Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-05-01
: CHAPTER XII.
.c- r,x,--A-

Ia RASH IHhEAV.
Pap Sampson. coming down the
street from the store, saw. woman
dressed in musty black leave his house
MS he approached and walk away in
the opposite direction. Her head was
bent, and her attitude and movement
gave unmistakable evidence that she
was in deep trouble.
AS Pap entered the yard Mrs. Samp-
son appeared in the open front door, a
look of troubled anxiety on her wrin-
kled, homely, but kind old face.
.AIirandy," Pap said eagerly, WANT
that the Wilder Mann that jest went
out?'
Mrs. Sampson nodded.
4 thought 1t was," Pap went Oh,
though ] WANT clost enough to see
her face. Somethin wrong with her,
amt they?'
1.-THE pore critters in a peck of trou-
BIZ" Mrs. Sampson answered.
'I'd say't!" Pap exclaimed thought
fully. .Humph! All along of what
folks are a-sayin Of her an Sim Banks,
{ / reckon"
"Waal, it's along of that, Pap. but
not bout that exactly. You know she's
got a piece of wheat down on her farm,
an it's ripe and needs cuttin."
.Waal3'
IAN 1t pears lack she'd made n trade
: with Sim a good spell ago to cut 1t for
her on the sheers."
@She did, Mirandy. was a witness
to the trade, an l mind 1t well.''
WAL. now, becus Of all the talk
That's a-gwine bout, Sim he's backed
4 out an won't tech that wheat"
Why wonder?"
..Becns he says II he did it'd give
more color to what folks are a-sayin.p
An It would. too. Mirandy; 1t would
Shore"
$50, not havin no money to live with
an not bein able to make no trade with
nobody else, Mary Mann Is plumb at
the end of her row, an she don't know
which way to turn
Naturally she would be, Mirandy.
Yes, sir-ee!' Pap paused for quite
awhile. during which time he chewed
Z his tobacco vigorously. Showing that
! he was engaged In earnest thought
Then he added slowly: ''Yes, stree
Naturally she would be; naturally she
& would be-"
Can't you see no way out for her
Pap?" Mrs. Sampson asked.
was jest a-thinkin. AIirandy.
hain't no great admiration for Mary
Mann, nm Iguess thar amt many as
has. but for all that she's woman, ar
awidder woman Mt that. Wonder when
her wheat'll do to cut"
"Tomorry, she said"
t.Waal.. 1t won't nigh do to let that
wheat go to waste; SO, as thar dom
seem to be nothin else for 1t, guess
better go out this evenin an gather uI
handful Of men an take 'em ovel
thar tomorry an cut 1t for her.
Mrs. Simpsons face frightened n
once. She was one of those great soul
ed plain people who can never bear t.
see any one in trouble without want
Ing to move heaven and earth to re
lieye his distress.
" Are you shore you can git the mel
to goY' she asked
Lord, yes! Yes. stree! Thar's ia
( son Roberts. Jason an me has 1t vi
an down sometimes. an reckon til,
chief enjoyment Of his. life Is to TAX,
sides ag'in me In everything say; but
my land, that amt nothin. an when
comes right down to the pinch Jasol
Will sw'ar by me. Yes; Jason'll go al
Sam Morgan an Ebenezer Sparks an
+ lot OF the others
Do you reckon they won't want t
charge her for their work. though|
Lord. Mirandy. you don't know
them fellers shorely! Charge woman
y an wilder woman ut that, for helpil
her out Of pinch! Land! You jes
let Mary Mann give US good dinner
an we'll have all the pay we want
Well even go to the length of furnish
in our jug OF liquor IL we can git bo
! to 80 to the still after 1t, an guess W
shorely can."
Pap Sampson was busier that aftel
- noon than he had been for a long tint
He hunted around till he found ST
A good men to accompany him to Mr.
Mann's farm. Then he hunted up crl
y dies. and last, but not least, he hunte
"a boy to go after jug of whisky.
'Mought jest us well try to git Ion
without cradles as without Jug q
liquor" he said to himself as he potter
ed about getting everything in read
ness. "a getherln without IN
wouldn't be no getherin at ALL"
Pap was In great spirits the ne1
morning when he marshaled his forf
into the wheatfleld and got the cradle
Z to going. He hoped about as spry as
boy and gave orders like general. q
even grasped a. cradle and prepared [
lead the way with the first swath, b,
Jason took the cradle out Of his hand
and wouldn't let him.
mo. Pap" Jason said. 1--WE can
have that. Thar's plenty OF US young,
men here. You Jest set down in Il
shade somewhat an take It easy.S
Pap fared up with resentment In a
instant.
me set down in the shaded" be erie
"Haye you got notion, Jason Robert
that Pm SO no count an played out
all thats" !.
..Whv. Lord. Pan. Of. courae notl,s11