St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-05-10
vada sun glared down from { nigh,

The solemn silence was broken by
James voice: IRA, who are those
men coming this way?'
Ira's near-sighted eyes photo
graphed a blurred mass of rapidly
moving objects upon his retina, and
he became alarmed. cts the town
authorities, Jane. and they are going
to stop us from exhuming dear ia
cob!" he exclaimed.
"The idea, Ira! Why, I got per.
mission to remove Jacobs body long
before you were up this morning.
Those are not the town authorities, l
say"
The men came on the run. There
were two of them, and their appear
ance was not in the least assuring.
Guns bristled about them, and rough
clothes and scowling faces added to
their war-like attitude. The tall man
in the red shirt marched boldly up to
where Ira stood. A huge, hairy fist
shut off Ira's view to everything but
the same menacing fist, and two glow
ering eyes. "You, you varmint! You
old red tub! Think you're playing a
high hand jumping my claim in the
light o. day? Say, old wad, just
perambulate yourself and that fe-
male, and the rest of the kit off'n
Sacrilege Claim, fore we sacrifice two
silly old Yankees. Mosey, now!"
Alfred Deremer rolled forth the
words in fierce tone; his parsonage
fairly radiated wrath, and Ira Brooks,
judging from the ,1nsteadiness of his
knees, firmly believed an earthquake
was rocking the whole of Ruby Hill.
Thoughts of his own danger vanised,
however, as shrill voice drowned out
the bass growls of Deremer and
Heehe.
Jumping on your claim! Jump
ing on Sacrilege Claim! Impudent,
boorish savage! How dare you ac-
cuse me of jumping? If 1 did jump
on your claim, how could hurt it?
Ira, Ira Brooks, this creature has
insulted me. He tells me that I
jump! That I jump, Ira Brooks!''
cav, you amt so cute, madam. Tell
me what that there hole in the ground
means? Amt you smart fasteners
trying to get in on a good thing
here?" queried Albert Heehe.
''Get on a good thing? Oh, oh, and
right here at my feet lies dear brother
Jacob! Insult me over my own
brothers grave? Rude, unthinking
wretch!"
Brother Jacobs gravel" interject-
ed Deremer, who had been listening
to Jane Ellen's TRADE. Heehe caught
his partners eye, and the two sud-
denly lost their bellicose air.
"My brother, Jacob o. Marley, lies
buried here, and Mr.. Brooks and are
taking his body out of this unconse-
Grated desert. Now, sirs, is that any
of your business? 1 say"
"But madam"
"Why-er-er" began the two pros
pectors in the same breath, but con-
fusion got the better of them, and
they looked strangely docile as COM
pared with the authoritative desper-
ADDE'S of a moment previous.
"Of course, you are ashamed, sirs.
The idea of accusing a lady of jump
ing, in what way you mean, cannot
imagine. Oh, my dear Jacob! Poor,
forsaken brother-that I should find
him lying here!"
"You tell her, Bert" whispered De-
remer, loudly.
"Can't-you break the news" an
swered Heehe.
Muttering tragic "Well, here
goes,' Deremer explained just how it
that Jacob o. Marley's me-
mortal slab did not mark the site of
his own grave, but the northeast cor
ner of their Sacrilege Claim.
Jane Ellen Brooks stared at the
men in mute horror. To steal a head
stone from grave was quite beyond
her immediate comprehension; to
realize that it was her own brothers |
grave that had been robbed was q |
shock to Jane.
"Then, pray tell US, gentlemen,
where we may find Jacob o. Marley's
body" The words came in sar-
castle wheeze from the portly Ira.
Neither one of the partners had
the faintest idea which grave in ca
lamity plot was occupied by Marley.
"You shall be arrested! Impris-
oned for life, vandals, ghouls! Oh,
my beloved Jacob, lost forever, for
ever! And in such an ungodly spot!
Oh, dear, oh, dear!" moaned Mrs.
Brooks.
While this scene was being enacted
On the surface, the two men digging
Tor the remains of Jacob o. Marley
had been unusually quiet. Now one
IF them pitched up a shovelful of
quartz, saying: LADY, they amt no
corpse here, far as I can see; but
say, you Deremer, what d'you call
hat fer rich stuff?''
Deremer and Heehe, always on the
.lert for specimens, picked up some of
he rock, and what did they see but
lecks of yellow gold, freely speaking
he quartz. Jane Brooks, her hus.
'and, and her hopelessly buried
brother were forgotten. The part
lers danced rafting breakdown,
rugged one another rapturously, and
ook on like foolish school-boys.
"W-what ais them, Ira? Have they
'een drinking? I say, have those
reatures been drinking, Ira Brooks?"
Albert Heehe answered James in
Iignant question: "No, you bet
int drunk, madam. Hurrah for you!
look here, did you ever see gold
Iuartz to beat the likes O. that?
We're rich, and you-say, you didn't
ind no buried brother, but the richest
,old mine in all Nevada!"
So carried away was Heehe that he
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