Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-04-27
CHAPTER II.
1901. BY THOMAS p MoNTFoRT
PEOPLE AND EVENT

you uns may all say jest what you
uns pleaSeS. but I've done said what L
think, an what I've said / stick to, an
I'll continer to stick to 1t till l know
I'm wrong even If it kills ever bug in
the boardin house an ever calf in the
old mans barn. l have said, an still
say, that that Teller is a preacher an
that he's on his way up to Deacon Smy-
lars to make an appointment to preach
at the Coon Run meetin house"
"Pap Sampson, you have said that,
an you can jest keep on a-sayin it till
the cows come home, but l tell you
right now you amt a-gwine to change
my mind none. The words 1 spoke at
first 1 speak ag'in, an them words is
that that Teller amt no more preach
er than a rabbit is-nary Speck more"
Jason Roberts, if that Teller amt no
preacher, an you air so dead shore of
IT. maybe you'll jest be good enough to
tell us what under the sun he may be-"
Pap Sampson thumped his cane
down on the ground and Strengthened
himself up with the air of one who has
thrown down the gauntlet and is wait
Ing to see If anybody is going to be
foolhardy enough to take 1t up.
The young stranger, having quoted
The fears OF the people at Becketts Mill,
had Departed on his, way giving no ac-
count Of himself further than to state
that his name was James Melvin. He
said nothing of whence be came nor
whittier he;was going nor how he hap
pened to be among them.
Very Naturally the people were Gu
fious about'him and equally as natural
ky they fell to discussing him as soon
MS he was gone.
Pap Sampson being recognized as the
village oracle very properly resented
the audacity of Jason Roberts in dar-
ing to dissent from his conjectures, and
In uttering his last speech he felt that
he had certainly put Jason down for
good and all.
But Jason was more tenacious than
Pap supposed, and after bordering the
matter bit he said:
L may be mistaken, Of course, an so
may you, Pap, but mistaken or not nv
notion is that that Teller Is rich an that
ne has come here from somewhat to
buy somethin."
Pap gave q contemptuous sniff and
indulged In little incredulous laugh.
You have said that Jason Roberts, I"
ne remarked, ian mebby you have said
true words an mebby you amt. But
II you thinks they are true words meb-
oy you can go fudder an say what that
Keller Is figurin on buyin."
-Oh, don't know" Jason replied.
Most anything, reckon"
THAT won't do, Jason. 1t won't nigh
DO. You can't edge out of a box In
that sort OF way. The fact Is you amt
no notion under the sun what that Teller
Ia here for, an you mought Jest as well
nay So"
~An you amt no notion neither, Pap
NO more than have"
"Tve said what he's here for, Jason,
an I've said it boldly, an, as 1 remark
ed, the words what have spoke 1 stick
tos an I'll continer to stick to 'em as
long as Gab'ei's got button left on his
coat. That Teller is a preacher, an
hes
"You have said that Pap, an thar
ain't no use in you chawin your hash
over more than three times. But I
know that Teller amt no preacher,
cause when he come up here he cuss-
ed. He cussed Sim Banks, an he cuss-
ed him out plain. lie said these words,
Damn you, you make another squeak
or try to move another inch, an I'll
blow your head off, Them was the
Identical words he said to Sim, for I
heard him with my own ears, an 1
guess you heard him, too, Pap"
"I did lQcnn Il ri
them fiery words. But what of it?
Strictly speakin, damn amt no cuss
word. an ] low preacher mought use
1t in a case Of emergency, though 1t
amt jest proper"
Jim Thorn, who had remained silent
all this time, suddenly broke into the
conversation by remarking with the
air of one who has convictions and
STho is positive Of their correctness:
"You all have had your say about
mat man, an now It's time was hav-
In aine. Some of you have reckoned
one thing an some of you have reck-
oned another, but none of you amt
reckoned right. 1 know what that fell
Ter is, an 1 stand ready to bet boss
on it."
w nat dIt lhc "OTu you lows TO
speak, Jim Thorn" Pap Sampson ask
ed contemptuOusly, eff you knows so
much about itT'
1.-THE word I low to speak is Jest
this, Pap Sampson, an you all will see
1t are a true word If you live long
enough: That man amt nothin more
nor less than a rascal hidn out from
the law. That's the word / speak, an
Its word I'll stand to If it kills me-"
There was a moment of breathless
silence while the people looked from
one to another, and nobody noticed
that one Of the company colored and
after shooting contemptuous glance
at Jim Thorn turned her face away.
That one person was Louise, the young
and beautiful wife of Sim Banks, the
man who had fed before the advance
OF herd Of cattle
The people Of Becketts Mill were
like the rest Of humanity In that they
were more ready to believe Ill Of fell
low creature than they were to believe
good Of him. For this reason the ma
5ority Of those present fell at once in