The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-04-11
A Captain Of Incidence.
BY Frank Sweet

Gabe was lying upon his back, his
hands clasped under his head,
gazing unthinkingly at the sky. He
was twenty-five years old and bare
footed.
Times had been going somewhat
hard with him of late. For one
thing, he had to think, and the pros
pect was that before long he might
have to do. Cooner's daughter was
now of age, and the understanding
between the families had been that
enough these two should marry, in
order to save the seven acres on one
side of the slope being separated
from the nine acres which pointed
and crept over and down the other
side. Cooner was arbitrary, and
Gabe's father under the influence of
Cooner, would be Just as despotic.
Then Mary Bet was pretty, there
was no denying that.
But Mary Bet did not like work
herself. He had found the ak lying
beside three or four uncut branches
which her father had dragged in,
and the seven or eight chickens
pecking about without a sign of coop
or shelter.
But alas for plans. A buzzard
foated slowly beyond view, and the
unthinking eyes following It began
to grow dreamy and heavy, there
came sudden rasping interruption.
1t was Cooner admonishing his
father
II tell ye," the strident voice was
saying, this things goin on too
slow. Fust we know somebody'll be
steppin' In, an then wherell our
two estates be? Divided. There's
that Bill Tanner, already comm up
to see Bet an she 'lowin' him
Pshaw! He'd be for carryin' her
way down to his cabin in the val
ley, an likely's not they'd be for
sellin' me seven acres more some
day, tell ye, Nose, ye must be
stirring up Gabe. He's good boy
an II he's got single wicked habit
I've never heered on 1t. I'll see the
preacher this very day, an have
him come up in two weeks,~
Gabe had forced himself gs deep
as possible into the leaves, and he
lay with bated breath until the
voices and footsteps had died away
toward Cooners cabin. Then he
groaned and removed his bands
slowly and despairingfy hron be-
meath his head. He must think. and
think quickly and hard. or he would
be lost.
Bill Tanner was pseiinS bark In
the valley.
"Hullo. BILL" he began sffably.
"Gettin' quite a heap, aint ye?"
"Hullo," he responded but I
low ye'd better como some other
day, I'm too busy to talk now
That's all right" kraeiousfN 'T
don't mind seein' folks work. Comm
up tonight"
"Where?"
"Cooner's. OF course" WITH
grin. But there's no need to git
mad, BILL" at the look on the others
face. 81 amt here to plague ye. I
come down to sell my tater patch.
What'll ye give?"
I've heered bout that tater
patch" he said. TITS two acres, an
old Cooner plowed It with his mule,
an your dad planted It all by him
self. an you was to do the hoein' an
diggin' don't believe Xs'ys struck
q lick in II yet"
81 don't believe I havef' tcknowl-
edged Gabe, frankly. Bat whatll
ye give?"
why, l thought they was your
weddin' taters," said Bin, wonder
ingly. II heered Cooner say there'd
be forty bushels an that 70 could
sell twenty an have twenty for a
winter put by"
Yes, l heered him say that my
SELF" smiled Gabe. "But see here,
Bill, amt a henderin' of nobody.
Bet likes you better'n she does me,
an you like her, an the wust thing
her dads got ag'in ye Is that ye'd
take her away. He don't want her to
leave. Now there's ten acres that
Joins him on the other side, an It
can be had for thirty dollars.
heered the owner say 30. Can ye
raise thirty dollars?" anxiously.
You're the best fellow that ever
was" he cried heartily, IAN I'm
sorry for anything I've ever said or
done. I'll be your friend after this.
Now, what'ls ye take for the taters?"
"Oh, that's all right" easily
when ye're married an settled up
there I'll let ye do my chores when I
have any, so 'twon't cost ye nothin'
but work"
Gabe went directly to Cooner,
drawing a long face.
THAT Bill Tanners too smart for
me-" he grumbled, II went down
there thinkin' | could make a trade,
but he's got my taters an | amt got
thing to show" He waited long
enough for his words to have their
full effect. then added: 81 b'lieve I'll
go out TO Mexico or Maine or some
where that way. The only thing is
tin be hard fur Bet to go so fur, but
mebbe she can stand It."
"Bet-go to Mexico or Maine!"
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