Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-04

70 MN every week or TWO, but Isordy
sayin' l was able. how cud think OF
whippin pore Joe!
Joe got shot in the shoulder last fall
pore Teller. An awful bad man named
James Hargis shot him. Hargis says
Joe tried to kill him, but you can't
make me believe it. He wouldn't hurt
cricket, unless he must be crazy at the
time went out to town after him an
fetched him home, and n~ssed him sew
eral weeks till ne was able to be UP an
out agin. Then he went back to town
twas too lonesome for him here. oh,
| do wish he'd stay at home. but it
don't seem to be his natur. He's Jest
like a boy-leves to be in lively com-
pany. Joe does.
Il believe some day, though. he will
some home an stay. / read my Bible
every day, an have faith that some
time my prayers offered every night
will be answered. l don't AK him to Go
lick of work if he wud Jest stay with
me. I'm shifty. l raise hogs an cattle
an chickens an have a litter money
comm in all the time nearly
Last month Joe came home. pore fell
Ter. lookin' awful seedy an bad. His
ma said he'd bin on drunk, but |
know he was all run down an sick. I
sent an got him a suit of clothes, an
when he went to leave I gave him ten
dollars. Lordy, but his. ma was mad
when she heard about it! But | tel
you can't see Joe in that shameful fly
an him sick, an me havin' money laid
by that didn't have to use"
Il sold two heifers yesterday for forty
dollars. His ma seq to me this morn
ing: Now when Joe hears that, he'll
come home with another spell O sick
mess. Amt it orful she'll talk that
way about her own flesh and blood?"
While she yet spoke looked out il
lie road, and saw man coming walk.
ing, with step a little uncertain. He
turned in toward the gate. The little
woman espied him while he struggled
at the gate latch, and with a glad cry:
That's Joe now." she ran out to help
him open the stubborn, inhospitable
gate.
Are you sick, Joe?" she called in
anxious voice. as the two came up the
path arm in arm.
"Yez," returned the gallant Joe.
stumbling against loose stone in the
path. "Yez. ole girl. sick as ell
Pore Joe, I've been awful uneasy
about you. Come in and lay down on
the bed and with a face in which Joy
and embarrassment struggled for the
mastery, she piloted Pore Joe" across
the veranda floor, into the room and
toward the best bed.
The beast fell across the big clean
bed. The little woman Strengthened
him out, pulled off his shoes, fixed the
pillow under his head and fused about
him with loving anxiety for a long time.
Pore Joe" was about passing into
noisy slumber when 7 looked up and saw
big rawboned woman at the gate. She
showed It open with a stout, quick hand.
She STROBE up the path with slow mai
esty of movement that denoted great
physical strength and mental resolution.
AS her heavy foot struck the edge of
the veranda, she stared straight into a
little scared face, and In a low, forceful
voice. she asked: "whars Joe?"
The little woman for reply began to cry
The old lady slowly pulled long, keen
hickory withe from beneath her apron.
She inquired no more for Joe. His gurg-
ling SHORES proclaimed his location She
STROBE slowly across the veranda floor, her
lips pressed tightly. her brow creased and
! crooked
"oh. motheri" walled the little woman.
don't hurt pore Joe-plesse don't moth
| err He's sickl"
I've come TO doctor him them-hickory
| teas what he needs. I've give Il to him
hundred times when he was boy. but
he never needed il one-tenth like he does
now. He's bin needin' my medicine fer
| years, now I'll give him a dose that'H do
him fer lifetime-Go off, Siila Ami You
| orter know better than try to stop rne
when / go to dshin' out medlcineP
The little woman. crying loudly, broke
out of doors. The old doctress entered the
room, gazed upon her poor sick son. and
then began her heroic treatment
Well. It's impossible to follow he ire
juvenating administrations. Joe. sick an
he was a few minutes before, now leaped
| from the bed and went spinning around
the room like top, every instant yelling.
.Oh, please. ma! On, I.ordyl ny God, Ma.
you're KILN met Please ma. Oh. no. no.
never go off an leave her azinl No. 1
won't Yes. I'll take an oath on II Yes.
1 will! Bring the Bible, quick. an III lay
my hand on IT! Yes, l will. dear mai Yes.
| I'll swear II on the Bible. / say On.
| please, good, sweet ma! bring the Bible
Oh, sweet, goody nanny. bring the Bible
an let me swear. auickr
Last month / passed the house again.
A fine looking young man. bearing a faint
| resemblance to the former pore joe was
| lacking shingles on a new frame house
| adjoining the old log one. A little rosy
faced woman stood in the yard smiling up
the pale little woman Of two years be-
! fore She looked several years younger.
! however On the veranda sat a great.
rawboned. muscular woman. ! recognized
| her instantly, though she was smiling now
and trdtting on her great knees a little
| fat baby.