The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-02-16


| RAW manners slid off like drop of wa'e
fri IN cabbage leaf and she answered holy
| I'd have you know. Miss Wideeon. tn
papers don't magnify the matter. The
don't make fnss over nothing. They dom
begin to tell all the truth. None o. then
can. Nv brother was Eearer dead than an
man who ever lived Noihing bnt the f;avo
of God and Klegg grit pulled him through
It'd killed a whole schooi-ho1se full o
Randy Widgeons or that Secoi d Lieutenant
remember Randy Wileeon turning pal'
and a most faintirg when he run fish-hool
into his fiuger II it aint nothing VIII,
don't Randy Wiageon 90 down there n little
while. with the rest o. the boys and do hi
SHARP"
My brother disbelieves in the consfitu-
! tiOnality of this war and denies that We
have any right to take away other peopie's
slaves" sad Arbell1 lo'tily. Il s'pose
/ he's right to his opinions
"A poor excuses hetter'n none" retorted
Maria. - noticed that he didn't turn ont
last Summer to keep John Morgan from
stealing our peoples horses. and roi'hinr
Their stores and houses S'poSe he thought
it unconstitutional to let misty rebel gorilla
shoot ut him It's VERY convenient tn hqv.
your af aid to do''
The diaiog was rapidly approaching the
volcanic stage when a pooriy-dresSed. sal
faxed woman, with babe in her arms. edged
her wav through the crowd to Maria, and
said timidly, for she had never heen &C
counted bv the Kleg"s rs i'm their set:
Miss Maria. don't s'pOse Won know me
but do so want to cit chance to speak to
vOur rap as soon rs he gifts here and before
all these people gifts hold of him. Mebbe
he's found out something ahout ro,r Jim.
can't believe that Jim was killed. and
keep hOpin' that he got awav somehow, and
is in one o. them hospitals Mebbe vour
pap knows ! know you think Jim was
bad and rough. but he was mighty cool tn
me. and he's all that | had. I'm nearly
dead to hear ahout him, hut can't write.
nor kin Jim. I've bin irwin to make up nv
mind to come over to your house, and ak yon
to write for n.y."
"Of course You can. you poor. dear
woman" said Maria, her mood changing at
once from fereeness to loving pity. . ou
shall he the first one to speak to Pap and ri
after me. Why didn't Won come over to see
us long ago? We'd only bin too glad TO see
you, and do all we could for you. Yes
know, you. You're Polly Blaydon, and live
down by the saw-mill where your husband
used to work. You look tirei and weak
carrying that big babv. Let me hold
him awhile and rest you. Sit down there
On that box. I'll make Sol Pringle clear it
off for YOU"
Arabela curled her nose. at seeing Maria
take the unwashed baby in her arms, to the
imminent danger of her best gown, hut
Maria did not notice this and was all loving
attention TO the baby end its mother.
1t seemed an age until the whistle of the
locomotive was heard. The engine had to
stop to take water at the creek. several hun
dre.i yards from the station, and Maria's i'm
patience to see ST and be the first to speak to
him could not brook the delay.
Come along, Mrs Blaglon," she called
and with the baby still in her arms she sped
down the cinder track to the pumping sta
ton, and then along the line of freight cars
until she recognized her father face looking
from the caboOSe, which was still beyond the
bridge. She snouted joyonsly at him.
Maria's out there, waitin for rs. and
she's got baby in her arms. What in the
world do you s'poSe she thinks We want a
baby for?"
''Spect she's bin practicin' on it, SOS to
take care o. US, ST." said Shorty. g believe
we've bin moro trouble to your father than
we wuz to our mothers when we wuzr t. eth
in'."
''I've bin repaid for all, more'n reTaid
for all, +" said the Deacon, especially nee
Pm once more back home, and out o. the
reach o. the Sheritis o. Tennessee I'll say
away from Chattanooga till after the Grand
jury meets down there. If it does its dooty