Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-04-28
....HEARTSIE'S 'TONEMENT. ....

South Carolina afternoon as the man,
reaching upward from where he stood
on tiptoe 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
to the upper side of the wall he drew
1t down diagonally acroSs the dwarf
door and nailed 1t hard and fast, effect
ualiy preventing entrance. This done,
he picked UP half dozen fowls which
laid tied together on the ground and
went to the open door Of tine cabin.
brushing ruthlessly against he blooms
of q red japonica bush in his haste.
All was dark inside. The wood In th,
fireplace was only smOldering, not
burning. The daylight Of the gray
Afternoon that stole in through the
heavy shuttered window showed that a
woman sat in one corner.
Here. you therer called the man:
"you understand that II you rip OF that
board and use any corn out OF that
house you go to jail-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' lex
cepting) the picture what you fetched
last. Here's the papers what the mems
give US. every time they been here"
II never authorized anybody to col
lect payment, and you owe me clear
SIS not to say interest. since April. I'll
send back in a week for that corn and
II you've laid a finger on 1t you'll be
sorry. Where's your husband?"
Il dunno; out gittin' wood, l reckon.
Since you'se tOOken the feather bed and
the pick Of the quilts We'll have to keep
up a steady fire to warm by"
well, you make 'Riah understand
what 1 say; you hear"
Mr.. Beckwith amt goin' to touch
nothin'," said the woman in de-
pressed voice. But you'se mighty hard
on US old people. You amt leave us
even a pellet to raise FROM" eying
wistfully the feathered bunch hanging
limp and resigned by their yellow legs.
"You couldn't low me dat speckled
hen? She's a sure layer and an awful
good mother I'd save you a couple of
the first chickens she'd hatch If youd q
gree to it."
The speaker came forward and re-
gsrded her creditor pleadingly. re-
pressed eagerness in her manner as
though she half expected he would
comply She was tall, with a smooth,
shining. bronze-brown skin and good
features, showing little trace of the
thick lips. fiat nose and receding fore
head Of the typical negro.
"Speckled hen, indeed" said the man.
waving her off. I've got her now; the
chickens she mil ht raise 1 might never
see. I'm up to your tricks! Get some
Of your neighbors to raise on shares
with you. Don't meddle with the corn
house. now." he called as he drove Off
In his rattling road cart. The law
drove them nails and 1t will be the
worse for you If you draw any OF them
cut"
Heartsie Beckwith stepped outside
after he was gone and looked at ths
courthouse door with the tell-tale board
across its face, then she looked pathet-
ically at the open trap door Of the little
fowlhouse opposite.
1T won't be no use to shut 10 to-
night" she muttered. Yves ruinated,
plumb ruinated, and there amt nobody
and nothin' to turn to-"
Half unconsciouly she looked in the
direction of the long avenue Of oaks
that stretched across the big fiat field
In front OF the ca bin. As she stood thus
an elderly negro in tattered coat.
with his head tied up In motley collec-
ton Of scarfs and strings, came up be
hind her.
lis dat debil gomez he asked in a
thin, high voice.
"Yes, Mr.. Beckwitl. He's gone. and
everything gone with him, 'scus,n'
the corn and that little handful Of pea
vines in the corn house, what we amt
to lay hands on. Everybody goin' to
know now that we's been shut up and
disgra ced."
lis you show him the papers what
the mems give you In 'sideration of the
'taters and cotton and things what we
pay out on de clock debt?"
Yes. But that make no difer. He
tell it as how we give the things to the
wrong men, rapscallion men hat he
amt send to fetch 'em. He wouldn'
leave me so much as that speekled 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 that Mr.. Beckwith said, and as they
entered the cabin, where light-wood
knot in the chimney place bla.ed up
abruptly In welcome, a braZen- -tongued
clock on a shelf struck thirteen in hur
ned. uneven tones. Mr.. Beckiwth's
face frightened. Its got us in lot OF
trouble. but it's mighty good company
he said. looking up at the tall clock in
Its gaudy frame.
Peck! peck. as Of a sharp bill striking
ON bare boards came from the inner
room. Nr. Beckw looked at his wife
inQuiringly.
THE rumplus pulletr' she explained
while the buckra and the dog was
runnin' down the other fowls II fly IN
there and squat down under the bed
so l just shut the door and amt say
nOti:n'. Seemed like the Lord aimed
for we to keep it."
Her companion chuckled. There
near bout rOur bushel of corn down
yonder In the fence corner" he said
''but 1t amt gone there itself. took II
out while he was gone to the stO' fol
nails. He amt goin' to miss 1t out ID
the main batch"
The rumplus pullet released from
confinement, stepped out near its mis-
tress, pecking at the oven, against the
rim Of which few crumbs from thu
last cooksl hee.d stuck fese