Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-12-17


highway. and Major Dabney it's chief
citizen.
He was knocking his bare heels to-
gether and thinking idly of Major
Dabney and certain disquieting 'rumors
lately come to Paradise, when the
tinkling drip of the spring into the pool
at the foot of his perch was interrupt
ed by a sudden splash. BY shifting
little to the right he could see the
spring. A girl of about his own age
barefooted and with only her tangled
mat of dark hair for a head covering,
was filling her bucket in the pool. He
broke dry twig from the nearest ce-
dar and dropped It on her.
You better quit that, Tom eff Co..
don. l taken sight o. you up there"
said the girl, ignoring him otherwise.
That's my spring, Nan Bryerson,"
he warned her dictatorially.
"Shucksl 1t amt your spring any
more'n it's mine" she retorted. Hits
on Maize Dabney's land"
We'll, don't you muddy 1t none,",
said Thomas Jefferson with threaten
ing emphasis.
For answer to this she put one
brown foot deep into the pool and
wriggled her toes in the sandy bottom.
Things began to turn red for Thomas
Jefferson, and high, buzzing note, like
the tocsin of the bees, sang in his ears.
Take your foot out O. that spring.
Don't you mad me. Nan Bryerson" he
cried
She laughed at him and flung him
taunt You don't darst to get mad
Tommy Jeffy; you've got religion"
1t is a terrible thing to be angry in
shackles. There are similes-pent vol
canoes. overcharged boilers and the
like-but they are all inadequate.
| Thomas Jefferson searched for mis-
siles more deadly than dry twigs, found
none, and fell headlong-not from the
rock but from grace. The girl laugh
ed moclSingly and took her foot from
the pool, not in Difference to his oue-
burst, but because the water was lev
cold and gave her a cramp.
Now you've done it," she remark
ed. "The devil IL shore get We for say
in that word, Tom-Jen."
There was no reply, and she stepped
back to see what had become of him.
He was prone, writing 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 l cayn't hep bein' mean:
looks like l was made thataway. Get
up and slap me. IL you want to. won't
slap back"
But Thomas Jefferson only ground
his face deeper into the thick mat of
cedar needles and begged to be let
alone.
Go away; l don't want you TO talk
to mel" he groaned. You're always
making me sini You're awfully wick
ed"
"'Cause I don't believe all that about
the woman and the snake and the APP
pie and the MANI"
You'll go to hell when you die, and
then 1 guess you'll believe" said
Thomas Jefferson, still more definitely
She took red apple from the pocket
of her ragged frock and gave 1t to
him.
Whats that for?" he asked, sus-
piciously.
You eat It; it's the kind you like
off IN the tree right back of Jim
Stones barn lot" she answered
You stole it. Nan Bryersonl"
well. what II I did? You didn't"
He bit into it. and she held him in
talk TIL II was eaten to the core
''Have you heard tell anything new
about the new railroad?" she asked.
Thomas Jefferson shook his head. 81
heard Squire Bates and Major Dabney
naming it one day last week"
We'll, it's shore comin'-right thoo
Paradise. I heard tell how it was goln
to cut the old Males grass patch
plumb in two. and run right smack
thoo' you-uns' peach orchard"
A PARKWAY cry, long 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 gel
back home with that bucket o. water
said the girl; and, as she was descend
ing the tree ladder: you didn't s'pi-
cion why give you that apple. did
you. Tommy Jeffy?"
"'Cause you didn't want IT yourself
reckon" said the second Adam.
mo; 1t was cause you said I was
goin' to hell and I wanted comp'ny
That apple was stole and you knowet
it,"
Thomas Jefferson rung 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
|
Il forgive you, you wicked, wicked
grill"
Her laugh was a screaming taunt
But you've ct the applet" she cried;
and IL you wasn't scared OF goin' tC
hell, you'd cuss me-you know 20,
would! Lemme tell you, Tom-Jeff, Il
the preacher had dipped me In tn,
creek like he did you, I'd be a mighty
| sight holier than what you are l Ger.
t'nly would"
And now anger came to its owl
again.
You don't know what you're talking
about, Nan Bryersoni You're nothinf
but IA miserable little heather; m,
mother said you wasi" he cried out
after her.
But back-fiung grimace was all tn,
answer he had.
CHAPTER III.
II has been said that nothing comes
suddenly; that the unexpected is mere