The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-01-06

aOBmaih hAiAt bttOu Gnu W tnt
big road where it ran down hill to cross
Walnut creek. The storehouse was
log structure, with a cringing frame
addition across the back. In front there
was a ramshackle shed porch, with
gathering floor, and some tottering steps
at one edge, from which the women
customers who rode got up or down
from their horses They were not over
many. For the most part the store got
its trade from the abundant freedmen.
Some part of the blacks had small
holdings OF their own. A much larger
moiety worked upon neighboring planta-
tions, either for wages or for q share Of
the crops. But, howsoever employed,
they had trick Of coming to buy at all
hours of the day and night. Mr.. Top
mark, the storekeeper, bemoaned the
fact no little. at is the ill convenient
est thing" he said. "Ef the niggers'd
jest come either all by day er all by
night, q man'd know when ter be thar
an needn't bother an go ter expense
keepin no sech trial as that thar triflin
Teddy Barton, who can't be depended
on more'n five days in the week"
Teddy, you see, considered himself
society man of the giddiest type. He
thought nothing of riding / 8 miles and
back to party, which, III his judgment
at least, would be fat failure lacking
tho light of his countenance. But he
had the redeeming quality Of coming
cheap to his employer, and the further
merit Of being humbly respectful to that
PERSONS face, though among his own
mates he told wild tales of "the sass he
give ole Top jest whenever he had
mind.
Nobody believed him. Nobody ever
did believe anything Teddy said. The
bare fact of his saying it indeed made
against tho acceptance Of anything I'M
less there was mighty good outside
proof. THAT thar boy-he d ruther lie
than ter drink whisky er ebon dance"
big Matt Taylor, tho blacksmith, said
of him, with n kindly, oonsemptuous
laugh There were nos lacking people
to say, though, that il was reddy's fac
lilo untruth which had got and kept
him his place as Mr.. Topmirk's general
representative.
Still there We're limi TO Teddy's use.
fulness. Mr.. Iopmark knlw him too
well to trust him with any matter too
parlous for general Cos! ip. Possibly that
was why he said affably upon a July
evening:
''Teddy, amt thar 10 lie nowhar's
in strikin distance ter nigh ? You amt
been ter one in ten days, al ] DO reckon
heap Of the fair sect is ! min fer the
sight Of you.
Teddy gigFlea and admitted that
"mayby two or three gals o!er at Squire
Bynum's would ohunc up an cry eff he
didn't git thar fore 10 clock. " So,
after Bit moye chat, he vent gallop-
ing away, waving laugh g goodby to
Luley, the eldest Of Mr. Topmarks
three small daughters, She was prim
miss Of 8. Annie and Jinley, the 9TH
ers, were respectively aud 3. They
wero all miniatures Of their mother,
who was of the softly Gu we'd, plump.
white rabbitty type. 81 esa' little way
off, watching her chile rem tumble and
play on tho piazza fCor. There were no
lights outside, but broad yellow radi-
ance fell from hall mp on the hud-
died heads, making pain all the intri-
cacies of their touseled gold
"You children bet err not make so
much fuss. Pappy'll SEND you off ter
bed. It's time you were there nOw-way
after O'clock" Mrs. Tcpmark said,
with slow, indulgent smile. Jinney
disentangled herself and t0ddled across
to her father. He sat eaiily in big
splint rocker. but there was no ease in
his face. Instead it wore strained
look, yet he smiled Oh viously upon the
child, catching her up and making a
great ado of standing hsrupo her head
At once he set her down and rose pre-
cipitately. saying
Amt that jest the beat of luck? IF
Teddy was here, wouldn't soul come
a-nigh the sto' fer two days mayby, yet
thar's somebody hollerin now. an I've
got ter go tend ter him err else lose my
trade ter that Teller at the crossroads. A"
1T is aggravatin; but, then, folks
most always come erbout this time in
the week-Thursday nights. you know"
Mrs. Topmark returned plaoidly. Her
husband heard only the first words. He
was half way across the hundred yards
Of turf that separated the store from 10
smart new house. brave In cream walls
and scarlet window sash, that lately had
replaced his fathers squat log dwelling.
Some one was calling sharply from the
road. The hail was insistent, but eau.
iious. To one able to read faces IL was
plain Mr.. Topmark had been listening
for II in spite Of his elaboration of sur.
prised vexation over it, But nothing of
that came to the woman sitting placid
ly ON the piazza. Except within the
narrowest personal limits, she had no
penetration. Besides she would sooner
have questioned the ways of divine
Providence than those Of her husband.
: sfne stores back door alone was open
ed after dark. As Mrs. Topmark heard
il olang behind her husband she settled
herself afresh. took Jinney in her arms
and began softly to Groom fragment OF
an old love song. But after a minute
she iidgeted uneasily, then sat suddenly
upright say Ing. with touch OF author
ity; Now, you all must 60 right ter
bed. every ono Of You. You hear thati
Come ON an let me see who gets up
stairs first I expect there'll be some
uandy in my pocket fer the one that
does.
A. - -. A.. Ill. A.. - H.