The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-02

i
ing AK striking against hard wood en-
phasized the boys nod. 1t was now APP
parent that the sound of the chopping
which had been breaking on the still,
heavy air at intervals since we began
to descend the hill originated on Leach's
| premises. In response to the boys siI
lent request to follow him, Tatinan and
i fell in with the group of boys and
girls and dogs and went around to the
back yard. Once in sight of this dreary
spot, we came to dead stop. The
chopper was an old woman. Her fore
head was network of wrinkles, Her
hair was a yellowish gray. There was
only a wisp of It, This was twisted into
a tight little knob at the top of her
head, all except few thin strings which
had escaped the thralldom of the comb
and struggled down around her bony
neck. The woman's cheeks were thin
and creased and her eyes were sunken.
Her thin calico gown displayed every
angle of her gaunt, ungainly figure.
Taken all in all, she was very home
ly, uncouth woman, but somehow there
was something about her that made me
feel timid. Tatman saw my trepidation
and took the initiative. He stepped for
ward and stood directly before the
chopper. She held the ak poised in the
air for moment, then let it sink down
easily on the hickory chunk. She rested
her hands on the handle and bent her
tall body slightly forward.
"'Well,' she said, what do you wantT
"Her steady look disconnected Tat
man, too, for a minute, but he braced up
and came to the point without any USE
less preliminaries.
"'Does Hiram Leach live here?' he
asked.
eyes she said, stiff1y.
"Is he at home? continued Tat
man.
"'Yes,' she repeated.
"'I should like to see him. said Tat
man.
"The woman grasped the ak handle
tighter and then leaned over little
farther. What you want of himY she
asked.
"Tatman looked at her significantly.
I'm the sheriff. he said, bluntly and
cruelty. Perhaps you can guess the.
rest
"The AK dropped to the ground at that
and the woman pressed her coarse red
hands to her cheeks, over which snow
flakes were drifting like half-frozen
tears. She made no audible reply to
Tatman's communication, but the chill
dren, who had gathered close about us,
took alarm at the dread word sheriff
io% %aJ -
alright, as though they had heard the
crack of doom.
care you Leach's wife, said Tat
man.
"'No, his sister. His wife's dead
Died when this'n was baby she said,
:. laying her hand on the head of the
smallest child which had escaped to
take refuge in the folds of her scant
skirt. My name is Marthy Leach, she
, added, as an afterthought. I've stayed
, here ever since the children's mother
, went and sort o looked after EN-
! Again Tatman hesitated.
"'You understand my errand here,
I'm quite sure, Miss Leach he said.
You have undoubtedly heard the ru-
mors that have been current for weeks
past concerning your brother. l have
a duty to perform. must search
! your house
, "The woman's thin, hatchet-like
, face grew more peaked and haggard.
For moment a look of defiance
glowed in her eyes. When that died
: away she lifted the smallest child into
: her arms and started toward the
house.
"'Come on she said. He's in here
"Tatman and / followed her into a
= long, low room, and the children and
dogs crowded in at our heels. The
room was almost dark. The greater
part of what poor light there was was
= derived from fitful fame that leaped
up from the log in the open fireplace,
for the windows, which were too small
to admit much light even in their
prime condition, were rendered almost
opaque by the rags which were sub
!, stituted for the broken panes, and the
: swirls of snow that coated the few re-
" naming ones. A man sat at one cor
ner of the fireplace. He was coughing
!, violently when we entered, and l no.
: ticed that the hand he held up to his
= lips was almost transparent in its
. thinness. The woman stood silently
' before him until his paroXysm OF
coughinghad ended. Then she spoke
/, "'Hi, she said, here's two men come
to see YOU
= THE man raised his hollow dark
= eyes and shook back his thick dark
= hair. Tatman looked at me appeal
= ingly, but 1 could give him no en-
couragement.
q ",They have duty to perform the
/ woman went on bitterly. This man,
q and she pointed to Tatman, is the
y sheriff. He is going to arrest you for
8 stealing a sack of potatoes, bag OF
2 corn and slice of pickle pork from