Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-04
PORE JOE"
BY JAMES NOEL JOHNSON,
Author of "a Romulus in Kentucky

Copyright, 1901, Daily Story Pub. Coz
On a sultry August morning in 1896,
was riding along a ridge in Magoffin
county, Ky.
The yellow road ran in front of me
like a stream of molten brass. The
leaves hung from their limbs limp and
motionless Suddenly, above the south
west horizon, fan of fame outspread,
then instantly closed. Then came a
muffled explosion. "A moment later, the
PROV of great black cloud-ship rode
grandly forth into the ethereal sea, ex-
ploded and scattered its black wreck
age over the heavens. urged my horse
into full run, and soon refined up in
front of neat log house. Alighting
hastily, threw bride over a paling,
dashed through the gate and ran up a
ower-embroidered path to the veranda.
A pale sweet faced little woman greet
ed me. After i was seated, she cast
delighted eyes on the downpour.
This rain comes in mighty good
time she observed in a mild, sweet
voice, ver'-thing was dryin' up awful.
Three days more O. SIGH scorchin' wea-
Their an crops of all kinds would bin
ruint. My well is dry as it is, an us
folks on the ridge has bin haulin' water
over a mile fer bout two weeks now.
I had jist driv from the crick with a
bar'l o water, an he'd jist got my boss
ungeared an put up when the storm
broke. I'd hev bin willin' though to
er got ketched on. the road an gotten
soakin' wet to hev the rain come"
And the little woman smiled, and
looked out on the swishing downpour
with grateful eyes.
You're widow lady, presume?"
inquired, inspecting curiously the frail
little body that had been engaged in the
arduous work of hauling water.
She hesitated for some time, then
looking at me with forced laugh, she
said: ''Ih jest about the same as a
wilder. Joe-that's my mamie don't
stay with me much. He hain't bin with
me now for the last two years.
Il don't see why he shouldn't" ! said
looking admiringly at the pale face and
timid blue eyes, I'D guarantee you
never mis.reated him"
No. indeed she quickly replied. Il
neved did if knowed it. | aulers tried
an no difference how i'll he got
never give him a short word-'taint my
natur to quarrel nohow."
Then why don't he stay at home
with you?
''Oh, don't know Pore Joe, he says
he gifts so lone ere he can't stand 1t,
an he goes off to town. where he has
two married sisters. They are mean to
him. they tell me, but he generally stays
around them / wouldn't go about EN-
if / was him, the way they talk about
him-pore Joe"
IAO DtlOhSo W bOoh PS0pANS DVN
does" she continued. "They's got lots
o. land an property of all sorts. His
pap an mann lives in the big white
house bout half a mile down below
here. They've give Joe two good starts
but somehow he couldn't keep it. Peo-
pie cheats him out of it; though his
nam SEE he drinks it up. She talks aw-
full hard about him sometimes-pore
Joe,
Il don't see how his nam can talk
about her own flesh an blood as she
does. but she's a good woman, though
awful good woman-'cept that. She's
awful good to me, awful good-an
that's one reason why it looks odd that
| she rakes pore Joe-an' him her own
| son. l was er orphan girl. I was rails
| ed by Mr. James Melton down on the
| crick, bout a mile Joe's mother alters
| seemed to love me, an she tried to keen
me from havin' Joe. She wanted me to
marry his older brother, Tom. VINO is
now rich storekeeper out to Okla.
homa, but loved Joe-pore Joe. A ga
follers her heart ef it leads to starva-
ton.
Folks around here talks about how
/ missed it by not margin Tom, but
don't think / did If l didn't love him
| do your
Joe was an awful hanson man when
he was young. before he got in bad
health. His mother sez whisky will
ruin the looks Of anybody, but think
she's kind o. prejidiced again Joe
though. Everybody has their faults.
That's why / kin look over Joe better
than other people. He can't help ais
faults. ! sometimes think ef he had er
got some Other kind Of a woman, he
would hsv done better A woman may
b ever - soo1. but, It the sans time.