The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-03-10

down on the edge OF tue "ouHueu
mans bed "Trabues death worried =
the life mighty nigh out O. me tell T.
tuck a notion all at once that the bite
o. the deg couldn't be any wuss'n the 1
bark. an that I'd better go. see that
old woman myself an tell 'er the plain
truth. l reckon l prayed a prayer fer
every mile o. the way, my boy. | didnt
know whar she lived an had to go by
directions to find er. l got to the foot
o. Bald mountain jest about dark last
night. an Teller that Med on the side
o. the. road give me directions how to
reach her house. l thought. they was
plain enough, but purity soon it got as
dark as pitch, an | was as bad as
blind man on blind boss. One thing
the man said, though, was that as soon
as got a lie or two up the road III
see he light from her kitchen fire. He
| said il could be seed fer miles-that
she never was knOwcd to shet 'er door
this time o year.
well. sir, got then to prayin' fer
sight o. the light. l begged the Al
/ mighty to let it shine out as sign
was forgiven fer my crime, but it was
| slow a-comin', an when 1t did come
said to myself that a man was fool
to ask the Lord to make a sign out o
some'n that wasn't any more'n natu-
raj. so l wasn't much comforted over
that. Howsomever, l did feel little
mite better 1t seemed so steady an
bright an peaceful away up thar among
the stars, above them rough rocks az
deep gullies l started right fer II.
The road got so bad l had to git down
an lead my boss. Sometimes we'd have
to step over trees that lay across the
way, an then thar nd be a branch or
a creek TO ford an fences to let down
an briers an rocks an steep places.
But kept up my heart Sometimes the
light nd be out O. sight completely, an
then ag'in it nd blaze up steady an
strong like a promise writ in fire.
II got to prayin' more hopeful. Ever
time the light nd flare Up out O. the
gloom my sperits I'D rise, till after
awhile l felt as light as feather.
sung an shouted an prayed an Rugged
nv boss. 1t seemed like | was climbln
M to God. The light on the mountain
was his presence. Once l fell down a
steep bank in the dark, but | wash |
hurt. an then ag'in l slipped on some
rocks while I was crossin' branch an
got wet to the waist, but when l scran-
b!ed out the light was a-shinin' bright
or than ever. Finally crossed a OLD
field an seed the open door OF her
house. A dog run out barkin, but l
wasn't no more afeard Of i'm than the
apostles was O. snakes. | walked
; straight at i'm, called to i'm in hrm'
friendly voice, an patted i'm on the
, head, an he licked my hand an pranceu
. about in front O. me like l was ola
acquaintance he was glad to see. MS
: Hambright was at the fireplace cooklh
: some'n t. eat when | got thar, an she
invited me in. | went In an shooh
0 hands an set down in the chair slt
! give me, an she put more wood on tht
fire, fer she seed l was wet.
6 "'You- don't know me, Mrs. ham
= bright says l.
ono, saws she. L don't know you
p sir: but that don't make no dliterehce
! I take in a lots O. folks that GIT DE
nighted up here. Nobody would u
y mean enough to rob ur harm Wolhai
= as old as | am
"That's So says L. Her head VIZ
II as white as cotton, an she was all Ut
lie over bnt she had the sweetest, mos
T. natient face | ever seed. 1t made III
Fl feel easier about tellin' er who | wa
le an what I'd come fer, but | ackno"l
edge | was afeard. Then she proposes
n TO set the table, fer she said she know
he cd 7 was famished, but / wouldn [ lie
IL 'er.
"'No: wait says l, wait TIL ~
he told YOU who | am, Mrs. HambrlSht
ID saws |. an couldn't look at 'er thel
IS I'm Hiram Hillyer, the man who tue
Is yore pore boys life.
G. az seed 'er sorter jump little, al
IS then she got as still as grave rocf
I'd I was afeared to look at 'er. All m
O. new found hope seemed to be leakll
lie ont O. me. | bowed my head an wal
~ cd fer 'cr verdict. God knows | wa
A miserable, but l was prayin-prayl
1e fer pardon-praYin, both to her an coo
she was still a long time. | recKo
as she was studyin' up what to say
IN me- Then she spoke Did you com
It away out here jest to see me, MI. HI
II yerY she axed in trembly voice al
or | nodded, still afeard to meet her ey'
NJ 4 come to make a confession an III
plore you to pardon me-, said
"a "'Pardon you? she said, slowlike al
@ saft
er esquire Trabue's dead tod e
n He died two days ago
~ heard he was low she said, al
a I was sorry to hear it, fer he was
good man, but is that all you wante
X to tell me?
ot "'No says l, 'twasn't. Mrs. Han
re- bright, the pension he's been payl
YOU all these years never come trol
II the government. 1t was from me-
he "Hiram Hillyer,' says she in h'
L. that