The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-11-18

weighty shoulder. The members Of
the posse heard one shot fred inside.
and then there was silence.
At length the wounded man opened
his eyes. After blank space he
again could see and hear and feel and
think. Turning his eyes about, he
found himself lying on a wooden
bench. 4 tall man with a perplexed
countenance, wearing a big badge
with "City Marshal" engraved upon 1t,
stood over him. A little old woman
in black, with a wrinkled face and
sparkling black eyes, was holding a
wet handkerchief against one of his
temples. He was trying to get these
facts fixed in his mind and connected
with past events when the old woman
began to talk.
"There now, great, big, strong man!
That bullet never fetched you-jest
skeeted along the side of your head
and sort of paralyzed you for a spell.
I've heerd of sech things afore Con-
! cussion is what they names it. Abel
Watkins used to kill squirrels that
way-barkin' 'em, Abe called it. You
! Jest been barked. sir, and you'll be
all right in a little bit. Feel lots bet
ter already, don't you? You just lay
still awhile longer and let me bathe
your head. You don't know me,
reckon, and faint surprisin' that you
shouldn't. l come in on that train
from Alabama to see my son. Big son,
amt he? Lands, you wouldn't hardly
think he'd ever been a baby, would
you? This is my son, sir"
Half turning, the old woman looked
up at the standing man, her worn face
lighting with a proud and wonderful
smile. She reached out one veined
and calloused hand and took one of
ner sons. Then, smiling cheerily down
at the PROSTATE man, she continued to
dip the handkerchief in the waiting
room tin wash basin and gently apply
it to his temple.
81 amt seen my son before she
continued lin eight years One Of my
nephews. Elkanah Price he's con-
ductOr on one of them railroads, and
he got me pass to come out here. l
can stay a whole week on it, and then
it'll take me back ag'in. Jest think,
now, that little boy Of mine has got to
be a ofIicer-a city marshal of whole
town. That's somethin' like a con-
stable, amt It? never knowed he
was a officer He didn't say nothin'
about it in his letters. l reckon he |
thought his old mother d he skeered |
about the danger he was in. But, |
laws, l never was much of a hand to |
git skeered. 'Tain't no use. | heard |
them guns a-shootin' while l was git |
tin off them cars, and l see smoke |
a-comin' out Of the depot, but l jest |
walked right along. Then l see sons |
face lookin' out through the window.
knowed him at Oncet. He met me at |
the door and squeezed me most to
death And there you was, sir, a-lyin'
there jest like you was dead. and l
lowed we'd see what might be done
to help sot you up"
81 think I'll sit up now," said the
conclusion patient. "I'm feelin' pret-
ty fair by this time"
He sat somewhat weakly yet, lean
ing against the wall. He was a rug
geo man, big boned and straight His
eyes, steady and keen. seemed to lin
ger upon the face of the man standing
so still above him. His look wandered
often from the face he studied to the
marshars badge upon the others
breast.
"Yes, yes; you'll be all right" said
the old woman, patting his arm, IF
you don't get to cuttin' up ag'in and
havin' folks shootin' at you. Son told
me about you, sir, while you was lay
in senseless on the floor. Don't you
take it as meddlesome fer an old wo-
man with son as big as you to talk
about it. And you mustn't hold no
grudge ag'in my son for havin' to
shoot at you. A officer has got to take
up for the law-it's his duty-and them
that acts bad and lives wrong has to
suffer. Don't blame my son any, sir.
'Tain't his fault. He's always been a
good boy-good when he was CROWN
up and kind and 'bedient and well be-
haved Won't you let me advise you,
sir, not to do so no more? Be a good
man and leave liquor alone and live
and godly."
The black mittened hand of the old
Dleader gently touched the breast of
the man she addressed. Very earnest
and candid her old, worn face looked.
In her rusty black dress and antique
bonnet she sat, near the close Of a
ong life, and epitomized the expert
ence Of the world. Still the man to
whom she spoke gazed above her head,
the silent son of the old
mother.
'"What does the marshal sayp he
asked. Does he believe the advice is :
good? Suppose the marshal speaks up
md says if the talks all right?'
The tall man moved uneasily. He j,
fingered the badge on his breast for a !
and then he put an arm ..
around the old woman and drew her :
lose to him.
81 says this" he said. looking square
y into the eyes of the other man, "that
+ was in your place I'd follow it. If
was a drunken, desp'rate character,
vithout shame or hope. I'd follow it.
4 l was in your place and you was
n mine I'd say: Marshal, I'm willin'