The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1906-02-02

It was hard for her poor girl, for, ex-
! cepting Her old mother, she was alone
in the world. Whenever she met Monica
May, 1t was like knife going through
her heart, because, as said, Monica was
pretty. and Layola wasn't, and my poor
! girl never had doubt but what l was.
accounting Monica for her beauty
Now. for my part, when hadn't been
near Layola for two or three weeks,
began to dread to go, because didn't
know what excuse to make for keeping
away so; and just in that sort Of way
we didn't meet for two months, Yearly.
Then, one day, Layola sends me back my
ring.
| was so worked that just went and
offered myself to Monica and she ac-
cepted me.
Well, there were two folks in the
world, at least, pretty miserable that
fall When the bewitchment of Mon
lca's dancing and singing went of, ]
didn't want to marry her any more than
l wanted to go TO the moon.
Once in great while I'd see Layola,
and though she'd speak me civil, it'd cut
me to the heart to see that she'd sort
of contempt for me. Yet | knew that
she was adding her duty every day,
and saying no harm of me to anyone.
and / don't know as it's any shame for
me to confess that my pillow was wet
with tears many time on account O
oil this.
Well cold weather began to come on.
The frosts came, and grew pretty nip
ping | trapped young bear, that fail,
and gave him to little Juan May. The
boy thought good deal of him, was
tanning him first rate when one day the
bear got away.
Juan came a-hollering over to my
house to tell me that he'd lost his bear.
He showed me which way he'd gone.
took my rifle and q. rope, and started
right after him.
The condurned think had gone upon
Kiarsarge. The Summit House wasn't
built then, and there wasn't living
thing on that mountain but rattle
snakes in summer, and bears in win
ter!
Well, got the, bears track, and
climbed half way up the mountain
after him, when my feet caught in my
rope, and | went keadlong over the
ledge, and came down with leg under
me, that snapped like pipestem. Well,
l found out that my leg was broken,
and then / saw that it had begun
snowin'-snowin', sir, and the wind
piping shrill enough to pierce your
head through, that wind, sir sounded
to me like my death knell. / laid and
listened to 1t with feelings never like
to remember.
1t didn't snow long, 1t was getting
too cold. When felt the cold nipping
me, knew what had to fear, and l
tried to fire off my gun, hoping to
bring some help, but it was too great
agony to stir. tell you, I suffered
The next hour seemed like a year.
Then it began to grow dark or | got
sleepy with the cold, and lay insensi-
BILE till dark don't know which-but
in the night help reached me- and they
found me more dead, than alive.
Well, sir, my leg was broken, and
both my feet were frozen. I had ar
), awful spell of sufferin, and by the time
1t was some over began to see things
pretty clearly There lay, fiat on my
back, with a broken leg, and feet that
! might have to be cut off, my old moth
CT worn down, with nursing, and Mon1-
, ca cleared out without so much as
eood-by The Mays had moved clear
, out O. the nsighborhood during the
time I was In the worst danger.
! thought of Layola and groaned some
/ guess, for my old mother sittin' or
, the hearth, began to cry Don't
, Mathew! don't!" said she "the gooe
, Lord knows what's best for u.s."
Well, the fire burned low, and flick
!, cred red on the wall, and mother wen
, to sleep in her chair. By-and-bye the
r door opened softly, and woman's fig
/ ure came quietly in. She looked at thu
bed, and some strange feeling, hal
q shame. half stubborness, made me pre-
t tend to be asleep. But | watched, am
4 saw Layola kneel down on the hearth
and blow by the fire, spread a shaw
6 over mother and then come to my pill
Q low. I'd been through good deal, an'
r must have looked pretty haggard. II
4 minute / felt her hand on my fore
/. head, and its light touch seemed lik
: a blow ON my heart | tried to shak
v it off. | thought my breast woul'
burst with the shame and grief work
il ing in it. Though my heart seeme'
$ breaking with love for her, | wishes
a that girl thousand miles away. Blu
e IN a minute she put her face dow
e close to mine.
Mathew" she whispered, shall
Y stay?"
l, Then my heart seemed melting righ
'r within me- I nodded, and the tear