Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01

blacksmith shop turning horseshoes. Cleg-
horns grip was packed and he awaited a
favorable opportunity for leaving his
friends without the pain and embarrass-
ment of farewell scene. The first shoe
was rounded before Pappy said, without
looking at him:
'Son, yo' needn't worry erbout gittin'
drunk last night. 'Twa'nt no more'n I
expected. Bet SO long ez yo' hev found
tibet still yo'll be obleeged ter stay round
up thar till vo' kin do hit 'thout gittin'
drunk" He laid the bulldog noce of his
sledgehammer upon the anvil. straighten-
ed and leveled his eyes upon Cleghorn,
who stood by the bellows.
I'm this business. boy, yo' CANT back
down 'thout feelin tibet yo' air err coward.
Tain't Jest fightin' man an beast tibet
proves er mans grit Yo' gotter hev tn
spunk to lick hell outen yo'r own soul.
I hain't much on scripter. bet I know ev'y
dad blame one of us air endowed with err
little bit of damnation somewhat inside.
red hot an ready fer US of We hain't tn
courage an strength ter kick out an keep
out"
Pappy caught the shoe In the tongs.
thrust it in the furnace. while his COM
panion graSDed the old-faShioned bellows
and blew redly upon it. a moment later
the mountainside echoed cheerfully with
the rhythmic strokes OF hammer upon
anvil and steel. But the blacksmith had
not reached the conclusion OF his lecture.
When the shoe was finished. he dropped It
into a tub Of water. watched it siZzle q
moment then continued:
II laid off ter clear new ground up thar
erbout Jim Cooper's this fall, an tn way
things hev turned out hit seems providen-
tial tibet yo' should take tn Job ontel yo'
git tn best of tn corn Juice atmosphere
on tibet side of tn ridge. Now will yo' do
hit?"
but how can 1 trust MYSELF" protested
Cleghorn.
'.Th' way ter kure temptation, son. air
ter buck agin hit. an buck hard. I SEQ
yo' hev packed yo'r things. bet faint no
use ter run. Wharever yo' go thar'll ba
somethin temptin' yo ter drink. TIL
Lord washed tn whole yearth clean Of sin
once, bet mighty nigh tn fust thing tibet
Teller Noah done when he got outen tn
ark were ter find er chanst ter git drunk.
Yo' mought ez we'll stay long here with
me an Marthy an hev tn fight out up
thar in tn new ground" concluded the
old man irresistibly.
I'll do it. God bless your Cleghorn
answered gratefully.
Now, don't go ter gittin' moved"
warned Pappy; too much feelins air bad
symptoms fer er man in yo'r condition.
An don't yo' be guilty of promisin' any
thing. Thet 'ould be ez foolish ez er pore
man givin' his note fer er thousand dol
lars"
Thus was the compact sealed. and Cleg-
horn remained year longer. cultivating
all the land which lay along Liquor
ridge" without again falling a victim to
his besetting sin.
He'd hev been here yit." Pappy was
accustomed to complain. ''ef tibet bishop
tn very one tibet turned him outen TIL
church. hadn't heered how well tn boy
were gittin' on with his salvation. He
come up here ter see fer himself. an then
he offered Cleghorn er church out west
somewhat an l be COLL dern. mister. eft
hit want tibet ole Pharisee's darter he
were engage ter. 'Twan't long afore me
an Martny got invited ter tn weddin'.
An they tell me tibet boy kin outpreach
ary preacher in his conference. bet ! low
he hain't never eaualed tn sermon he
give US tibet night in Jim Coopers still!''