Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-02-11

at the gate, oreamily looking up and
down the road. He was Of poetic
temperament and was given 10 fits OF
inusing which the neighbors termed
lazinesss. lie paid no attention TO
Dave, so deep was his abstraction, but
when Dave spoke. he slowly turned his
eyes from a luminous fog that lay low
10 the ground far away, near the river,
and said; Looks like music that has
stopped in the air.
" nat does?" Dave demanded gruff-
~.
THAT down yonder.' Tab replied, mo-
tIoning. And l reckon the rainbow
was the first tune the world ever saw. .
you are Glamed fool" said Dave
That's what they say, but l can't
help it. But it's Natures fault. She
keeps on putting things here and 1 can't
help seeing them. See that crow fly
ing over yonder? An evil thought GO
ing out to do harm in the world
Yes, said Dave, ''evil thoughts do go
cut to do harm in the world and some
times they don't look as black as
conservatives they air bright as
gold with Yankee fxings"
Don't know that l catch you, Dave"
No, but I've cotch you. You sent
a Yanlleefied insult over TO Nell and I'm
going to maui you She's distressed
nearly TO death about it and wants me
TO whip YOU
Dave, the neighbors say that I'm a
fool. but there are some things l
wouldn't do. l wouldn't distress girl.
l didn't send the thing, whatever it is"
We'll, if you say you didn't can't
prove it and here 1 am"
Yes, and here l am too"
'And that's all there is to it." said
Dave. "All l can do is to go back and
tell her that you deny it."
Yes, unless you want to fight any
how. Feel sorter strange this morning
and might as well fight as not"
I'D rather fight than not if I've got
anything to fight about" said Dave,
but if you say you didn't send the
Yankeefed thing, why. it puts me out.
Good day"
Late that afternoon while Tab was
moping along a dreamy road, he met
Nell. She was riding, and violently she
refined up her horse, and with flashing
eyes she said: You ought to be
ashamed of yourself for sending me
that thing. Pap says it's pretty in
suit, but the most deadly insults can be
beautiful"
THAT amt II bad thought" Tab re-
piled. I'm almost tempted to say l
sent it just to hear you express your
self. But l didn't send it, so you may
rest easy on that score. Dreamy day.
amt it? Down yonder l saw bird
asleep, and l slipped by to keep from
waking him."
She flashed her eyes at him and rode
On. He resumed his dreamy stroll, and
a little further along he came upon
something that opened his eyes. On
a tree, written in red ink. was a notice
reading as follows: 81 have obligated
myselfto shootthe man that sent a Yam
keetied thing to Nell Brizentine." 1t
was signed, Dave Hutch Tab looked
at it a long time and then moved on.
About an hour later as he was return
ing home, he was startled by loud
shrieks; and then dashed into view
Nell on flying horse Tab saw that
the animal was running away; he saw,
too, that it was headed for bluff not
far off. In an instant his dreaminess
was gone. He was alive and fearless.
lie rushed out in front of the horse,
snatched the reins, struggled, and
stopped him, but he was badly hurt.
The girl in great fright ran home, leav-
ing Tab on the ground, and some of the
neighhors took him up and
bore him away. During two
days it was thought that he
could not get well, but he rallied and
the doctor said that he was on the road
to recovery. When he regained con-
seriousness Nell was sitting beside him.
He looked at her and then shut his
eyes. Il thought it was a dream
he said.
She smoothed back his hair and
smiled tearfully. You saved my life, -
she said.
Then 1 have done one good thing
along with the many bad ones"
you never did anything very bad,
did you?"
Yes, but I'm sorry now"
But you never did anybody any
harm"
Yes, I'm afraid have. Is there any
body here but you?"
NO"
Then I'll tell you something. but |
know you'll hate me for it. was down
70 town and saw something that was
beautiful, and bought il and brought
il home-and ] sent YOU the Yankeefed
thing"