Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-05-04

cried.
She laughed at him and flung him a
taunt. You don't darst to get mad,
Tommy-Jeffy; you've got religion"
II Is terrible thing to be angry in
shackies There are similes-pent vol
canoes, overcharged boilers and the
ilke-put they are all inadequate.
Ihomas Jefferson searched for mis-
sizes more deadly than dry twigs, found
none. and fell headlong-not from the
rock but from grace. The girl laugh
ed mockingly and took her foot from
the pool. not in Difference to his OUT
burst, but because the water was icy
cold and gave her cramp.
Now you've done it." she remark
ed. THE devil II shore get We for saw
in that word, Tom Jeff."
There was no reply. and she stepped
back to see what had become of him.
He was prone. writhipg in agony. She
knew the way to the top of the rock,
and was presently crouching beside
him.
Don't take on like that" she plead
ed Times cayn't hep bein' mean;
looks like was made thataway. Get
up and slap me. II you want to- / won't
slap back.r
But Thomas Jefferson only ground
his face deeper into the thick mat Of
cedar needles and begged to be let
alone.
Go away; don't want you to talk
to mel" he groaned. You're always
making me sin! You're awfully wick
ed"
Cause don't behave all that upo.:t
the woman and the snake and the ap-
pie and the man?"
You'll go to hell when you die, ana
then I guess you'll believe" said
Thomas Jefferson. still more definitely.
She took a red apple from the pocket
of her ragged frocls and gave 1t to
him. ~
What's that for?" he asked, sus-
piciously.
you eat it; it's the kind you like
off m the tree right back Of Jim
Stones barn lot" she answered.
You stole It, Nan Bryerson!"
Well what IL I did? You didn't"
He bit into it, and she held him In
talk till it was eaten to the core.
Have You heard tell anything new
about the new railroad?" she asked.
Thomas Jefferson shook his head. "I
heard Squire Bates and Major Dabney
naming 1t one day last week.
Well, It's shore comin'-right thoo.
Paradise. heard tell how it was goIn.
to cut the old Males grass patch
plumb IN two. and run right smack
thoo' you-uns' peach orchard"
A far-away cry, long drawn and
penetrating. rose on the still air of the
lower slope and was blown. on the
breeze to the summit of the great
rock.
That's nav, hollerin' for me to get
back home with that bucket O. water. y
said the girl: and. as she was descend
ing the tree ladder: you didn't s,pi-
cion why 1sgive you that apple. did
you. Tommy Jeffy?''
Cause you didn't want, 1t yourself.
/ reckon" = said the second Adam.
No; At was cause you said / was
gofn; to hell and 1 wanted comp'ny.
That apple was stole and you knowed
it!'i
Thomas JEFFERSON flung the core far
out over the tree-tops and shut his
eyes till he could see without seeing
red Then he rose to the serenest
height he had yet attained and said;
forgive you, you wicked. wicked
grill"
Her laugh was screaming taunt.
But you've ct the applet" she cried;
and II you wasn't scared Of goin' to
he'll you'd cuss me-you know You
would! Lemme tell you. Tom-Jeff, IL
the preacher had dipped me in the
creek like he did you. I'd be a mighty
sight holier than what you are. cer-
t'nly would"
And now anger came to its owl,
again
You don't know what you're talking
about, Nan Bryerson! You're nothing
but "a miserable little heather; my
mother said you was!" he cried out
after her.
But back flung grimace was all the
answer he had,
CHAPTER III.
It has been said that nothing comes
suddenly: that the unexpected is mere
Ily the overlooked. For weeks Thorn
as Jefferson had been seeming the UNI
wonted in the air Of sleepy Paradise.
Once he had stumbled on the engi-
across the creek, spying out a line for
the new railroad. Another day he had
come home late from a fishing excur-
sion to the upper pools to find his faith
er shut in the sitting-room with three
strangers respondent in town clothes,
and the talk was of iron and coal, of a
New South" whatever that might be,
and of wonderful changes portending,
which his father was exhorted to help
bring about
But these were only the gentle heav-
ings and crackings OF the ground pre-
monitary of the real earthquake. That
came on day of days when, as a re-
ward of merit for having faultless!y
recited the eighty third Psalm from
memory. he was permitted to go -
town with his father. Behold him, then,
dangling his feet-uncomfortable be-
cause they were stockinged and shod :
from the high buggy seat while the
LATEST OF horses ambled between the
shafts up the white pike and around
and over the hunched shoulder Of
Mount Lebanon. This in the cool Of
the morning Of the day OF revelations.
In spite Of the, premonitory trem-
blings, the true earthquake found
Thomas Jefferson totally unprepared.
He had been to town often enough to
have clear memory picture of South
Tredegar-the prehistoric South Tired
egar There was single street. hub
deep In mud in the rains. beginning
vaguely in the open square surround
ing the venerable courthouse of pale
brick and stucco- pillared porticoes.
There were the shops-only Thomas
Jefferson and all his kind called them
stores one-storied. these, the wood
en- ones with lying false fronts to hide
the mean little gables: the brick ones
honester in face, but sadly Clipped and
crumbling and dingy with age and the
weather.
Also on the banks of the river, there
was the antiquated iron furnace which.
long before the war. had given the
town Its pretentious name. And last
ly there was the Calhoun House.
dreariest and most inhospitable inn Of
its kind: and across the muddy street
from 1t the great echoing train-she
ridiculously out of proportion to every
other building In the town. the tavern
not excepted. and to the ramshacile.
once-a-day train that wheezed and
ella nke6 into and o,,f ~ ~ fOf-