Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-05-20

"Oh. Zebr'
The breeze blew the echo of her own
tones back into her face. Tears gushed
from her eyes, and she sunk down upon
the roadside to sob away her sudden
heartsickness.
The clouds began to gather and at
midnight the rain began to fall in tor
rents. BY dawn the waters of the
Tuckasiege were high between its
banks, and the boom-loggers were busy
with their RATS, but Zeb Norton. their
former foreman, was not among them.
Six years had slipped away. Nance
Hooper still lived with her father in
the cabin ON the side of the mountain.
She still went out each evening to call
the hogs at the head of the ravine. and
in her heart she still lived the old love
and deep regret. Zeb Norton has never
been heard of since his sudden disap-
pearance. Gold had been discovered on
the Tuckasiege, and the community
was wild with excitement. But what
seemed unfortunate to the prospectors
was that the rich vein had been dis
covered on a body of land belonging
to one Zeb Norton, whose whereabouts
were unknown. They feared to pro-
ceed with mining operations without
having first having secured lease of
some kind, and since this could not be
obtained from the owner the enterprise
was at a standstill.
Half year passed by. One day a
passenger stepped from the morning
train which stopped at Dollsboro. and
stood with his hands rammed down
into pockets. He was dressed in the
style of aWesterner. A wide-brimmed
sombrero rested on his head: and a
heavy brown mustache ornamented his
upper lip. For q moment he gazed
all around him.
Its not exactly like it used to be
though it amt much changed, either"
he muttered, as he picked up his valise
and walked toward a little boarding
house few yards away. 1t was noon
and the traveller was hungry. Meet
ing the lahdlady at the entrance, he
gave her a fifty-cent piece and asked
the way to the dining room.
After dining the stranger spent sew
eral hours in wandering about the vii
lage. Late in the afternoon he sus-
pended his valise on stout staff which
he rested on his shoulder and set off
up the river road afoot. Ever and
anon, as he tramped along the high
way he would stop at some high point
and gaze across the hills and valleys.
Just like they used to be, all just
the same" he would usually mutter as
he turned away and continued his
journey.
At last he reached the highest point
in the road where it turned down, the
mountain on the other side of the river.
"Just the same,' he said, there's not
even a change in the road. Wonder
If Mark Hooper lives there yet" he
continued as he looked toward the cabin
off to the right.
A little farther along he turned away
from the road and walked slowly down
to where the fence crossed the ravine.
Here he seated himself on an old. fast.
decaying stump. allowing the staff and
valise to carelessly slip from his
shoulders. Then, pushing his sombrero
back upon his head he locked his
fingers across his knee and gazed away
through the opening over the ravine
1t was almost shutdown and there were
a few clouds in the sky.
"Just the same,' he muttered again.
after a few moments silence; every
thing just like it was. l wonder if
Nance did"
He closed his lips tightly against
further utterance. There seemed to be
a sudden breaking loose of something
which had been long tied up in his
breast.
At last he arose, and, shouldering
his staff and valise, started back to the
road. And just as he turned his back
toward the cabin Nance came out with
her apron full of vegetables for the
hogs, and came on slowly down the
path toward the fence.
The traveller. who had walked or
without looking backward, had scarce.
ly disappeared beyond a turn in the
road. when his ears caught the sounds.
"Pig-pigpig-oo-eh." as Nance called
the hogs.
Again the staff and valise slipped
from his shoulder, and. with his hands
rammed down into his pockets, he
listened. while his heart beat heavily
against his breast.
At last he turned about and slowly
retraced his steps, leaving his bag
gage. where it had fallen, in the middle
of the road. He approached within
few feet of Nance before he stopped
Then, steadying his voice as well as
he could, he called her name.
Nance suddenly turned about and
gazed upon the tall form of the West
erner. Then. bursting into tears. she
dropped her apron and impulsiveiy
sprang toward him.
aOh, Zeb!'' she cried through hei
tears. Il didn't mean it, you know ]
didn't! oh, why did you go away
Zeb caught her in his arms and fol-
a few moments there was sweet 81
lence.
Nance" said Zeh, at last, Il never
could think of loving anybody but
you. But when l came back to look
after that gold mine l didn't expect tc
find such jewel as this waiting fol
me. 1t appears like I am mighty rich
all of sudden"
Amt half as rich as am now. Zeb
for I've got you back again." and
reaching up. she took his rough cheeks
between her palms and kissed hin
under his big mustache.-Chicag Rec
ord-Herald.
Quadricycle Fire Engine
A quadricycle, composed of two tan.
u H.