Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-17

that set Jacks heart more than ever ID
q f1utter.
"Come and settle this dispute Of ours.
You are just in time" she cried at sight
of him. "Would you believe 1t? This
wild parent of mine has been preaching
that things have no intrinsic value at
all; that it is all relative and depends
on how badly you happen to want
them"
"H-m. Why. there are not two sides
to that question. Hei is entirely right, "
Jack. said, with his most judicial air.
Mr.. McGregor laughed aloud.
81 was proving it by story lie
began.
"Made to order" Rob interrupted.
EDO you know, Jack, he was trying TO
make me believe that we would never
have had Roscoe but fora spotted
heifer?"
"We would not, Miss Impertinence,"
her father said, still laughing. 81 will
tell Jack the story. I had not thought
Of it in ten years until I fell talking
day before yesterday with Benjamin
Topmark"-
"Why, what brought him here?" Jack
interrupted. Rob looked away, but said
gayly:
"The finest new turnout in the coun-
ty; at least Nam Liza says so. And,
only think, I missed sight Of it; was
uay ont in the fields.o
"He came to see me, 3" Mr.. McGregor
said, with dignity, Ito say, poor fell
low, how sorry he was that he had not
been in three years before. Now, in his
own sorrowful desolation, he is learn
ing"-
Excuse me, dad, but what has his
grief to do with q spotted heifer-and
Roscoe?'' Rob asked saucily. Her fa-
ther patted her hand.
"You shall hear in good time" he
said. "Jack will pardon an old mans
rambling. The story is not much, after
all. You both have heard me tell about
coming out Of Virginia, boy of H.,
riding at my fathers elbow. He had
not bought land before coming out, and
as soon as we chanced upon this place
he made up his mind that he wanted it,
1t belonged to man named Pick1ns
then, one Of the poor whites. But, odd
ly enough, he had a good. title, though
most of his sort merely squatted where
they chose. He wanted to sell and move
to one of the prairie states, but his wife
was against it. She would, In fact, have
brought the trade to naught had she
not fallen in love with"--
"The spotted beifer. see. But how
came you to have that valuable animal''
Rob asked, her eyes twinkling. Her fa-
ther gently piDched her ear as he went
on:
"Why, she was my pet. I had raised
her back in Virginia and had refused to
sell her with the rest Of the cattle. She
was broken to the halter, so led her
over the mountains into Tennessee. Mrs.
Pickins tried first to buy her through
somebody else. She was sharp old Ia
dy, but not too sharp for me. I let it be
known to her that my May Blossom
was not for sale, but that I was ready
to make her a present Of the animal
the minute she would sign quitclain1
deed to the land. Even then she hung
back day and night, but ended BY
coming round. And so, Miss Rob, you
will one day have Roscoe
II think-yes, I must look up that
quitclaim," Rob said saucily. Her ia
theirs face clouded.
"You will not find it," he said.
"Twenty years after it was given my
father sent it to a lawyer in Illinois,
who wanted it to help the old woman's
children in some legal matter. He prom
ised faithfully to return it, but never
did. That does not matter if it is re-
corded. 1t was, I know. But SO many
books were burned in that fire at the
courthouse. Benjamin Topniark spoke
Of that and said he would find out for
me. He was going to search the books
on his own account and would be glad
to look for me-"
"Mr. Topmark is-too kind" Rob
said, with the faintest curl of the lip
then, with q quick change Of mood:
"Jack, do you want to be useful? Then
come help me feed my chickens. They
are spoiled, almost as badly as this dad
of mine. They eat nearly their OWL
weight in meal every day, yet to hear
them quawk and complain you would
think they were starving.
"They are deceitful, like their mis-
tress," Jack said as he followed her to
the feed coop, tent shaped affair of
rough Stats, which was set some 30
yards from the back steps, Rob had a
big basin of wot meal. She flung it by
generous handfuls within the coop, then
leaned upon it, watching her pets at
their greedy feeding. One of them, a
pretty, tame, ash blue creature, flew
upon her outstretched hand and perched
there, preening herself and giving out
soft little sounds as she pecked daintily
at remnants of dough in the basin.
"Poor Bluebird!" Rob said, stroking
the soft feathers. II am afraid, sweet
heart, next winter you will be hungry
unless I can bring myself to kill you or
give you away. Do you know, Jack,
have come to wish, almost, that every
thing 1 love may be dead when winter
comcs?'
"HushI" Jack began imperatively,
but she went on recklessly:
cit is the only way out. You see how
things arc-the crop going to destruction
and not hand raised to stop it. Uncle
Ned's wife's brothers. mother-in-law is
d,,a To cbo,p rocportfuI symnathv with