St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-04-02

speaking world. and my eyes closed II
my enjoyment of the old-fashioned mel
ody. Out here the songs Of home seen
like hallowed memories, and one lingeri
over them strangely.
had played it through twice, perhaps
when l heard peculiar rustling as O
heavy body sliding over the ground
My hand slipped bit and I struck a
false note. A sort of whistling sigh an.
swered the slip and opened my eyes tt
see therein front of the veranda steI
not two yards away huge, fiat head
swaying rythmically, as it's long, 1.-the
body rose and fell to the music. 1T
head was nearly on level with my own
realized instantly what it was that had
poisoned poor buttons brain, and with
the realization came the knowledge OF
my own danger. Gods what thing to
be entertaining. 1t was keeping time to
the music, slowly, awfully and kept on
playing automatically. A strange sick
ness crept over me as thought of the
good old Smith & Wesson at my belt
and realized how useless it was-for
must play on, and on, and on. There lay
my only safety.
There was only one way for help to
come and that was through Granger.
recalled his careless Eyes, maybe I'll
come when get through here. Don't
wait for me, though. Dutton won't
care to see me If he's batty," and felt
the cold sweat roll down my face in big
drops. If he should get through too
late-if he should not come-if should
have to sit here all night! All! my
heart dropped into my stomach and my
flesh turned to putty as I played, and
played, and played. My God! it was
hell. And all the time Dutton was max
ing a queer, grooming noise-nOt hui
man noise-a noise one could never for
get-never-not If one lived for thou
sand years.
The thing came closer and closer.
Once thought it was going to touch me,
and l waited-what? Madness-and
worse-far worse. All, Dutton, poor lad,
poor lad!
wondered vaguely whether Granger
would come; after time l ceased to
care, and then forgot altogether.
My hands were Jumps of lead. 1t was
no volition of mine that kept them NOV
ing. My brain was living coal that
burnt and burnt. 1t met its reflection In
the two points of living flame that held
me.
All sense OF sound and feeling had died
out. l knew no fear. knew nothing
but those two cleaning, ruby lights
that swayed and bent me in dull rythm.
The hours grew into nights and the
nights into weeks and months and years,
and at last, had always been there. l
had known no other life-no other
thought My hands were the only part
of me that seemed alive, and they moved
on, and on, and on in a strange sort Of
monotone.
A sharp bark pinged through the air
and broke the cursed spell. saw the
fiat, loathsome head fall apart and l
heard scream Of terrible agony from
the window. Then the two chunks of
lead that had been my hands dropped
and heard the instrument clatter onto
the bare boards.
There was strong smell of spirits In
the air, and saw Changers face bending
anxiously above me. His eyes were ten
der as woman's and I could have sworn
that there were tears in them.
Here, old man, drink this" he said,
with his hand under my neck.
"And Dutton?' asked, family, for
felt as though a great sickness had
Slapped the life from my body.
Poor Dutton is dead to the world for
awhile"
Let him Sleep" I said, shudderingly.
we'll get him away from this hell-hole
before we try to fetch him round"
We sent him up in the hills and he
found his lady, after all, and sailed back
to Gods country with her-thank
Heaven for that!
AS for newell, I don't yearn after
"Annie Laurie" any more, and the
sound of violin chills me to the very
soul.