Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-05-25

IL conld "a been more'n 10 minutes an
not more'n 10 nohow-an I'd begun to
git sleepy an doze of like when all to
oncet heard voices a-talkin. peeped
round the tree kinder cautiouslike, an
then see that Mr.. Melvin an a woman
Il amt mentionin no names-a-stard-
In thar a-talkin, pow'ful interested, him
a-holdin both of her hans in his'n."
What was they. a-sayin?' Hicks
asked eagerly.
"Waal, they talked kinder low most
OF the time" Sam replied, $50 I
couldn't hear much they said, but what
1 did hear was moughty int'restin, I
can tell ycu.'
What was it?' Hicks asked, and the
others all leaned forward In breathless
eagerness to listen for the reply.
WAL, in the first place." Sam said,
Il heard Melvin say, 1T may be wrong,
but don't b'lieve it is; but, right or
wrong. 1 love you"
'Lordr' Jason exclaimed. "He was
gittin sweet, want her But what did
she say thenT'
"She says: Don't say that. You amt
no right Then he says, L have more
right than anybody else, cause L love
you more an cause you love me- an he
says, Don't you love me?"
'Then what did she sayT'
"She didn't say nothin."
Jest stood thar an never opened her
MOUTH"
"At first she did, but after while,
when he had crowded her q right smart
an had said to her, You do love me,
don't your she up an says: God knows
do. It's wicked. but can't help it. 1
love you with all my heart an SOUL"
Lord! Did you ever hear the like?
Say, bet then he jest gathered her in
his arms an kissed her"
"No; he didn't"
Wonder why. Any woman was to
tell me, like that, she loved me I'd
shore kiss her"
Not if she wouldn't let you, guess"
Wouldn't she let himT'
mot much; wouldn't let him tech
her, only her hands,"
What else did they sayT'
Didn't make out much they said
after that on account of 'em talkin so
low, but 1 heerd her call him Frank
oncet, which shows that he amt goin
by his shore 'nough name, an toward
the last 1 heerd him say he'd done
somethin dretful an was hidin out from
the law"
For a full minute Sans auditors sat
staring at him in establishment. Then
Hicks broke the silence by calculating:
WAL, I'll be dad gummed! If that
don't stump my tatersr'
81 reckon, Jake" Jason said, 'it's
enough to stump anybody's taters.
Lord! Did anybody ever hear OF any
thing like it?'
They all shook their heads, and again
there was silence. After a little Hicks
said:
81 wonder what we ort to do bout
itr'
81 don't know" Jason replied. az
reckon, though, we shore ort to do
somethin. Pears like it's our plumb
duty, don't it?'
do somethin bout whatT' Pap
Sampson asked.
why bout putin the law on to the
track of that fellow an bringin him
to jistice an boutwell,, somebody ort
to tell Sim Banks, I reckon"
bout putin the law after that fell
low-that's all right, an I'm willin to
help you. But bout tellin Sim Banks
are you willin to be the one to do IT,
Jason Robertsg'
Jason made no reply. Pap put the
same question to Bicks and Sam Nor
gan and the others, and they all shook
their heads. Then he turned to Thorn
and said:
"Jim Thorn, are you willin to be the
one to tell Sim Banks?"
at Amt nothin to me-" Thorn re-
piled, ian 1 guess I amt got no call to
mix up in no SIGH matters"
That's sensible, Jim, an feel bout
It Jest like the rest OF you," Hicks said
1--WE amt none OF us got no call to tell
Sim BanLs nothin, an the best thing
we can do is to keep our mouths shet.
I tell you now, an it's a gospel truth,
as shore as Sim Banks ever finds out
what Sam Morgan has told US he'll
shoot that Melvin down jest like he
would sheep KILN dog. You mark
my word for that"
fro DE CoSTINuED.l