Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-01-30
BY FORCE OF WILL.

'He's come" said old Herkamer, as
he came into the kitchen and began to
unload himself of the packages which
he had brought from the trading post
ten miles away, IAN now, / reckon,
the next thing'll be for him to go. We
amt waited FIVE years for q meeting
house, jest to carry it on as a nurs-
cry now we've got 1t. don't see
what DR.. Brown was thinkin' on"
us he very young?" asked Mrs.
Herkamer, transferring the packages
TO small cupboard fastened against
the logs of the cabin wall
"Young." and old Herkamer's grim
face seemed yet grimmer as it peered
out through the small triangle form
ed by his down-drawn cap and big, up
turned collar He's younger'n our
Seth, an Seth couldn't speak ten
words to folks lookin' at him to save
his life. What we want is a tough.
hard-headed man who knows our
ways an can put up with EN- This
feller's store-made an soft | wouldn't
be s'priscd if he shaved every day.
HUH What can Teller like that do
with our young men? Spose he had to
tramp ten miles through a Dakota
blizzard to say prar's over a remains:
s'pose he'd meet fightin' grizzly in
the forest; s'pose some of our high
spirited boys got to chaffin' him in
their bar cub way-sa-ayi what'd he
do then? Our old minister where we
come from had hands like the bark of
an old hick'ry, an could wrestle with
a grizzly an pitch a man through a.
winder when he got sassed. That's
the sort we need here. Horse sense
comes fore book sense, an hard hands
fore p'litcness. That's my idee."
He drew stool to the fireplace and
spread his hands out over the blaze
with thawing satisfaction. One by one
the grim lines of his face softenad
and mellowed under the fires influ-
ence, and presently he turned half
round toward his wife, who was pre-
pairing supper.
OF course, we needn't say anything
like this outside" he observed. half
apologetically. The boy amt to
blame for what he is, an the doctor
got him here. An, furder," still mel
lowing, I'VE won't be hard on the doc
tor, either. He's our nearest neigh
bor, an gencr'ly does things pretty
sensible. We can pass over a slip now
an then. An that reminds me"
turning entirely around; "the doctor
said he'd bring him over this evenin'
IL 1t didn't storm too hard. The boy
seemed spry an good-natured, an said
he wanted to visit everybody an get
acquainted. Well treat him rights
we can, poor little Teller. He don't
realize how soon the boysll run him
out"
The sounds Of the approaching
storm could be heard more plainly
now, and Herkamer went to the win
dows and door and fastened them
more securely.
The doctor won't bring him over
tonight he said, as he resumed his
stool by the fire. IAN | don't reckon
Seth an the half-breed will como in.
either. Leastways, l hope not. It1l
be safer in the guleh than fndin'
ones way through this snow"
Eut he was mistaken, for presently
there came tramping and stamping
outside; and as the cabin door was
thrown open tall, white-haired old
man stepped in,- accompanied by
boyish figure of slight but compact
build. The old maa was DR.. Brown.
the neighborhood autocrat; and in his
companion Herkamer recognized the
new minister.
4 hardly thought you'd get over to-
night, he said, rather shortly: the
storm
That's just why we came," the doe
tor interrupted, genially. 1.-THE storm
is likely to be long one, and we can
get back before it becomes severe. nv
tomorrow even the mile between our
houses may be difficult to make. You
are one of our prominent members.
frankly, and | wanted you to see
more OF Mr.. Irwin before hearing him
in the pulpit. We are apt to be pre-
JUDGED against strangers"
Herkamer's grimness increased. He
was net prejudiccd, he told himself
only conservative and steadfast The
man was all right, of course: bur he
was in the wrong place. 1t was a
manifest duty to discountenance the
mistake.
At this moment came stumbling
outside, and an Intellectual CROPPING for
the latchstring. then an open de do,
sa-ay, open de do'ln
Herkamer sprang forward to com
ply, and as the door swung back a
short. squatty figure half fell into the
room.
The half-breed!" calculated Herka-
mer, forgetting to shut the door in
his CONSERVATION. What's up. Ban
tiste? Where is Seth?"
Busted" responded Baptiste
throwing out his arms dramatically:
tree fell on shanty. break t'rou. Seth
busted. Observation-Disclosures. too.
Come for help, medicine-rub on
Net dead?" gasped Mrs. Herkamer.
her face whitening. Seth ein't dead p.
This brought the half-breed to his
senses.
Non, on'y jes' busted" he reas.
surred her. Leg hurt 50 amt walk,