Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1904-01-22
BETWEEN UPPER AND
NEITHER MILLSTONES
BY Ethel Watts Mumford.

wish you wouldn't" she said "You
don't seem to realize how dreadful It
is"
Her tall son frowned. Darn II ALL
what did Buck go to tell you for?
knew you'd make fuss"
please, Jenny" she ogged; this
man Is stranger to you. Hos never
done you any harm. Let the others
hound him; you keep out OF Il. JON.
my. faint right. aud couldn't ever
feel the Same toward you II you had a
hand I'm IT,"
Now, see hero." no said. desperate.
ly. you can't understand It, know,
but the crowd wouldn't never forgive
me II I didn't go In with them. Red
Jack mover did me a hurt nor won my
money nor he never swiped none OF
my cattle. amt even laid eyos on him
myself But It's all the sumo; we set.
tiers has got to stand by one another,
and when the majority says there's
bad man TO be sholled out OF the com.
munity the bunch as n whole has TO
do 1t. IL ] hung back from my share
OF tho row they'd mover stand by me.
'Taint as IL we was Ill at home IN
the East. You haven't learned the
cuStoms yet. but toll you Two got
10 CO."
She wrung Der hands and tears
gathered In hor eyes.
"It's lynching. JemmyT
"Yep. and II there wasn't lynch law
thers'd be no law. Mother. don't you
take on. You've come out here and
you've got TO learn to stand our ways.
know It's hard on you, but you'll get
used TO It by and by"
'Whatll they make you do. yem.
ny3
"Oh. nothing much; put me on guard
somewheres to keep q look out and see
he don't get past and over the border
into Mexico They'll run big circle
and gradually draw him IN Tben he'll
probably step out TO AIsndez; he's
stuck on that halfbreed girl. They'll
have an extra watch there and pinch
him. She's said she'd turn him over"
"She'd betrsy him. The woman's
wrinkled face went red with indlgna.
ton.
"Sure, or Mcndez couldn't run the
Blue Devil. The crowd'd clean him
out-h-mr' he said suddenly. realizing
that his tongue had run away with
him. "Don't you take on: guess tn
come out all right anyhow. He'll get
across the line and there won't be any
Fourth of July at all. There now
This amt no place for you. mother
and was dinGed fool TO let yer
come"
She recovered her self-control quick.
ly. mo. Jenny: where my boy is is
my place. too. There's nobody else IN
the world left to me-nobody but you;
that's why ! hate to see you doing
ungodly things. and this Is ungodly
Jenny. and no good'Il come Of 1t. I
suppose you won't listen to Jour old
mother. Children mostly think they
know II all"
"You don't understand" he inter
rupted. eYasperated.
mo, don't understand this sort OF
thing. thank God. ] don't understand
the killing Of nary a living man."
We'll" he said, in the tone with
which one humors fretful child. "I'll
just show up and let them think I'm
solid with 'em. and then I'll slide out
and drop the thing. There, how'll that
do?"
She put her withered hand upon his
broad shoulders and looked him square
In the face. you remember, Jenny"
she said. slowly. that your old mother
is up here alone. for every mans left
the place for this bloody work; all
alone. remember. and she'll be o
thinking of you here by the window
waiting for you to come back with
your hands clean OF man killing
Don't forget now. boy"
Tie turned his head quickly lest she
read hts Intentions Of. deceit. Yves.