Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-02-25
The House of the Black
! Pate: Ring Copyright: 700.

was his especial duty to furnish at a
butchering-puIley blocks, hooks, ket-
ties, knives-and each knew his part
n went at ii instantly without or
ders. The women and the girls went
straight into the house, where they
took their places with an order and
dispatch gained by the experience of
many chickering's.
"Ah. here's old Poppy already. Here,
let me help you out, Poppy. Chust you
walt a minute wunst." But the old
man lie not near. Horse, Wagon and
man seemed incredibly old. Without a
word he hoisted himself over the wheel
with unchecked wheezes and groan
then Strengthened UP slowly and looked
about him. Then he hardened into a
stiff pose, with his gaze fixed ~intently
on the sourh.
What is il, Poppy?" asked Dan
~aExiously. That's going To be a fine
day? Yas?"
Pet day, young man; fats a pet
day. Chust 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.
Ummmmmm!" He said 1t in the same
awful tone that the soothsayer must
have used when he said, Beware the
Ides of March,"
DSopAAS NtiC ~ VI CulCllcI, lht sIIOT1-
ing was breaking clear and sharp. The
iron bars over old Nance were soften
ing into copper and bronze; the black
smudge in the south was growing int
the semblance of a wooded ridge, cut
sharply against the pale SKY.
A belated vehicle drove into the yard,
and a shout greeted it. q,
It's Ulie, boysl Here's Ulie Already"
Sleepy! oh, my! Jest you see them
eyes wunst.'
Get home in time for breakfast,
1Jlie?"
A plump, middle-aged man climbed
from his wagon, and proceeded with
pretcrnatural gravity to tie his horse
TO the fence. Apparently he had heard
no word OF the raillery. 1t was as if
the undertaken had arrived at the flu
neral, and was arranging the hearse.
AS he turned, however, a sheepish grin
began to spread over his face, and at
the sight of the crowd began to
laugh.
Think you're dretfuI smart still,
now don't yeh?' he snapped, pulling off
his big coat with vigor, and taking his
customary place. Then the chatting
ding.
Who was it, Ulic, 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
o be of her."
"Oh. pshaw, UIie! Finish it right up
slap and be done with it. It's awful
bad on yeh, this settin' up so late
nights 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
ed on this track 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 owe his work with
unnecessary vigor, but a close observer
might have detected hat in reality he
was enjoying the raillery.
Pretty smart, amt yeh? Hem" he
spluttered. "Spose you mind your
W business awhile? I've known folks
to get rich jest by minding their own
business" He was greeted with snick-
ers. wal, then" he exploded, as if
hopelessly at bay, let me tell yeh one
thing wunst. was out last night, and
l seen something that would scare the
very devil himself" The smokers broke
into outlaws.
Lord! is she that ugly, Ulie?"
You jest wait a plinute, felIers. I
was out last night tfll midnight-on
business, you know-and-"
Again they interrupted him. Tile
Dribelbis, as all knew, had as his first
business the securing of wife number
three.
Strike a bargain in yeh business.
did yeh?'
peated with studied elaboration. land
at just II o'clock, midnight, / was in
sight OF the old Heller house, and"
lowering his voice, II seen something"
What was it, Ulie?' A strange hush
had fallen over the crowd. They had
all TO a man stopped working, and
were looking at him in a curious way.
Tell us, Ulie. What was it?"
"Oh, nothing much" He was work
ing away as If unconscious of the in
terest he had suddenly aroused. Say,
this is a good hog, Dan. Spring watts.
.,e.,. tfS:'
"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! / wouldn't go
through that again for a thousand dol
lars. No, suh-a thousand dollars" He
glanced no with q shade Of terror in
his face, and he shivered perceptibly.
How many hogs you got, Dam" He
changed the subject with a visible eff
fort. Reckon we can do 'em all to-
day?"
Come, out with it, Ulie. What was
Ii, Ulie?" They had gathered about
him, and were looking into his face
with round eyes.
kind of n reddish. sickish light In
the winder wunst, that kept sort OF
wa-a-a-a-verin' and beckonin'."
rs that all? That was the moon
shinin' on the glass still. You was
scairt. Tile? ?"
Cloudy night last night, and you-uEs
know 1t. Dark's the DEVILS pocket
a ready. 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
lordt And don't you ash me what /
heard. ] ant 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, Ulie? What did yeh
hearg There was an awed tone in
the voice.
We'll, sub, I heard most an awful
noise already. An awful noise!'' He
lowered his voice to a shuddering wfis-
per.
How did It sound, Ulie?" lem
Fishers face had turned to a tallow