The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1909-07-23
Il HALF-L|FE AND HALF A LIFE.
Story That Based Big Sandy Experience and Was First Pub
IShed Half A Century Ago


myself agreeable and fit company for
you"
you are very lit company for me
now, Tom" said, "and you are Of
a great deal more use in the world
than am; YOU know more that is
worth knowing than | do. only let
us be good friends, as We have al
ways been, and do not talk about
anything alse" .
q viii not taik any more of II
now" said he, N 50 be II don't
please you, and II you'll promise
never 10 say any more to me about
the Mills gals, or any Of them crit
teIs down In Catlettsbrg,-I can't
abide the sight Of theEl,-- and II
.cull let me come aud see You all the
same, and row you about and take
YOU TO the min when YOU want flour,
| held ont my hand to Tom with
( the earnest assurance that | always
| liked to see him AID talk to him,
and that there was nobody whom !
would sooner ask TO do me kind
ness. . ~. ....
The poor fellow choked little as
he thanked me, and then, recovering
himself, rowed Few strokes In ST.
lence, when, looking round as II TO
assure himself that there was nothing
near us but the quiet trees, he said
Suddenly ....
IN tell you what, Janet, I've a
great mind to tell You something,
seeing how you're not a woman that
can't hold her tongue, and then you
think SO much OF Hammond"
started with quick sense of
alarm, but Tom went doggedIy on.
You know what a hard winter
we've had, with this low water and
no January rise, and all that ice in
the Ohio. They say they're starving
for coal down In Cincinnati, and here
we've no end Of 1t stacked up. Well
Hammond, he's had hard work enough
to keep the men along through The
winter. Many another man would
have turned them Off, but he would
Mt do It. 70 he's Skinned here ant
Skinned there to get money to pa!
, them their wages, and they've haC
! scrip, and we've fairly brought good
/ W to the store overland, on horse
back and every kind of way, just TO
| their convenience land now the dapn
s ed Irish rascals, with some Of tn
Sandy boys for leaders, have made VI
t their minds to strike for higher wage
the minute we have a rise, Just whel
E we'll need all hands to get the Goa
t off, and all those boats laying a
= the mouth, too. | heard 1t day be
: fore yesterday, by chance like, whe
Jim Foushee and the two OLeary
i were sitting smoking on the fenc
4 behind the store. The OLearys wer
I tight with the Redeye they ha
Z aboard. and let 1t out in their stupi
e 'colloguing, as they call II; but Jir
{ Foushee saw me standing at tn
d window, and right away called /
t two or three of the Sandy men an
% threatened my life If | told Ham
z mond. They have watched me like
d cat ever since, and never left me an
a Hammond alone together, They al
= with Hammond now, launching Goa
$ boat or I'd never have got off wit
y you"
X sat breathless. ! knew It wa
+ ruin to lot the expected rise pas
It without getting the Coal-boats down
d hut what could be done'
r. Don't look so pale, Janet. Ho
a can tell Hammond, you know, an
= he'll find a way to cirCumyent then
And II was to tell you all this thi
l. brought you out here this afteI
"a noon, only my unlucky tongue wou
& talk of what see it's too soon
1t talk Of yet, But hare's Louisa, rigl
p- ahead. Make haste and get you
1t traps. while | settle my business, az
y, wen be back, perhaps, in time Il
.p YOU to manage smoe way to st
e hammond tonight. Nobody know
YOU went with me, and you'll new
lie be suspected
20 Not Tom Salyers's most rapid al
m yiorous rowing could make our lit
y, sIIff keep pace with my impaHenc,
I'd but thanks to his efforts, the 81
ut was still high when he landed me
h. the little cove behind our hous
I'd where ! could run up through Il
id woods to our back-door, while
pulled boldly up to the stcre-landil
+" and called some of the men to he
1T him carry his purchases up the ban
ep did not stop for word with n
n step-mother but passing rapid
IS through the house, threw my pa
y; GELS on the bed in the sittlng-rool
IN and, running down the walk to 7
at maple-tree under which my dug-o
nd was always tied, jumped into 1t a
nd sculled out into the river. The ce'
Ike boat had Just been launched, n