The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-07-26
When
Breathitt' S Best Shot
Failed.
By sNOWDEN KING.

Daw Simpleton drew his horse up
before the door of small mountain
cabin, one of the many nesting among
the foothills of the Cunberlands.
There was the CLINT of brown, blue
and pink-Kentucky Garrettson brown
head, blue dress, and pink apron, and
she stood in the doorway.
"Howdy, Daw. Come in"
The man glanced down at his right
hand lying on his knee, and shook his
head.
What's up? Have you and daddy
been scrapping?"
She came out and leaned on the
gate, evidently undisturbed.
q am going away, Ken, and want
a good long look at you before | 60"
you are really and truly going?
never thought you would. Why, Daw,
YOU love the dear old mountains as
much as l do l don't see how you
can leave them-I couldn't l wouldn't
even try, for know the inconsistencies
to see them again would xii me"
Daw Simpleton's whole attitude
changed in a moment. His upright
figure dropped, and the lips under the
black mustache, that were usually
close set and resolute, trembled. His
eyes gazed wistfullly over the wild,
rugged scenery for moment then
came quickly back to the girls face.
eyes, Ken, they are much to me,
but you are dearer than everything
else in the world, except the desire
to hit back when l have been hurt.
would do anything to injure the
man who dared to make you love him,
even if the doing spoiled your whole
life"
Oh, Daw, that is why you are go
ing away. You don't want to hurt
Doctor Hearst because you know it
would break my heart. Why don't
you hate me?"
Ken, don't you know that noun
taineer's hate and love are always
too deep to be put aside? My love has
made me do many things" he continu-
ed in a musing tone. when your
father sent you away to school took
an oath that when you came back you
would not find the untaught lout you
left, I quit chewing tobacco, drinking
mountain dew, and buying loud neck
ties in order to get money to buy
books | quit fighting so as to have
time to study them. read every
thing I could lay my hands on. AS fast
as l learned how words should be
used l dropped the mountain dialect
thar was the word that chung longest.
You cannot know how hard this was,
for you never had the mountain tongue.
Your mother taught you better. When
you came back you seemed to like me
better than the other boys that went
wild over you, although we had our lit
tie lifts occasionally. Ken, do you re-
member the night your after thrash
ed me because l would not go home
with you from Caleb Vests candy pull
ling after you had told me 1 couldn't
go? That night was the first time
asked you to marry me, and you told
me YOU never could bear the idea of
being called Kentucky Simpleton. |
took another oath that night told
myself and God that l would one day
kill Ben Garrettson, and all that has
saved him from that day to this is be-
cause he is your father. l believe
could have won you in time if that
cowardly sneak of Doctor hadn't"
"Stop!" The eyes that could fill
with tears could also fash with quick
resentment. There isn't man in the
state who deserves that less than Doc
tor Hearst, and you know it. He came
here and went practicing his profess
sion when the mountain guns were
Kissing like rattlesnakes, and when the
feuds are on their threats fail to keep
him from caring for both sides alike.
He doesn't back his bravery with
whiskey and pistols, either, for every
body in Breathitt county knows that
he never even carries a pocket knife.
It's the man in him that goes quietly
where others have to shoot their way
through"
The good and the bad-the two ele-
ments that were forever waging war
in Daw Simpletons heart-suddenly
fought to a finish.
ken, are you quite sure you are
going to marry him? l may not be
much of fortune teller, but predict
that instead of marrying him you will
kill him before the sun goes down."
The girl laughed a low, happy laugh.
why not say the mountains will be