The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1910-04-07


By this time perpetual bang was
heard without. A darby rushed IN ana
began to talk with eyes wide opened.
missy GIMME, dereis q ha'nt down
in de medder kiln all de hobwhite.
He dressed like ghost. all In white,
with stars and things on he breast
Wha' all gwine to do?"
"For heavens sake, don't try to stop
him." said the mistress. 'H sou do
he'll kill YOU
ooh, no. I'm not gwine to stop him.
AS soon as l sor him run like de
debbil was after me. Ebery time she
shoot. down comes thousand quail"
"Never mind the quail. don't care
how many he kills il he doesn't kih
any one else before we can get rid OF
him.
At this juncture the housekeeper en-
tered the room and asked what was
the matter. When informed Of the
facts she smiled and said
II saw your lunatic go by, my win
dow. He's Tom Thursby, that Virginia
scapegrace."
Allu Sduc. dSAcu Miss WVOQOA A06S'
Perfectly"
'Then why appear here in such cos
tune and ask permission to hunt?"
II don't know. There was mas
querade ball in the city last night, and
| not an hour ago I saw some Of the
masqueraders rolling along in their
carriages ON their way home. Perhaps
Mr.. Thursby was one, OF them and
took a fancy to do some shooting
"But why in such cOstumeT
mo one knows what Tom Thursby
will do. He's singular. But I have
heard he is very bright. He'll prob
ably break his neck some day riding
across country. He's terrible man
on horseback"
'That would be q pity said Miss
Woodbridge sympatheticalIy-''he's so
handsome"
Whether the lady meant that it did
not matter if homely men broke their
necks is not Of Importance to this
story. The order to send to the asylum
| was countermanded, and Mr.. Thursby
was permitted to bang away till mid
| day. when he came to the house with
| a bagful of quail and asked to see
| the mistress, She met him, vainfy en-
deavoring to suppress smile.
II have only killed these birds, he
said, "for the pleasure Of the hunt. !
leave them for their rightful owner"
"You are Mr.. Thursby, believe,
from Virginia"
81 am, and at your service" A low
bow.
"That you may not think we Tennes-
seeans less hospitable than the people
Of the Old Dominion Will ask you to
remain for dinner ON the birds you
have shot"
''That will certainly be- an honor as
we'll as a pleasure" Another bow.
Miss Woodbridge entertained Mr..
| Thursby till the quails were cooked
| and the repast was announced. Then
she took his arm, and they went into
| the dining room. Never smile CROSS
ed Mr.. Thursby's face. His hostess
said nothing about having mistaken
! him for lunatic, and he made no
| reference to his fantastic dress.
| The servants on the plantation either
had not heard the explanation as to-
| the guests habiiments, or, il they
had, it made little impression on them.
The opinion among them gained ground
that he was a ha'nt, though many of
| them declared that he was lunatic.
The drawer of the colored children
flattened their noses against the din
| ing room window panes to observe the
specter. Aunt Eunice, who had been
Virginia Woodbridge's NANNY" was
very much disturbed.
"Wha' To- yo niggers let yo' nist'ess
alone wild dat lunaticker fo'?" she
asked the men. 'Yo' gwine let him
shoot her?"
| At this white headed Uncle Peter
went off and returned with his gun
and said he was "gwine to kiver de
ha'nt' Miss Woodbridge, while dis
secting a quail, discovered. him stand
ing in the doorway leveling a shotgun
| at her guest.
"For heavens sake, Uncle Peter,
what are you going to do? Don't
shootr'
Don yo bodder, Missy Ginnie. I
| got de drop on him."
/, 'Oh. that's nothing" said Thursby.
1--WE seen him for some time. It
hasn't spoiled my appetite"
And he helped himself to another
quail
Uncle Peter was finally persuaded to
go away with his gun, and the meal
proceeded Then when It was finished
Miss Woodbridge and her singular
| guest spent some time together In the
drawing room. after which the guest
departed.
| Miss Woodbridge wac SO we'll pleas
ed with Mr.. Thursby that she deeply
regretted he was so freaky. But when
| the next day she received from him
several dozen pairs Of gloves, with q
letter stating that her leniency with
hiln had enabled him to win bet that
he would shoot with her pesmi1sion on
1 ~ - q - 49, =. -