Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE SAVINGS OF YEARS.
lOriginal.l.

who was considered misery. The i'm
putation was scarcely deserved. Nc
Coy had been left by the death of his
wife with a son FIVE years old, and,
dreading that at his ,own death the boy
would be left in the Impoverished con-
dition common among the poor noun
tain whites, saved for him everything
that was not necessary for their main
tenance. The boy Donald grew up to
be manly fellow. Then his father be-
came ambitious for him and desired
that at his marriage he ,Should choose
a wife who would add tosthe little heap
in the tin box. But thesson, with the
perversity OF youth, who will not nc
cept the experience of older people,
upset his fathers calculations by fall
ing in love with Tristicia Fielding. who
had neither dowry n0- prospect of
dowry. One sday Owen Mccoy walked
past the little patch of ground which
was all the Fieldings possessed and
saw Tristicia hanging up. clothes in the
yard. He called TO herfand she came
to the fence.
You uns air good gal, Tristicia,"
he said land l don't reckon you uIrs
calc'late to stan in anybody's way. I
ben savfn' TO my boy Donald eyer
sence he war n leetle shaver, but it's
only enough TO- he uns. AS l said
befo'. you uns is good gal, Trlsticia,
an I'm goin' to ask you uns to let up
on Donald"
Tristicia stood with her arms barred
to the elbow, leaning on the snake
fence. peering at vacancy. Then with
out an answer she turned away and
continued her work. Mccoy learned
of her decision through his son. who
told him that she had broken with him
for no good and sufficient reason.
No one knew of the sacrifice Tristicia
had made or the effort it cost her One
evening she was sitting ON ledge of
rock overflanging the mountain torrent
near her house when she heard foot
steps coming on the road behind her
and then voices. The first voice she
recognized as that of Hiram Clusky,
a good for nothing. All she heard
as they passed was. "Tin box full of
It," Mccoy and I'll take the front
while you uns git inter the cabin rear
These scraps of conversation were
enough TO convince Trfsticia that Nc
Gov was to be attacked and relieved
of his savings. The men We're evil
IDENTIFY going by the road. AS soon
as they were out of hearing Iris
ticia sprang up and ran as fast as she
could to her yard and through the
orchard and potato patch to McCoy's
back door. 1t was dark within, and
she tapped on the window. The elder
Mccoy asked what was wanted.
cit up, Mr.. Mccoy, quick! Clusky
n mother un's comm t rob you uns.
Git you uns' gun. Git Donald up with
his'n.'
Donald amt hyer. Reckon Clusky
knowed it. I'll slip on my close m
let you uns in
Within a minute he opened the door
and, taking down his rifle from the
wall. gave it to Tristicia. Then, TAX
ing his own from a corner, he asked
her IL she would do her part.
Reckon If 1 had Donald's / might
shoot somepin."
Mccoy gave her the gun she wanted,
and it seemed to put nerve into her
I'm goin' to shoot fo' the money you
uns ben savin' 70 Donald" she said.
Then she told him that he was to be
taken in front and rear, so he sta
front
In the wild region they occupied, es-
pecially at the time, the mountaineers
We're prepared for attack and there
were cracks in the plaster between
the logs to be used as loopholes. Nc
Coy took one loophole and Tristicia
another. They waited about ten min
utes. when Mccoy saw the two men
walk by scrutiniZing the cabin. Then
they walked back and Clusky turned
in to the door while the other man
went round to the back. Clusky called
to Mccoy to get up, as he was wanted
by a sick man to go for doctor Nc
Coy answered with rife bullet which
sent his enemy limping away At the
same time Tristicia saw the man in
the rear running toward the back door.
She drew a bead on him as well as
she could in the dim light and fred.
The man gave n yell and fell back.
Clusky. hearing the shot and the yell.
limped to the back Of the house. and
Tristicia saw him supporting his COM
| rade away. Then when the stiffness
was restored she tainted
Two days after the defense Of the
Mccoy cabin Tristicia was in the or
chard gathering apples. Suddenly she
felt two arms around her In tight
clasp. Her first thought was that one
Of the men who had tried to rob Nc
Coy had grappled her. She was about
| 10 collapse when she heard familiar
voice say 'Tishie. darlin'." and the
eyes that had often looked love into
hers were looking into them again.
| their love light intensified. Donald
Mccoy was holding her and. taking
her chin in his hand, pulled it roand
| where he could kiss her lips
THAT war big job you uns done.
sweetheart" he said. "You uns purity
nigh killed a robber. an yo' tuk the
'ramrod' outen dad at the same time.
He tole me what he said TO vou ms