Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-07-15

You'll wonder how you're a-goin' Ia
END II you don't be more respectful
said his sister.
Like the foxes, reckon" grinned
sAbner with eternal torch tied to
me, Well. Of am treated that away
Ill go into the business O. destruction
an Get fire to everything l run across
: Amt YOU gosn' 10 teaius what you
ddsi In Atlanta fore you have psayeess
asked Mrs. Bishop. almost resentfully,
4: No. ! hain't.' Blshop snapped. ..f.ll
tell you soon enough. Irechon ! won't
read this mornin' Lets pray
They aA knelt reverently and yet
with some curiosity. for Bishop often
suited his prayers to important occa-
si0ns. and 1t struck them that he might
now ailude to the subject bound up
within him.
Lord. God Almighty" he began, his
lower lip hanging and Quivering, az
We're his hands clasped In the seat OF
his chair. thou knowest the struggle
thy creatures are maxim on the face OF
thy green globe to live up to the best
of Their lights an standards. AS I
bend before thee this mornin' I realize
how small a bein' am in thy sight
an, that ! ort to bow In humble sub
mission to thy will, an 1 do. For
many yeers this family has enjoyed
thy bounteous blessings We've had
good health an the influence Of a
Bible readin', God fearin' community,
nm our Children has been educated in
way that raised 'em head an shout
ders above many o. Their associates on
even blood kin. l don't know exactly
whar an how I've sinned, but I know
i have displeased thee, fer thy scourge
has fallen hard an heavy on my am
billions. wanted to see my boy heer
q good. obedient son an my daughter
thar IN Atlanta able to hold Their
heads up among the folks they mix
with, an so reached out. Maybe it
was tdden fruit belt out by u snake
In the DEVILS service. don't know
thou ks,psYest AnYEays fstecfed .ssy
course out q the calm waters O con-
tent an. peace o. soul into the whirl-
pool rapids o avarice an greed.
lowed was ina safe haven an didn't
dream o. the stormclouds hangin' over
me till they bust In fury on my head.
Now. Lord. my Father, give them
.hearts Of patience an forgiveness tsr
the blunders q thy servant What I
done l done h the builheaded way
that I've always done things, but I
meant good and not harm. These things
we ask in the name O Jesus Christ,
our blessed Lord and Master. Amen"
During the latter part Of the prayer
Mrs. Bishop had been staring at her
husband through her parted fingers,
her face pale and agitated, and as she
rose her eyes were glued to his face.
..Now, Alfred, she said, what are
you goin' to tell US about the railroadf
Is It as bad as brother Alb thought It
would be2r
Bishop hesitated. 1t seemed as II
he had even then to tear himself from
the clutch of his natural stubbornness.
He looked into all the anxious, waiting
faces before he spoke, and then he
gave in. Is
~
had his sense or Alan's. I'd "a made a
better trader. It's like Alb said 1t was,
only q sight wuss. powerful sight
wussr'
..Wuss r gasped his wife in fresh
alarm. How could It be wuss2 Why,
Brother Alb sud
Il never have told YOU the extent O
my dealin,A- went on Bishop In tbs
current OF confession. Y never even
told Perkins yesterday. Fust AM last
I've managed to rake In fully twenty
thousand acres q mountain land.
was goin on what lowed was dead
shore thing secured all I could lay
my hands on. an l did It In secret. I
was afeerd even to tell you about what
Perkins said, thinkin' 1t mought leak
out an Spite my chances, :
but, father said Alan, '.you didn't
have enough money to buy all that
land. 81 l,,s,
Il got It Bishops face was dog
sgedly pale, almost defiant Of his over
whelming disaster--I mortgaged this
farm to get money to buy Maybry and
Morton's four thousand acres.
The farm you was going to deed to
Alanf" gaspcd his wife. You didn't
include thatf'
.'Not In that deal groaned Bishop.
Il snapped that to Phil Parsons fer
his poplar an cypress belt.s
The words seemed to cut raspingly
Z into the silence OF the big room. AbneE
Daniel was, the only one who seemed
unmoyed by the confession He filled
! his pipe from the bowl on the lnantel.
piece aud pressed the tobacco down
with his foretinger. then be Kicked the
ashes in the chimney till he uncovered
small live coal. He eyed II for q
moment, then dipped 1t up in the shov.
ell. rolled 1t into his pipe and began t.
smoke. -;s
$50 I ,ain't a-goin' to git no yeerly
pass over the new road" he said, his
object being to draw his brother-in
law back to Perkins. action in the mat
ter.
Perkins was allyn to me,'' an
swered Bishop. ale hnin't admitted
/ It yet, but he was a-lyin'. His object
was to hep the Tompkins sell out fel
a decent price, but he can't be han
died. He's got me on the hip.
.sNo," said Abner. I'D ruther keeI
4 on swappin' gold dollars fer mountain
land an lettin' It go fer taxes IAN Z
try to beat a lawyer at his own game
A courthouse is like the devils abode
easy to git into, no outlet an nothin
but iscorch while you are thar.
Flush, fer the name o. goodnessF
cried Mrs. Bishop; looking at her hus
band. Don't you see he's dyin' from
III Are you all a-goin' to kill linn
What does a few acres o. land III