Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-07-15

/ man in one of the poor, WORKOUT uesu
and gone villages of the east, whose
father had long ago been adventurous
/ enough to set out in search OF California
gold, and who had got on his journey
as far west as the pine hills of Louisi-
ana where he had had the forethought
TO preempt section of land and the
lack of thought to go back cast imme-
diately thereafter. Perhaps the COM
ing of the little railroad through his
| land meant a great deal to the poor son
| Of the poor man who had entered it
years ago, and perhaps it meant more
to the land agent who had the handling
Of it for its owner.
BY the right of assumption this same
land agent had come to be a power in
the neighborhood, and when he laid off
a town siteupon the eastern mans land,
so that the little settlement was left
as a sort Of struggling suburb thereto,
the people felt as if the great world had
come and sat down beside them instead
Of dragging them out to itself.
In the new town there was 10 be
station and a hotel and a post Office.
AAEEE even AallAE ~ bG htif w " tAAs+lfNA
ings that at the next term of court the
settlement would 60 down to Sparta in
a body and cast it's vote for the court
house to be moved TO the new town
rather than to Gibbs or Arcadia. This
patriotic sentiment grew as the new
town grew. There was something in
spring about the sound ofsaw and ham
mer, and the blow of red paint on the
little squat station. The women did
little else but CAB and gossip, and the
men either laid of work in a body OF
took turn about in watching the prog
rcss Of the building over at New Town,
reporting to the rest OF the settlement
after nightfall.
All Of this stir and excitement had
its effect upon 'Kiah and Ria along with
the rest. With all the lumber needed,
BurBets mill was kept busy frsm day
light until dark. and 'Kiah found no
time TO slip down from his wagon and
give Ria lift with the late cotton pick.
ing. Perhaps that is why he stayed
longer than usual one Sunday after
noon when he went to see Ria and talk
to key and Mrs. Tilly. lie stayed 50
long, in fact, that Mrs. Tilly, having ex-
haustcd her usual flow of conversation. |
succumbed under the soporific influence
Of her steady dipping, and fell asleep
in the chimney corner He stayed so
long that key, who had slipped out the
back door, saddled his mule and ridden |
away. came back at dusk to find him
still sitting and Smelling peanuts.
"Been over to New Town" said key. |
in hoarse whisper, lest he should dis
turb the old woman, as he stopped down |
and felt in the ashes for a handful Of |
peanuts. Tell yer, things air boomin' |
over that "a way, 'Kiah."
'Say they air?" said 'Kiah. fitting his
chair bacl, and running his hands Nto |
his pockets.
"That they air" key went on.
Tell yer, that there land agent, he's |
a hustler"
"Say he air?" 'Kiah ventured again,
running his hands still further into his |
pockets.
Yes, sir. that agent, he's n regular |
hustler from Hustleville," said key, |
who had found a good deal Of time to
loaf about New Town and picked up its |
news and its slang.
Tell yer what he's goin' ter do. He |
says the roadll he through by Chris
mas, an he's fixin' up fer n big bar
becue that day, when the first train /
gits here. Folks are comm from Sparty |
an down on the railroad from fur up Us
Homer. He's goin' to git some lawyers |
here FUN Minden to make speeches, an |
the Baptis' preacher FUN Mount Leb-
anon, an he's got posters struck of an /
stuck up, tellin' that he'll give a ten
acre lot with a two-room frame house
an th'ow in a mule to boot 10 any |
couple that'll come to New Town an
git married that day at the barbecue. |
les, sir, that's what he's ofTerin', an
hit faint no POI folks offer, nuther. |
Ten acres don't seem no big slice er Ian, |
out tell you, sight er potatoes an peas
an turrips an collards kin grow on ten /
acre, an SIGH as that'll come in mighty |
handy fur the hotel an railroad folks. |
Yes, sir, bedog-gon eff l amt min to
set ont m hunt me gal Of as al an /
put in bid fur that house an lot. I'd |
start out right now eff the Of mule /
warn't so tired. Reckon, though. may /
be l better go feed her an wait tell
mawnin,"
'Kiah waited till key had closed the
door, then bringing the chair down on
its four legs again he pulled his long /
legs up and drew a paper from his left
hand tIouser pocket.
Here's that there poster key was a
talkin' bout" lie said, slowly, handing /
the glariug yellow and black bill to
Ria.
The girl read it slowly, leaning for
ward TO catch the dim light that came in
the little window.
"S'Posin' we try fur that house an
lot, 'Iiiag' he said, as she handed the
poster back to him.
The old woman raised her head from /
the chimney-jamb, spat clear Off the |
GndirOns into the big bank of ashes |
beyond and settled to her doing again.
Don't keer eff l do, 'Kiah." said the
girl. rs the wistful look faded from her