The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-11-08

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 mani
That bullet never fetched you-jest
skeeted along the side of your head
and sort of paralyzed you for q, 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 little bit. Feel lots bet
ter already. don't you? You just lay
still awhile longer and let me battle
your head. You don't know me,
reckon, and faint surprisin' that you
shouldn't. ! 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 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
her 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
1t to his temple.
II amt seen my son before" she
continued. 'in 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.
can stay whole week on it, and then
it'll take me back ag'in. Jest think.
now. that liitic boy of mine has got to
be officer IL city marshal of a whole
town. That's somethin' like a con-
stable. amt it? never knowed he
was officer. He didn't say nothin'
about it in his letters. | reckon he
thought his old mother d be skeered
about the danger he was in But,
laws, | never was much Of hand to
git skeered. 'Tain't no use. heard
them guns a-shootin' while / was git
tin of them cars. and see smoke
a-comin' out of the depot. but l jest
walked right along Then 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'
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' pref
ty fair by this time
He sat. somewhat weakly yet lean
ing against the wall. He was a rug
ged 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
marshals badge upon the others
breast
Yes, yes; you'll be all right" said
the old woman. patting his arm, III
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 1t as meddlesome fer AN old wo-
man with a 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
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 good
man and leave liquor alone and live
peaceably and godly."
The black mittened hand Of the old
pleader 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
long life, and epitomized the expert
ence of the world. Still the man to
whom she spoke gazed above her head,
contemplating the silent son Of the old
mother
what does the marshal sayY he
asked. "Does he believe the advice Is
good? Suppose the marshal speaks up
and says If the talks all rightT
The tall man moved uneasily. He
fingered the badge on his breast for q
moment, and then he put an arm
around the old woman and drew her
close to him.
IT says this" he said. looking square
ly into the eyes of the other man, "that
If 1 was in your place I'd follow 1t. If
was a drunken. desp'rate character.
without shame or hope. I'd follow 1t.
If was in your place and you was
in mine I'd say: Marshal. I'm willin'
to swear If you'll give me the chance
I'll quit the racket I'll drop the tan
glefoot and the gun play and won't
play boss no more. I'll be a good
citizen and go to work and quit my
foolishness. So help me Godv That's
what I'd say to you if you was mar
shall and was in your place"
Hear my son talkin'," said the old
woman softly. Hear him. sir. You
promise to be good and he won't do
you no harm. Forty-one year ago his
heart first beat ag'in mine. and it's
beat true ever since"
The other man rose to his feet, trying
his limbs and stretching his muscles.
Then said he. IF you was in my
place and said that and l was mar
shall I'd say. Go free and do your best
to keep your promise
"Lawsy" exclaimed the old woman
in sudden nutter. ''ef didn't clear
forget that trunk of mine! l see a
man settin' 1t on the platform jest as
l seen sons face in the window. and
1t went plum out Of my head. There's
eight Jars Of homemade ounce jam
in that trunk that made myself. l
wouldn't have nothin' happen to them
jars for red apple"
Away to the door she trotted, spry
and anxious. and then Calliope Catesby
spoke out to Buck Patterson:
Il just couldn't help it, Buck. seen
her through the window a-comin' An.
She never had heard word bout my
tough ways. | didn't have the nerve to
let her know was a worthless cuss
bein' hunted down BY the community.