daylight OF the gray
afternoon that stole In through the
heavy suffered window showed that o
woman sat In one corner.
"Here. you thcrc!' called the man:
''you understand that II you rip or that
board aud use any corn out OF that
house you go to iail-you and your old
man both! You understand!
II know. but you amt doing us
right" answered the woman. Yves
paid out for the things. not 'scusin' tex.
cepting) the picture what YOU fetched
last. Here's the papers what the mems
give us, every time they been here"
IL never authorized anybody to COL
lect payment. ana you owe me clear
910, not to say interest. since April. I'll
send back in week for TINT corn and
II you've laid finger Oh 1t you'll DO
sorry. Where's your husbnnd?"
II dunno; out glttln' wood. l reckon.
Since you'se token the feather bed and
the pick of the quilts wen have to keep
up a steady fire to warm by"
"Well. you make 'Riah understand
what say: you bcar!'
"Mr. Bcckwlth amt goln' to touch
nothin'." said the woman In n de-
dressed voice. But you'sc mighty hard
on It's old people. You amt leave us
even pullct to raise FROM" eying
wistfully the fcathcrcd bunch hanging
limp ana resigned by their yellow legs.
"YOu couldn't low me dat specified
hen? She's a sure layer and an awful
good mother. I'd save you couple OF
the first chickens she'd hatch II you'd
gree TO IT,"
The speaker came forward and re-.
gardcd her creditor plcad!ngly. a re-
pressed caGcrness In her manner as
though she half expected he would
comply. She was tall. with smooth.
shining, brOnze-brown skin and good
features. showing little trace Of the
thick lips. fiat nose and rcccdlng fore
head Of the typical negro.
"Specklcd hen. indeed! said the man.
waving her OF. "l'vc got her now: the
chickens she mi. Int raise might never
Gee. I'm up to your tricks! Get some
Of your neIghbors to raise on shares
with you. Don't NEEDLE with the corn.
house, now" lie called N hc drove or
in his rattling road cart. "The law
drove them nails and It will DO the
worse for you II you draw any OF them
out"
HeartsIe Beckwith stepped outside
after he was gone and looked at tho
courthouse door with the tcll-tnle board
across It's face. then size looked patlict.
tcally at the open trap door OF the little
fowlbouse opposite.
nc won't be no use to shut II to-
night," she muttered. yves r,innt ted.
plumb rulnated, and there amt nobody
and nothin' to turn to-
Half unc0nsci0uly sle looked In tho
direction Of tho long avenue OF oaks
that stretched across the big dat Held
In front OF the cabin. As she stood thus
an elderly negro In tattered coat.
with his head tied up In motley collec.
ton OF scarfs ani strings. came up be.
bind her.
rs dat debIl gomez" he asked In a
thin, high voice.
Eyes. Mr.. Beckwitl. Hos gone. ana
everything gone with him. 'scus,n'
the corn and that little handful OF pee
vines In the corn house. what we aIn't
TO lay hands on. Everybody go,n' 10
know now that Yves been shut up and
disgraced."
rs you show him the papers what
the mems give you In 'sidcrutI0n of tho
Eaters and cotton ana things what we
pay out on de clock debt?"
Eyes. But that make no differ. He
wrong men, rapscalliOn men hat he
amt send to fetch 'em. He wouldn't
leave me 80 much as that speckled hen
what's such regular layer. It's wick.
ed for anybody to eat a hen like that,
what pays for herself over and over
every year."
"Come In out Of the damp, baby" was
all Tim tSNgr Roc. with snld o,,d a s .,,o.,
entered the cabin, where a light. wood
knot In the chimney place blazed up
abruptly In welcome. a brazen- tongued
clock on shelf struck thirteen In hur-
ried, uneven tones. Mr.. Beckiwth's
face frightened. Its got us In a lot OF
trouble. but It's mighty good company"
no said. looking up ut the tall clock In
Its gaudy frame.
Peck! peck! as Of sharp bill striking
on bare boards came from the inner
room. Mr.. Beckwith looked at Ills wife
inquiringly.
"rhe rumplus pulletw she explained
"While the buckra and the dog was
runnin' down the other fowls II fly In
there and squat down under the bed
10 ! just shut the door aud Amt say
nothin'. Seemed like the Lord aimed
Tor we to keep It,"
Her companion chuckled. "There's
near bout four bushel OF corn down
yonder In the fence corner" he said
"but II Amt gone there itself. took Il
out while he wac gone to the sto' fol
nails. He Amt goin' to miss 1t out Of