Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-05-09

There his agony overwhelmed him
and he threw himself on his bed again
and pressed his hands over his eyes.
The strains of an organ swelled up
from the nearer church and stole into
his room; voices began to sing. The
singers broke down and merry laugh
ter-the laughter of free, hopeful peo-
ple-rolled after the fleeing strains of
music.
Suddenly there was sound of key
being pushed into the lock and the big
door swung open. The voice of the
TALLER cried:
wake up thar, Mr.. Fanshaw. I've
fetched yore brother up to see you'll"
Dave came in with candle which
the jailer had given him, and he stood
with it in his hand, awkwardly shift
ing his big feet in their new shoes, till
the jailer had locked the door and
had gone.
II come on, Rom" he said, "as soon
as could after I got home, and Miss
Hasbrooke had drove up the second
time to tell me what you'd said. She
lowed che had took you to the sher-
ifs house. She was a-cryin' as if 'er
heart nd break-she could hardly talk.
She begged me to come on an offered
me money to buy anything that might
be needed"
81 hope you didn't take It, Dave"
burst from the prisoners lips.
mo, l didn't take it; somehow I
didn't think you would want help from
woman--you are not that sort"
"What do people think about it,
Dave?" Ronald took the candle from
the poor fellows quivering hand and
placed it on little shelf on the wall.
"Sympathy's always with the dead,
at first" answered Dave. II never
have heerd as many good things said
about George Washington as I have
about Sgd Hart in the last three
hours"
Ronald sighed despondently.
II presume that they blame me?"
"Some few lowed that you ort not
a-bucked agin i'm that night at the
swamp"
"But the boy was innocent" said
our hero.
THAT'S a fast, Ron; but mountain
folks don't reason that way; they only
remember how mad you made i'm
when you turned his cake to dough
They don't admit that you was right
kase they don't want to know how
nigh they come to murder that night
The niger that did the deed has long
ago met his God, but some of ZEN
try to believe he was innocent. Lei
body have even spindlin' excuse,
and he'll clear his own skirts. Do you
reckon they will let you out on bail?'
"Mr. Ratclif is going to help me
try for it," replied the prisoner. eve
shall not know what can be done till
after the trial Monday"
Dave moved towards the door, as II
he were ready to go, but he fingered
II reckon" he said, as his eyes
roved about the bare room, shat vol
feel little lonesome heer." Receiv
ing nod from his brother, he wen
on: "You needn't look to pa for help
Bill Tygh limited to i'm this evenin
that folks would naturally expect hin
to sign yore bond, an it made i'm al
mad as wet hen. He swore like rip
fur fully five minutes on a stretch, an
said some'n about yore bein' no sol
O. his'n. Ma run out to him an
slapped 'er hand smack dab over hi
mouth, an tol' i'm to shet up ur she't
make i'm regret it to his dyin' day
They both went off in the smokehouse
jowerin' like cats a-fghtin'. slid VI
agin the wall O. the smokehouse to Sc,
eff I could make out what was wrong
Thar they had it up an down fur hal
an hour, but couldn't catch head M
tail of it. But it seemed like pa hat
committed some crime or other durin
the war, up in Tennessee, an she wal
threatenin' to give him away. The.
kept bringing yore name into thu
fuss, but couldn't tell why they dit
it. You was too little durin' the Wa
to "a done anything wrong"
Ronald made no comment on thes
remarks; indeed he had caught onl,
about half Of what his brother wa
saying, SO far away were his thought
from any row between his mother an
father.
Noting his inattention, Dave shool
the iron door, the signal agreed o.
between him and the jailer to indicat
his readiness to go. "Tve got q lon
ride before me-" he explained. "I'l
be In Monday sure"
And when the jailer and Dave ha'
departed with the candle, Ronald To-
down on his bed to spend his frs
night after killing man.