The National tribune., 1904-07-07

"It was jest stayin' in with the crowd
round here, anyway" said Lowe. II give
in too easy when they git after me-"
Dangerous s'ncss, this bein' too pop
lar" sighed the old pauper.
There was long silence again.
Il reckon ye'd be all right if We was to
start in some'ers where ye wouldn't be
suggested Jotham, inquiringly.
That's jest it." said the Captain. But
the's got to be way opened to git started y
Another long pause. Jotham's brows
were knitted and his knobbed hands trem-
bed as he elapsed them across his patched
knee At last he sighed and drew the let
tr from his pocket.
he said. Il never was Want never
ps?"''a' ts4'" for that reason. But read that let
He waited patiently.
'It's good news for you," said Lowe at
last with frank heartiness. I'm glad for
you, lothian. Ye can git off'n the town
and enjy your last days"
"No, I've projicked and I've pondered.' y
said the old man, steadily. 'and / shall
have to tell ye that it hain't in my mind to
do it. See them crippled hands? Can't
run farm with them. Can't hire it run.
And I've been d pauper long enough to sort
of git used to putin dependence in other
people. You hain't been a pauper. Seth.
and you don't know. but that's the way Of
it. No. bout this farm, it hain't my mind
to do it. l hain't stirred up over it mite.
"Twould be reel outset to me to take it on
my hands at my time O. life," he said with
ness to cover some deeper emotion
But Ell tell We what I'm .goin' to do
with you,'7 Cap'n Seth Love-" he cried.
groaning to his feet and towering over the
other. I'm gOin' to arrange a morgidge
with you. First, I'm going to see ye, as ye
might say, married ag'in to your wife
married to- her this time as a true, temp
rate. honest man who will love. honor and
cherish her. Then I'm goin' to give that
and clear. Tain't there the morgidge is.
I've got to lie to do this. Ye understand?
I've got to cheat this town to do it. I've
got to live here afterward. too, on charity
that in one way l don't deserve. But
that's my business. And if l lie and
cheat to put you and Oleander where We
can be coflf'table and respected, then
some of Your business is mine. And here
comes the @norsidga. | want We to stand
up here before Almighty God. Seth Lowe,
and put a morgidge on your hands.
put morgidge on your will, put a
morgdge on your honor. put a morgidge
on your eternal soul that you will take
that woman to that home and make up to
her what your damnable folly has took
away. Ye needn't thank me-" he snarled
putting up his hand. Il don't want thanks
from you. l don't like We we'll enough. It's
for the woman. And now | want to see.
Cap'n Seth Lowe. once so proud and lofty,
If yell let a poor old pauper do more
sacrifice for your own wife than yell do
YOURSELF"
About an hour after that interview, away
from the blazing eyes of the old man.
thanks. VOWS and pledges crowding with
sobs for utterance, Seth Lowe stumbled
away into the woods to wait.
That night lothian Bailey went yet
further in his desperate career and added
to lying and cheating the crime of a horse
thief and of a pauper -abductor.
He enlisted the sympathy and coOpera-
ton of two of the old men. stealthily re-
moved in the dead of night Oleander and
her trunk. harnessed Br:ges's horse into
a beach-wagon. packed up Seth Lowe at
an appointed crossroad. and landed the
two at railroad station. A little hoar rd
of Jotham's secret savings. set aside for
tobacco. paid their fares.
A dozen times on the long ride back to
the farm he pulled out his pipe. But he
tucked it away again without placing it
to his lips She had kissed him there when
she had said good-by. and the strong emo
tions of the day had made him feel as
romantic as n boy.
Briggs had been long astir. when Jot-
ham turned into the yard in the flush of
the dawn. The associate conspirators had
confessed under the keepers angry threats.
and his wrath had had time to bubble and
simmer into grim surliness. Uncle Jot-
ham humbly pleaded guilty to Indictment
on these counts:
l. Abducting pauper.
=. stealing Il team.
3. Retraying the reputation of the keep
or Of the poor-farm, who had always prided
himself on running the place strictly by
rules.
AS TO the destination of Oleander Lowe,
her reasons for running away, and his
reasons for helping her, lothian was OBJ
stinately silent.
Il ought to hamstring ye." shouted
Briggs. "But there's always u stew in this
town ii paupers are ever made to toe the
crack. Yen have only bread and water,
no tobacco and no noonin's. See how We
hase tn ma %he he rez Ana Of ys se han panpe to
Yell be pl9ttin','to blow us up next"
lothian unhaEnessed his side of the horse
with" without 1T 10, ,SSId. 3 but but there was queer
nightly asfonished the keeper, who char @
itabIy bega p 70; figure ON the entire per-
fGrmanee for nam, a. tfs freak of man weak in
The June sup sup beat upon the bent backs
Of the old rkhen as they toiled with their
hoes that forenoon. Their faded garb as
sorted i'll with the fresh green of the new
cornblades. A cat-bird yawled piquant
notes In the Beech-woods and boboink
iloated over the grasses, bubbling his mel
ody. Uncle lothian Strengthened once to
listen apprsciatively. The hoe-blades.
clanking and cllnking in soil and against
stones, marred the sound that his dull old
ears were striving to catch. In a certain
calm joy that he was nursing he forgot the
keepers prohibition.
''Tlee e-te-e-e-too-tle-teee," he quav-
cred in queer falsetto. "Say, boys, stop
your raspin' mint and listen to that
thrush feller down in the alders, there.
That song jibes right in with my feelin's
When | used to go swimmin' in Birch
Crck the was"
Say, Jotham," broke in Briggs, pausing
in tamping the shoulder of a corn-hill.
'.ye jest kindly keep the rust from cakin'
on that hoe-blade, will We? If there's any
talkin' to be done here I'll do It."
The old man sighed, spat on his cal
loused palms and bent to his task The
rasping and tinkling of hoes replied to the
clasAing of the dishes up In the poor-farm
kitchen, aud the birds sang without an
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