The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-01

dow around the corner. III was open as
to sash, but had thick wooden shutters,
now tightly barred. A minute Aunt
Phemy listened beneath it, then gave a
smothered snort and hobbled back to
the door, outside which she stopped to
say to herself: KNOCK, Phemy. Eff
dee kills you fer it, you better had find
out eff dat ole Miss Annis err her ghost
in dar talkin wild Ben Topmark.
Then she gave a laundering rap.
When the door was set cautiously ajar,
she thrust her foot within and pushed
it wide, saying, with a sniff:
"'Tain't des nobody but RIO, Teddy
Barton. You needn't ter be 'fraid. Why,
de lawsy, Marse Beni How come you
yere in de sto' dis time er night?"
"Oh, that you, Aunt PhemyG Come
in" Mr.. Topmark said, stepping back
pace. There was scuttling of feet
behind him. Two figures moved to the
store front, which lay almost in dark
ness But Aunt Phemy had seen enough
"a beak nose nearly meeting sharp
chin, pair of beady eyes and thatch
of coarse gray hair surmounting a tall
figure that wore woman's garb, albeit
there was nothing womanly in the face.
She had seen, too, handsome, sullen
girl, black browed. red Tipped. tall and
voluptuously rounded, moving at the
old woman's elbow and evidently trying
to keep in her shadow. But there was
no hint of such seeing in her face as she
made known her wants. nor did she
more than check her hobble, when, up
ON passing outside into the big road,
she saw, further, lank, bullet headed
fellow sitting horse as lank as himself
aud holding the reins of two others
which wore sidesaddles
But when the outer dusk had swal-
lowed her so far that she could move
unobserved oy the man, who was evil
IDENTITY on guard, she put down her stick
and parcel, took off her white turban,
muffled herself by 6inging her black
skirt over her head and crept noiselessly
back TO stand beneath the window, lis
teni-G, listening. to the talk within.
She caught only fragments. Most
times the voices were too low. But now
and again they were raised as in anger
or exultation. The girl said little. The
old woman was indeed the chief speak
er throughout the conclave. eyes, do
want all that belongs ter me, an mo-
eff kin git it,, the black woman heard
her say clearly. She heard, too, sniff
from Mr.. Topmark, though she could
not catch his answer. Then the girl
said in the slow, drawing speech that
is the characteristic of the poor whites
"O-ool Shurks. Aun' Nan! Jest ask
that thar ma-an eff he'll pay money, as
we kin tote erway. Cord kno-ows 1
do, { want no land. / amt fit ter
wa urk it, an you know 'Noch wont
wu- urk nothin"-
"No! You oughter not work; that's a
fac, Miss-Miss"-
''Magnolyer Tubbsl said her name
out plain" the old woman interrupted
as Mr.. Topmark hesitated. Aunt Phe-
my started little at the words and
muttered under her breath: "Huhl Dat
gal kin er yourn, den. You wus Tubbs
yourself. An you br'er Bill he took an
married one er dem gals er ole man
an all dee went off ter de free
states. Wonner how come she yerep
Tain't fer no good, I'm bound. Wish
Iced talk up loud some mo-. like ter
ine out whut meanness Ben Topmark
Is up ter now, right at de las"
Then a shiver ran over her. Her teeth
even chartered bit. She muffled her
self closer and slipped away, noiseless
ls shadow, unseen as spirit of the
,ir.
Inside the talk was now carried on
N whispers The man with the horses
yawned, nodded, swore. then settled |
himself well forward in the saddle and |
slept comfortably, with long drawn,
shores.
1t was ii o'clock and white moon |
high in heaven before he was disturbed. |
The women came around the house,
With Mr.. Topmark in their wake. Mrs.