The Sauk Centre herald., 1907-05-09

offered by IL single row of planks,
which presented an appearance so tenn
pOrary as well us insecure that one
might have grpsed their office to be
somethin" in .Ie nature OF draw
bridge. From these u narrow path ran
through i marsh left by the recedng
river to country road of desolate ap-
pearance. Here there was rough in
closure or corral. with some tumble
down sheds which afforded shelter on
the night of Joseph Louden's disgrace
for Il number of shaggy teams attached
to those decrepit and musty vehicles
known picturesquely and accurately as
night hawks.
BY O'clock joy ut Mikes place had
become beyond question unconfined,
and the tokens of it We're audible for
a long distance in all directions. II.
however. there is no sound where no
ear hears, silence rested upon the coun-
tryside until an hour later. Then a
lonely figure came shivering from the
direction of the town not by the road.
but sinking through the snow upon the
frozen river. It came slowly. as though
very tired, and cautiously. too, often
turning it's head to look behind. Final
ly it reached the pier and stopped as If
to listen.
Within the house above piano of
evil life was being beaten to death for
its sins and clamoring it's last cries
horribly. The old shed ratified in every
part with the thud of many heavy feet
and trembled with the shock of noise,
an incessant roar of mems voices. pune
tuated with women's screams. Then
the riot quieted somewhat. There was
a clapping of hands. and violin be-
gan to squeak measures intended to be
oriental. The next moment the listener
scrambled up one of the rotting piles
and stood upon the veranda. A shaft
of red light through broken shutter
struck across the figure above the
shoulders, revealing bloody handker-
chief clumsily knotted about the head
and beneath it the face Of Joe Louden.
Joe opened the door and went in. All
Of the merry company (who were able)
turned sharply toward the door as II
opened. One or two nearest the door
asked the boy, without great curiosity,
what had happened to his head. He
merely shook it family in reply and
crossed the room to an open hallway
beyond At the end of this he came to
a frowzy bedroom, the door of which
stood ajar. Seated at deal table and
working by a dim lamp with broken
chimney. a close cropped, red bearded,
red haired man in his shirt sleeves was
jabbing gloomily at column of figures
scrawled in a dirty ledger. He looked
UP as Joe appeared in the doorway, and
his eyes showed a slight surprise.
81 never thought ye had the temper
to git somebody to split yer head" said
he. 'Where'd ye collect it?"
He unwound the handkerchief and
removed it from Joes head gently.
"Whee" he cried as a long cash was
exposed over the forehead. 81 hope ye
left a mark somewhere to pay little
on the score O. this!'
Joe chuckled and dropped diZZily
back upon the pillow. There was an
other who got something like it," he
gasped feebly, "and, oh, Mike, wish
you could have heard him going on!
Perhaps you did. 1t was only three
miles from here
Nothing I'd liked better!' said the
other bringing a basin Of clear water
from a stand in the corner. 'Tts a
beautiful thing to hear man holler
when he gifts grand one like ye're
wearing tonight"
He bathed the wound gently and,
hurrying from the room, returned i'm
mediately with a small jug of vinegar.
Wetting a rag with this tender fluid, he
applied it to Joe's head, speaking sooth-
ingly the while.
Nothing in the world like a bit O.
good cider vinegar to keep off the fes-
term. 1t may seem a trifle scratchy
fer the moment, but it assassinates the
blood p'ison. There ye go! It's the fine
thing fer We, Joe. What are We squirm-
in about?''
''I'm only enjoying it," the boy an
swered, writhinr as the vinegar work
ed into the CASH Don't you mind my
laughing to myself"
"Ye're good one, Joep' sa>} the
other, continuing his ministrationA. "I
wisht, after all, ye felt like makia' me
known to what's the trouble. rSare's
some Of us would be glad to .AAs L. VA
fer We, and"-
"No. no; it's all right ~-ps some
where had no business to be, and I
got caught"
"Who caught yep
First some nice white people"-Joe
smiled his distorted smile-"and then a
low down black man helped me to get
away as soon as he saw who it was.
He's friend of mine, and he fell down
and tripped up the pursuit"
Il always knew yed git into large
trouble some day." The red bearded
man tore strip from an old towel and
began to bandage the boys head with
an accustomed hand. Eyer taste fer
excitement has been growin' on We ev-
cry minute of the four years I've
known ye."
'I've got ST." Joe said, without reply
ing to Mike, "and I'll leave the clothes
I've got on. Can you fix me up with
something different?'
"Tll have the things fer We, and I'll
let ye know have no use fer ST." re-
turned the red bearded man GROSSLY.