The Irish standard., 1904-01-30
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4 SPANISH PEGGY
A STORY OF YOUNG ILLINOIS
By Mary Hartweil catherwood 4
Copyright, 1873. by Herbert S. Stone s. Co
CHAPTER H.-CoNrlNrEp.

CHAPTER U.-.CoNTlN,-ED
mo. But he would rob her of the
last piece and leave her to starve. He
got much that belonged to her people,
Have you put Pegsy's money where
he cannot find it?"
Its in safe place."
Has he ever made any attempt to
carry her OFF,"
Me no let him make attempt. Me
watch"
GAS a relative, he might prove that
he had right to guardianship if he
We're a fit person..
what a white man want he can
take from an Indian!"
mo, Shickshack, you stand your
ground and fight him. If he troubles
you again in this community count on
me for all the help | can give. Every
decent man in New Salem would take
your part
Shickshacll's face relaxed from
sternness to satisfaction.
Such men as YOU and the young
.rhief Yates and the chief Lorimer make
an Indian want to live with white
men"
The tavern directly across the street
had its windows open to let in the
soft spring night air. At intervals a
chorus of bulfrogs came family across
the dark from where the Sangamon,
swelling with freshets, rose frothing
yeastily toward it's brim. AS Peggy
hoped on her crutch around the
ho
ing over Rock creek in the valley, like
fairy linen spread to bleach by star
light. One of Rutledge's deer-hounds
loped up from the stable down the
slope to bay at her. and recognizing
the intruder, drew back at once with
greyhound's sensitive apology.
Near the east side of the house
stood log hand-mil, one end being
firmly planted in the ground, the other
followed by burning and scraping
The pestle, hanging from long pole
weighted like well-sweep, was knot
of hard wood spiked with nails, and
had a crossbar handle. In this prim-
itive mortar parched corn could be
readily pounded to meal A deerskin
was stretched and fastened snugly
over the top to keep grains in when
the mill was in use, and litter out
when it stood idle. Peggy caught hold
of the sweep and lifted herself to
seat on the hand-mill. She could see,
through deep embrasure of logs, the
Rutledge family at home. The tavern
windows We're movable sashes, with
the tough oiled paper like transparent
skin laid firmly upon them. Part of
a tree smouldered crimson without
flame in the white clay chimney.
Sbicllsh acll's wife never allowed more
than one candle lighted in his house.
Mrs. Rutledge drew tallow tapers out
of candle molds and filled a six
hranched candelabrum of old English
silver. 1t stood on table surrounded
by the children at their tasks, and the
father reading paper brought in the
weekly mail The younger girls wero
sewing; Ann sat at the fax wheel.
The Rutledge girls can't say I'm
tagging anybody now, because I'm not
tagging, breatAed Peggy. But goody!
1 can watch them through the
window"
The most desirable thing in the
World was to be lovely. She looked at
Ann Rutledse, to whom hearts were
given on sight. An ungraceful move.
sment seemed impossible to Ann. There
was no angle in the lines OF her tall,
supple body. Her deep blue eyes some
times turned golden in moments of
happiness. Unconscious that any out
slider watched her, she lifted them
and smiled at darkness through the
open window. The passes of her
bands as she spun and the sweetness
of life expressed in her face brought
a sob up Pesgy's throat.
N'pll never be like her." whispered
Peggy. I'm peg-lesged Spaniard,
little for my age, and ugly. can't
spin. l can't sew. Sally says sq,law
clothes are good enough for me, and
Shickshack has to cut them out, and
we piece them together as we'll as we
can. He's done it ever since we left
his people and have had no Indian
women to help us. | can't read like
Ann Rutledse does. II l could even
sinit could make stockings for Anty-
wine and Shiclshack They are the
only men in New Salem that have to
keep on wearing neips wrapped around
their ankles for stockings
She set her teeth together so the
grating was audible. Something
stirred behind her, like one of the
hounds creeping near, but she paid nc
attention to it. A blanket dropped over
her head.
Peggy fought it with both hands
hearing the crutch that had laid across
her knees roll to the ground. This
was the last sound she heard. Scream
ing in the muf1lipg folds. she felt her
self dragged off tho hand-mill and
carried away.
CHAPTER III.
Ann Rutledge heard. through the
open window Peggy's muflled cry ant
struggle and ran to the door, By star.