The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-02-18
The House of the Black
Pate: Ring e.,z...=. 80.

had brought some implement that 1T
was his especial duty to furnish at a
butchering-pulley blocks, hooks, ket-
ties, knives-and zach knew his part
and went at 1t instantly without or
ders. The women and the girls went
straight into the house, where they
took their places with an order II
dispatch gained by the experience of
many chickering's.
al, here's old Poppy already. Here.
let me help you out, Poppy. Chust you
wait a minute wunst.h But the old
man did not hear. Horse, wagon and
man seemed incredibly old Without a
word he hoisted himself over the wheel
then Strengthened up slowly and looked.
about him. Then he hardened into a
stiff pose, with his gaze fixed intently
on the soulh.
What is it, Poppy?" asked Oar
arXiously. That's going to be a fine
day? Yas?"
Pet day, young man: t'at's a pet.
day. Chlst you remember what Use
a-tellin' yeh still. Chust you look t'ere
wunst." He stretched a wavering hand
out toward the south. Beware of
goats hair in tie sky already.
awful tone that the s~oothsayer must
ave used when he said. Beware the
Ides of March"
Despite the dire prediction, the morn.
ing was breaking clear and sharp. The
iron bars over old Nance were soften
smudge In the south was growing into
the semblance of a wooded ridge, cut
sharply against the pale sky.
A belated vehicle drove into the yard,
and a shout greeted it.
It's Ulie, boys! Here's Ulie Already"
sleepy! Oh, my! Jest You see them
eyes wunst."
Get home in time for reakf
IJlie?"
A plump, middle-aged man climbed.
from MS wagon, and proceeded with
p~reternatural gravity to tie his horse
to the fence. Apparently he had heard,
no word of h raillery. It was as If
the undertaken had arrived at the fu-'
neral. n was arranging the hearse.
As he turned, however. a sheepish grin
began to spread. over his face, and at
the sight Of the GROVE began to
laugh.
Think you're dretfu1 smart still,
now don't yeh?" he snapped, pulling off
his big coat with vigor, and taking his
customary place. Then the chatting
fell sharp and thick, like rice at a we'd
ding.
Who was it, Ulie, last night? Come
tell us. Dew
Say. better get your courage up
quick, Ulie. The rule for sparkin' is
that the gals jest as afraid of you as
you De OF her."
ooh, pshaw, Ulie. Finish it right I'D
slap and be done with it. It's awful
bad on yeh, this settin' up so late
when you're gettin' along in
years. Boys can stan it. but it's death
on you old critters
-When a country gathering gets start
on this rack there is no logical end.
NO quarter is given, nor is it usually
asked. Shouts of merry laughter went
up at every hit. The victim seemed
irritable and angry; he snapped and
growled and hustled over his work with
unnecessary vigor, but a close observer
might have detected that In reality he
was enjoying the raillery.
Pretty smart. amt yeh? Heho" he
spluttered. Spose you mind your
own business awhile? I've known folks.
to get rich jest by minding their own,
business He was greeted with snick-
ers. Wal, them" he exploded, as il
hopelessly at bay, .let me tell yeh n
thing wunst. l was out asst night, and
/ seen something that would scare the
very devil himself" The smokers broke
into outlaws.
Lord! is she that ugly. U1ie?"
You jest wait a Uinute. fellers /
was out last night ell midnight-on
business, you know-and-"
Again they Interrupted him. Ulie
Dribelbis, as all knew, had as his first
business h securing Of wife mi
three.
Strike a bargain in yeh business.
did yeh?e
Observation-Disclosures, he re-
peated with studied elaboration. land
at just ~ o'clock, midnight, I was in
sight OF the old Heller house, and"
lowering mis- voice. I seen something"
what was it, Ulie?" A grange hush
had fallen over the crowd. They had
all to a ma stopped working, and
were looking at him in a curious way.
Tell us, Ulie. What was it y
Oh, nothing much" He was work
ing away as IL unconscious of the in
terest he had suddenly aroused. say.
want hep"
"Ulie, what was IT? Tell us what
you SEEM"
oh, boys, don't ask me about it.
Please don't. 1t makes me creep all
over. Oh, my Lord! I wouldn't go
through that again for a thousand dol
lars. No, suh-a thousand dollars" He
glanced UP with a shade OF terror IN
his face, and he shivered ~perceptibly.
How many hogs you got, Dang" He
changed h subject with q visible ef-
fort Reckon we can do 'em all to-
day."
Come. out with it, Ulie. What was
1t, U1ie?" They had gathered ahont
him, and were looking into his face
with round eyes.
hAllu OI a TeQQlSn, SlCKiSh light in
the winder wunst, that kept sort Of
Notwithstanding and beckonin'.,.
lis that all? That was the moon
shinin' on the glass still. You was
scairt, Ulie?"
Cloudy night last night, and you-urs
know 1t. Dark's the deyiYs pocket
Already. Wasn't even any stars. and
you-uns knows it. And that light
shined wa-a-a-ay out on the snow
maxim 1t look jest like blood. Oh. my
lordi And don't you ask me what /
heard. I can't stan it. My God, men!
say, les talk about something else.
Say, Dan, when did yeh begin to feed
these hogs? Did ye-
What was 1t, Tile? What did yef
hear?" There WAS an awed tone In
the voice.
Wen, sub, I heard most an awfu,
noise Already. An awful noise.', Hi
lowered his voice to a ~shuddering whis-
per.
How did ii sound, Uliegp Len
Fishers face had turned to q tailou
white.
IA great, long laugh, like a Graz,
mans laugh-a laugh that never com,
from no living nan, mouth: no sufl
IT made my hair go right up straigh
like cats back. Then heard til,
awfnlest swearln'-a kind OF hollow