Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-01


actually be tied with a ribbon. This
ribbon was Of course bitterness OF
spirit to all the other girls, and great
was the secret satisfaction when she
unaccountably lost it.
Ever since she was fifteen Dart An
derson had been Lucy's avowed lover
and champion He it was who, at each
of the annual threshings. threw the
cudgel for her and helped her pick up
pecans. When she took one side OF
row at cotton picking. Dart was sure
to be found on the other; and at the
all-night winter dances it was a matter
of course tha6 these two should run the
reels together, Dart charging down the
room with pounding feet and stentor-
ian laughter, and Lucindy gliding
noiselessly beside him with that mys-
terious smile which was almost always
on her face.
you watch dat Lucy-gal," said the
dowagers among themselves on such
occasions.
Ain you done notus de way she
look?-seem lax she lis'nin' at stump IN
mother way off yonder; an she des
drift along de flo same eZ one er desc
yuh sporra hawks fly over de fef. Dat
gal gwi' make trouble er see trouble.
You heah me-"
n
and groaned the chorus.
But in spite of these prophecies, Lu-
cindy's life flowed on serenely until
jimmy, small, thin and black, with pierre
ing eyes and white teeth that gave her
the air of a mink, came to the place and
cast covetous eyes on Dart.
That was the reason why jimmy was
not invited to the threshing Of the
pecan tree; but the evening before the
frolic, when Dart came as usual to call
on his sweetheart, he said to her:
"Whut you reggin, Lucindy? Dat
black varmint jimmy follered me clean
fun de gin 'ouse tub heah; EN- mon
dat, she ain lef' me plum tell she stop
ped un' meath de puckawn tree"
"Whut l reggn," answered Lucindy
Indignantly, Il reggn dat de onlies'
smell jimmy gwi' git o ou' puckawn
tree she be takin' it in de night, bein'
she can git it in de day. Dat whut l
reggn"-and the lovers laughed to-
gether at Jinny's infatuation, and for
got her.
Early on Saturday morning the boys
and girls thronged to Aun' Mandy S
pecan tree, the young fellows shouting
out boasts of their skill and the girls
specializing as to who was going to
throw for them.
Il th'ows fun Lucindy!" shouted
Dart, sending his club high into the
topmost branches. The rattle of nuts
spells. For a moment she scraped
among the dry leaves, then stopped with
little cry to examine something she
had picked up. She thrust it hastily
into the bosom Of her dress, and came
out from beneath the tree with a scared
face.
You all gw'on gittin puckawns,"
she said, TREMENDOUSLY. "Um gwine in
de house. l don feel we'll"
Dart ran to her, but she sent him
| back to the tree, then went straight
| to the little shed room, where she slept
| with Rely Ann, and threw herself
| upon the bed. Her first impulse was
| to pray, but how could she pray with
| that thing in her bosom? She snatched
! it out, and gazed at it with the fascin-
ated and frightened eyes Of a snake
| charmed bird. 1t was only the bit of
red ribbon which she had mysteriously
! lost, but one end of it was carefully
| sewed UP into little bag. To Lucinda
| it was clear that she had been bewitch-
| ed by her rival. She firmly believed
| that her happiness, and perhaps her
very life, depended upon what was con-
| tanned in that bag. The only question
remaining was, whether she was to be
deprived of her life, her health, her
lover. When Aun' Mandy came home
from the cotton field, Lucindy handed
her the ribbon in silence, and waited
with awestruck face for the YER
dict.
Aun Mandy's first action was to
scream and drop it. Her next was to
rise up terrible In wrath.
Whit niger done done dis tub my
chile?" she demanded, in a voice stri-
dent with fright and anger, wizard
you git it fun, Lucindy?" and in her
excitement she seized her daughter and
shook her violently.
"'Twuz dat jimmy" said the weeping
girl. "She follered Dart las night, an
tuck'n' drapped de cunjer un' meath de
puckawn tree. l picked it up dis nav
min an been had it in de bress O. my
dress all day."
Aun' Mandy took UP her scizzors with
trembling hands
Less see what's in it, honey" she
said, more quietly.