The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1910-04-14
WHAT HAD HAPPENED
By Wade Caldwell

ed back, and, perceiving that the
late inspector had taken to the road
again, his face flushed as if he had
received sudden inspiration. Di-
rectly he met and stopped the
Limited and told the crew of the
danger at the bridge. incidentally
stating that he himself had found it.
The grateful passengers made him
up a handsome purse, and million
aire aboard with his sick wife gave
him diamond ring.
Meantime, he with the hectic
cheeks and dry cough was walking
slowly up towards the settlement on
the hill. At one place he passed a
harvest field. Under a great oak
near the roadside were several lusty
young harvesters. Their hats were
off, their sleeves rolled up, and their
shirt-boSOms were open, revealing
their sineWy arms and chests, full of
life and rich red blood. Their faces
were full of joy, still moist from a
recent bath in a aspiring hard by.
Across the stubble towards them
came girl, in her early teens. She
wore a large shutdown, the long dark
folds of her unbound hair fell about
her neck and shoulders. She carried
a hamper in her hand, while a large
collie galloped and scampered about
her as she tripped along. She was
fetching dinner to her brothers in
the harvest field.
The harvest scene set the doves of
mother-pride pecking at the travel
er's conscience till he stopped and
began to look about him. He, too,
had swun 6 the cradle he, too, had
bound the yellow sheaves and piled
them for his father to shock; and he,
too, once had sister who fetched
dinner to him in the harvest field!
But the rodents of hunger gnawing
at his stomach, and the rodents of
death gnawing at his heart, soon
urged him on again.
The road was very rough, he
stumbled into many small washes
and stumped his sore toes against
many stones, but he did not groan.
The element of self-pity had perish
ed out of his being long ago. So,
like the dumb, dull OK, he bore his
ills uncomplainingly and ambled fee
bly,, slowly on up to the settlement
on the hill.
1t was not very imposing place.
Just few low, whitewashed frame
buildings amidst tolerable grove of
old gnarly elms. In sooth, the very
name of the place caused it to be
Stunned by saint and sinner.
Presently he entered the yard
passed over to the pump where he
bathed his hands and face, then sat
down on the curbing, coughed and
painted. He saw many others SINH
lar to himself wasted by age and
incurable diseases, passing about
him. Some were alone and silent,
others were mumbling over for the
hundredth time to needless COM
rades a tale of their former wealth
and unjust fall. Of one of these he
asked for the superintendent. And,
being directed to a portly, middle
aged man overseeing some work out
near the margin of the grove, he
went to the latter and, in few
words, told his story. The superin-
tendent was man whose actions
were governed rather by opinions
than sentiment His small, dark
eyes read more in moment concern
ing the man before him than tongue
could have told in long time. And
without any idle questioning he call
ed a servant telling him to see this
man to room "27"
Once within his small cell-like
room he stretched himself upon the
low hard hunk on which n1apV NOR