Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-17

=
Like Missy Jack. Reckon lie culled
people do like Missy Jack. Called pco-
pie lub Missy Jack like de angel OBJ
isn't she just bit hot tempered:"
'Reckon Missy lack is hot tempered,
sab. Missy Jack, she got de hottest
temper in dc whole souf. Missy Jack,
She
"Hold on; explain why you all love
Miss Jack when she has hot temper
and speaks to you sharply"
laws a-massy, she don mean nuf-
fen. Missy Jack, she scop wild de fire.
brand in de eye, but she won't let no
body else scol. Yo' ought to see dat
gal when Mars'r Bingham-Mars'rB irg-
ham, he de oberseer-Alars'r Bingham
whip de niggers. One day Mars'r Bing-
ham, he whip me. yelled lax killed
niger. Missy Jack. she run out wild
her hair a-hyin an her eyes a-shinin, an
she talk de whip out O. Mars'r Bing-
hams han, an-golly Moses, how she
lay it on dat oberseer"
did he take it kindly?"
Gle couldn't do nuffen. Eff he tech
Missy Jack, Cunnel Rutland shoot him.
Cunnel Rutland, he got de biggest tenn
per, 'cept Missy Jack-ain't nobody got
temper lax Missy Jack in'-
"Any more Rutlands?"
"No, sab. Amt dat 'nuff-all dem
mighty fine people?"
"Quite enough. Now you may 60,
Ginger"
Ginger departed with a frown that l
should have called for more such peo-
pie as the Rutlands and somewhat dis
appointed. fancied, at not being able
to impress me with the magnitude of
the family temper. / closed the door
behind him and locked it.
"John Branderstane." I said, looking
at the dim reflection of my body in one
Of the great mirrors, had it not been
for that little girl down stairs your
being would now be no more real than
that image. Never have you had so
close call, and you'll never have an
other SO close without 1t being the last.
But you've no time to waste. Your
situation will be more critical with the
rising sun than it is this minute. Some
thing must be DONE"
l went to a window. It was at the
end Of the building. My room was on
| the second story of the house. at nc
great height from the ground. turned
from the window to another facing the
rear. They were all open, for the
weather was warm and sultry. At this
second window was something which
attracted my attention at once-a tree
| growing so near that / could easily
step into it's branches and descend tt
the ground.
'Thank heaven, here is an avenue Of
escaped"
But my pledge.
1t is questionable if those mora
heroes who prefer death to dishonol
would choose the former if the alterna
tive were presented as it was to me
Death in the form it awaited me Ger
tainly looked very ugly. If kept IN.
word and remained till morning. IN,
identity was sure to come out. If for
tune enabled me to conceal It, il TIL
captain permitted me to go my way,
was sure 10 fall into the hands of IN,
enemies. By leaving in the night
could give both the slip and by morn
ing be far away or so disguised that
should not be recognized If found.
might possibly reach the Union lines.
/ had never before broken q pledge
but / had never before seen certain
death staring me in the face. In tn
ordinary affairs of life, reasoned, on
should have high standard. but in
matter of life or death Besides, VIII
ever heard Of one carrying information
in war stopping at lie or the viola
ton Of a pledge?
Placing my foot on the sill, wa
reaching for branch of the tree will
out when suddenly stepped back int
the room, sat down in chair an
buried my face in my hands. A visio
of Ethel Stanforth, sweet, gentle, inn,
cent, stood before me. AS fash {
lightning will clear murky atmo
phere, my human reasoning yanishe
before divine intuition. I could NJ
break my pledge.
Then fell to thinking. How diff
; cult it is, after all, to look into the f,
ture! Who knows but some new on
let may occur tomorrow? This captai
is singular man, and 10 one can tie
: what whim may seize him next. T
day he ordered me out to be shot; t
: morrow he may send me away fro
9 my enemies with an escort to prote
me. Then there is little Jaquelin
t She has slipped moose about his nee
. that he will not easily shake off. 81
may find hiding place for me or 8
avenue which will eventually lead
safety. / was SO pleased with the pro
abilities conjured up that got ,
and walked back and forth, rubbir
!. my hands with satisfaction.
y Fool, stupid human fool! The even
fate had in store for me were nothir
!, as my foresight had painted.
I heard the tramp of horses hoo
coming through the gateway. Going
| a. front window and looking out, sa