Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-10-14

away.
"Thar's Jackson now. Mis- White"
he said, hurriedly, IAN he's a-holdin'
up for me. / must be goin'. l shall
make 1t all right sometime, an yO1l
git yo' money"
The sharp-faced old man who was
driving looked at him curiously a be
clambered into the wagon.
~Yo' seem sort o. iustered. Joslas,"
he said, grimly.
Yes, hit's-hit's mighty warm. 1
reckon I'll let 20 git my mail long O.
you-alls arter this. I'D just as 500
be workin' round the garden"
"H'ml l reckon the towns right on
pleasant jest now, Josias." The old
man sent the tip of his whip curling
out across the backs of his horses, then
he turned and gazed keenly at his COM
panion.
II 'spose yo' know folks are talkin'
considerable ugly bout yo', Josias?"
he said, abruptly. They do say thar's
money hid away. an that hitn come
to light arter this things blown over,
an yo1l be a rich man."
Josias did not answer for some min
utes. The lines about his mouth grew
sharper, and the hand which rested on
one. of his patched knees trembled Wis
IDLY. At last he looked up.
DO yo' believe hit, Jackson-that
I've got money hid awayT"
The old mans hard face relaxed q
little.
mo, Josias. l don't" he answered.
promptly. 1--WE knowed yo', man an
boy, for pretty nigh 80 year, an l can't
say as I've W seed anything tricky
bout yo'." He rubbed the butt-end
Of his whip-stock against his forehead
and glanced ct Josias from under his
hand. But thar's one thing l can
say" he added, emphatically, IAN that
lie you've been the biggest Out-an'-out
fool I've ever come acrost."
Josias nodded q reflective approval
Of this sentiment,
That's what I've been tellin' myself
eve sence-hit happened" he said,
gravely. But / can't seem to let my
self or so easy. I've been more'n q
fool. I've been IA swindler an thief.
Not with my eyes open, lOokin' ahead,
mebbe, but hits Jest the same. Them
that lows is jest as bad as them that
does"
When they reached the Jackson farm,
he went grimly to his work in the
garden, the mail still unexamined. But
after an hour of feYerish work, he
took the package of letters from his
pocket and glanced over them apa-
thetically. AS Postmaster Bulse had
said, they had mostly Flaw names onto
EN-" But as he approached the bot
tom of the pack a smaller envelope
came to view, without the ominous in
dication of contents. He opened it
with a feeling of relief. Even a circu-
lar was just now desirable. The letter
read:
Dear Mr.. Murrell: You'll be sur
prised to read this, hut I know it's the
best way now. I was in the village
when you got your mail, and l saw
how some of the people looked and
pointed, and I heard what they said.
"But what | want to write is this:
You told me once that you'd have
something to say to me soon's you got
your new house built. OF course, /
know what it was, and Of course I
know, being the man you are, you'll
never say il now. You haven't even
been to see me since-it happened And
I'm afraid you won't, Of your own free
will.
$50, now, dear Josias"-he caught
his breath. chokingly; she had W
used the adjective before. Then he
read on want you to come over
this evening and talk It over. / be-
Iieve you'll be a better and stronger
man than before, and-yes, and more
successful. But It'll be hard for awhile.
and you'll need me to help. We must
pay on everything first. then build up
again. I've got $500. all my own. It
isn't much; but itIl help us to start
a little store, and III help with the
books. Next week ven be married,
and
Jackson's footsteps sounded on the
path, but Josias did not hear, did not
care. Suddenly he dropped upon the
ground, prone. burying bis face in his
arms, sobbing convulsiyely, as only q
strong man can whose restraint has
been broken. The world had been
blacker than night; now it wal bright,
clear. conquerable. He could succeed.
It would be easy; but stlll he sobbed.
Jackson paused, stared, his hard face
growing soft. Then be stole noiseless-
" away.
Prepare IN advance for every action.
Il IS hard to manufacture powder after
he battle hegina