Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-04-04
SURRENDERED
HIS CLAIM
Copyright, 1906. by Joseph n Bowles.)
BY ANNIE B. H0USEMAN

Copyright 1906. by Joseph n Bowles)
1t was a rough road in the Blue
Ridge range, away up in that part of
North Carolina where there is little
more of civilization. than is found in
any typical mountain country; but the
fact was scarcely noticed by the man
whose jog-trotting little Jenney mean
dered stolidly along
They were a peculiarly well-mated
pair-this man and beast. TO a
close observer they bore each other
a resemblance. Most likely it was a
similarity in their dispositions, though
hasten to absolve Hall Jenkins from
the little creatures inherited charac-
teristic, for while he was humble and
patient and stolid and stupid, he was
possessed Of no very marked will pow
er; and we all understand fully the
meaning of stubborn as mule"
IT. was growing warm, and Jenney
Twas getting tired, as they had come
ten miles from Lowell, and it was
snow long past noon; and, though she
ycould boast that her speed had been
good on this rocky road, Jenney was
Minimizing Of well-remembered little
Vstream that they should be nearing,
and. if her steps were slower, they
}were quite decided, while her ears flew
forward and backward more rapidly.
The rider did not perceive this. He
was thinking of the rude little hut
that was his home, and the pretty wife
who awaited him, and the child.
How pleased she would be with the
candy-real red striped sticks-and
the bright little dress he had bought
for her! He remembered SO wildly
the day he met Liza and the child at
the Lowell fair.
The little one was trotting along
and prattlng so cunningly- that he
gave her some candy, after, which
she became so friendly that she in
sisted upon him being her escort to
see the pigs and horses. OF course
he was delighted at the opportunity
of meeting Liza and her parents, and
soon they were all good friends.
After this Jenney often made the
trip to Lowell, which fact explains her
thorough knowledge OF the road; and
one day, Hall never knew how it hap
pened, Liza promised to be his wife,
and he went in search OF the old man
to ask his consent, for this kind of
thing is conducted about the same way
the world over.
The old man had cOughed, and, cas-
ing himself around in the chair, spat
quite far of the little portico; then
crossed and recrossed his legs several
times, and drawled out:
"Waa-l, ya-ass, I reckon so--but We
know Liza do be fond o. the chile.
guess ye be lowin' to take 'em both?"
Hall smiled now to remember that
he grew almost angry at this, and re-
piled that he would not dream Of sep
arating them. even If Liza should be
willing.
"Waa-l, We see, / 'low'd as how ye'd
better know that we uns don't know
who the chile's father be-an'-fur as
our love fur Liza goes, don't give a
du1n; we loves 'em both, an is glad
on 'em, but eff you an her is sot on
each other an you've min to take
'em an treat 'em Whitehall right But
long as live / lows to see 'em we'll
treated"
Hall expressed the proper gratitude
anu went back to Liza. Soon he took
her to his little home and provided
her with all the rude comforts pos
sible, and right happy she seemed to
be, and the child was constant Joy.
True, she was not his own, but she
was Liza's, and so was his, and in
his weekly visits to town he never
forgot to bring gift with which to
win from her a delighted cry and q
hearty hug.
Jenney was very near her goal now,
and at the sight of it's shining sur
face, logged up few steps and waded
in with evident delight. She went
In up to her knees, and stretched her
short neck out to drink as she went
little deeper, while Hall pulled his
feet up on her back.
Truly, this was a cool, pleasant
place, and between drinks Jenney eyed
admiringly a shady spot beside the
road under some large trees. Verify,
this WAS good place to rest, but Hall
would not care to stay here long: he
knew of much more promising rest
ing-place further on, where there
would be loving hands to welcome,
and nice dinner to refresh the in
ner man. Poor Jenney! her reasoning
could not reach so far; she had found
nice, cool place, that just suited her,
and when Hall finally urged her to
move on, she stepped a little further
in and planted her fore feet decidedly.
A look of stony despair spread over
Halls face. He knew Jenney. More
than once he had seen Jenney plant
herself just 50, with the result that
Hall walked on home, after uselessly
pulling. whipping and cursing; then
leaving her to return home at her
leisure. But never before had the
circumstances been just these.
Hall groaned and cursed little, and
tried persuasion and a few blows
which lacked emphasis, because he
knew them to be useless, and then
being very patient, he decided to jus,
sit there awhile 49, possibly Jenney
would relent ere long.
They were in truly ridiculous 20.
sition; at least it seemed so to a
man whose large, well-fed, we'll
groomed horse emerged from the in
definite somewhere behind, and he
seemed to take in the situation easily