Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-03-11
CHAPTER K.

If disappointment, ike death. loves
shining mark, it is easy to comprehend
the thing which befell MI Topmark's
refulgent head. But ono customer re-
warded his thrifty home coming-a
small lad, very black, very implsh.
clothed only in shirt and sunshine.
His errand was to buy cents worth
of coal oil, yet he fingered good hour
in talk and left Mr.. Topmark with cold
shivers playing up and down his spine.
For Bud, the small darky, lived with
his parents upon Roscoe plantation and
was garrulously full Of Aunt Phcmy
and her powers. A random word here
and there let the storekeeper know that
there was belief among the blacks that
she had "laid magic" against him which
had some way recoiled Oh his wife's in.
nocent head. No cause was assigned,
vet his own consciousness and what
should have been his conscience easily
supplied one. Year in, year out, he had
bought their crops, weighing them to
his own profit and paying for them in
merchandise. 1t was in such traffic that
his prosperity was rooted. Even If he
had dealt fairly it would have made him
rich With long weight and scant meas
ure the store was veritable gold mine.
Yet all his riches might not avail to
save him from the enemy walking and
working in darkness. As the boy trot-
ted away Mr.. Topmnrk set his teeth.
muttering: dead man conjure, eh? Ef
that ole bag l must set Teddy an
some more boys at her. They'll fix her
so she won't never hurt me ergin. Wisht
she didn't live at Roscoe, though. Sposo
Miss Rob found it out? Lord. the fool l
am crbout that gal! little thought how
things would turn the night r.
Something in the glass fronted letter
box nailed to one pillar of the porch
caught his eye Topmark's was not a
pos:office The nearest one, indeed, was
five miles off, and folks who went to it
Of set purpose had neighhorly habit OF
bringing whatever lay in wait there for
any near resident and dropping it in tho
box as they rode home past the store.
So Mr.. Topmark was not surprised to
see scrawled envelope inside the box,
yet when he had got it out and opened
it his hands shook eagerly as he read:
MY part is done. Now you do yours
same way. The bear with er painters
hide"
After he had read it three times he
gave long whistle; then said, half
aloud: "In that case, my frien bar,
better be flxin ter do er little scratchin
fer myself. With the ole mar an the
colt gone thar amt er thing she could
raise er dollar on. The niggers own the
stock they work. Them waz ole Aliens
mules ter the carriage terday I do hope
shell hear reason, but I'm mighty 'fraid
she won't. Anyway, better have Law
yer Howell right here OH the spot. 1"
As the sun dipped and the shadows
grew long and black across the grass he
sat wrapped in deep thought, his eyes
hardly noting the waning of the day.
He gave great start indeed. Then Lu-
ley crept up to him, holding baby jim.
ney by the hand and with Annie tagging
to her frock.
Its SO lonesome without mother!'
she said. "Pa, come ter ask mightn't
l work on my crochet edgin?'
"Why, no. This Is Sunday, an Sun
day belongs ter the Lord" Mr. Top
mark said rousing himself and begin.
ming to play with his brood in decent
fatherly fashion. But Luley was not to
be silenccl.
''Teddy says you make him work
Sundays''- she began
Her father cut short her speech. "Ted-
dy amt fit fer nothin in the world but
ter lio an sell goods" he said. "Now,
Luloy, you listen at me-
1.-The bad man will get Luley fer
workin. know he will" Annie inter-
ruptcd. She was her fathers favorite,
far and away the prettiest of the three,
with her big blue eyes and yellow curls
and way she had of looking confiding-
ly up in the face Of whomsoever she
would cajole. Now, as she scrambled
into her fathers arms, she laid her head
against his cheek and said in her wiscst
voice: eyes, the ole bad man will git
Luley sure. Aunt Sarah says so, al she
says sho hopes he'll get Miss Rob Nc
Gregor too
"Ho! Did she say that? CANT be-
lievo it. But, George, come ter think
Of it now, reckon she did," Mr. Top
mark said, rising and shaking himself
"Come on ter the house, children,' he
went on. can, Luley, here's the store
key. Ell nybody hollers, you open the
door an ask 'em ter wait till Teddy
comes. He cain be long now. I've got
ter write or letter. Then-well, think
I'll ride up an sec your Aunt Sarah. "
The letter writing ought not to have
taken long-it was a mighty brief epis-
tle-but Mr.. Topmark sat good hour,
weighing each word and phrase Of it,
cts er ticklish thing ter manage" he
muttered. "Igot ter cover up my tracks.
She mus think I'm a.doin my level best
ter save the ole man from worry, an
reckon she won't need ter be told that
none er them jacksnipe lawyers thar in
town won't take no case fer nobody
much Of they know me an my money is
on the other side er it. mus think
luck is with me. 1t come over me this
mornin as we druv erlong, 'S'pose the
other gal an Sister Annis was at meet
in terday an had choosed ter say things
erbout how I come thar an who I
fetched?' l got roun the ole woman easy
when she attacted me- That g one good
or Teddy bein sech er lier. That Mag
nolyer Is er pictyer. I'd marry hor in er