The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-10-25
The Ring 5 Victory.
BY#Q. *. UNDERWOOD.
Author "BlacK John" Etc.

BY 10 X. UNDERWOOD.
Author BLACK john" Etc.
copyright 1900 Daily story Pub. Coz
1T was only a speckled shote, but the
rream-colored pony thought 1t was
bear or something even more dreadful.
He was a city-trained pony and was
without fear OF steam engines. electric
cars and other urban nerve wreckers,
but he had never had any experience
with the bogies Of plantation life So
when the speekled shote darted across
the path with terrifying "hough!
fhough!' the cream-colored pony
shied, and threw the girlswho was rid
ing him, then tore off down the narrow
road through the cotton field at top
speed
Being robust young person with a
good deal Of pluck and q sense OF
humor, however, she laughed almost
s,ss soon as the first tears started down
the sides of her nose. and satisfying
herself that no bones were broken she
shook the dust from her riding habit.
and gave her hat a touch with her
.gIoved fingers to make 1t sit straight
on her brown locks.
The big white mansion where she
lived was a mile and,a half away. The
Sun was behind a bank of black clouds
in the west and the rich purple Of the
cotton blooms, which were a pearly
white In the morning, and a delicate
mink at noon, bore evidence that the
day was dying all too fast for the
quiet of maid with a weary hour Of
! walking ahead OF her.
''I went down the new-cut road,
She went down the lane.
And she promised to meet me,
Goodbye, Liza Jane.
The sound OF this classic, sung in a
Rselodious. though unframed voice, and
accompanied by the rhythmic beat OF a
horses hoofs ON the sunbaked road,
caused the girl to draw to one side and
,ook back. II was the voice OF a
white man and welcome. for the girl
did not relish the long walk home
through the lonely plantation.
The man on the gray horse eyed the
girl curiously and respectfully. He
was sinburned and stalwart. and sat
in his saddle ais one at home. He
would have passed without speaking
as is the custom In the home Of King
Cotton. but for the evidence OF the
girls apparel that she should be on
slOrs eback
s.... Beg pardon, ma'am," he said, rails
sIg his hat Can ] do anything to
assist you?
'You are Mr.. Bradley. are you not?'
said the girl
..Yes'm.''
II am Jane Apperson."
The young man said he would be
pleased to be of service to Miss Apper-
son.
my pony threw me and ran away
said the girl.
do you think you could ride my
horse?" said Bradley, who had dis
mounted.
II couldn't think of depriving you.
Maybe the pony has stopped Would
you mind riding ahead and looking
Tor him?"
Certainly not and Bradley gal
foped away on the gray horse
Old Mr.. Apperson was the richest
person in that section of the state, and
probably the most unpopular. Why
man Of his temperament and prejudiees
ever essayed to make his home egon an
Arkansas plantation was local mys-
terry. His political faith was a grieyr
GUS offense to his neighbors and his
cold, hard insistence that all men
should live within their incomes and
aiojure light pleasures was regarded
with deep disapproval by the hospita-
rieof and his only child, the brown
eyed. brown-haired Jane, knew none
oT her neighbors. Occasionally the APP
persons would be visited by severe
looking women and men of clerical as
pecf from the East, but these never
fraternized with the community.
Ben Bradley wasn't bad fellow.
Some daredevil feats Of his youth had
given him a reputation for reckless
ness that he had not quite lived down,
asut the worst that could be truthfully
said of him now was that he kept fight
iEs cocks and evinced more intelli-
genf Interest in dog or a horse or a
gRn than he did in improved farm ma
sshinery, or experiments in the line of
IL reducing white labor in the South
LEN Bradley came back to her with
err %he cream-colored pony. I'm
af aid there's nothing for it but for