The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-11-15

; find you some corn bread into the bar
gain" He began to assemble the
dainties he had enumerated. Here
you are!" he cleared his throat i'm
prcssively, while benignity shone from
every feature of his face "A moment
since you allowed me to think you
were solvent to the extent of fifty
cents" Hannibal looked puzzled. 81
wonder if you could be induced to
make a temporary loan of that fifty
cents? The sum involved is really
quite ridiculous one. l don't need to
point out to you the absolute moral
certainty of my returning it at an early
date"
1t was not the loss of his money
that Hannibal most feared, and the
his hosts custody.
Thank you, my boy! l must step
down to the tavern-when l return,
please God, we shall know more of
each other" While he was still speak
ling, he had produced jug from be-
hind the quilt that screened his bed,
and now took himself off into the
might.
Left alone, Hannibal gravely seated
himself at the table. What the judges
larder lacked in variety it more than
made up for in quantity, and the boy
was grateful for this fact. Presently
he heard the judges heavy, shuffling
step as he came up the path from the
road, and moment later his gross
bulk of body filled the doorway.
Breathing hard and perspiring, the
Judge entered the shanty, but his eag-
erness kept him silent until he had
Established himself in his chair beside
the table, with the jug and cracked
|glass at his elbow. Then, bland and
smiling, he turned toward his guest
"My tenderest regards, Hannibal"
and he nodded over the rim of the
cracked glass his shaking hand had
carried to his lips. Twice the glass
was filled and emptied, and then again,
his rowing, watery eyes resting medi-
tatively on the child. ''Have you a
father?" he asked suddenly. Hannibal
shook his head. "A mother?"
"They both of them done died years
and years ago." answered the boy. 81
can't tell you how long back it was,
but reckon l don't know much about
"Ho-a small child" cried the judge
side and surveyed Hannibal Wayne
Hazard with glance of comic serious
ness. I'm Gods name what do you call
yourself now?"
Pm most ten," said Hannibal, with
dignity.
II can we'll believe it," responded the
judge. Where did you come from? ?"
From across the mountains"
"And where are you going?" !
ITO West Tennessee"
Have you any friends there?"
Eyes, sir"
you've money enough to see you
through" and what the judge intend
ed for smile of fatherly affection be-
came leer of infinite cunning.
81 got ten dollars"
Ten dollars" the judge smacked
his lips once. "Ten dollars" he re-
peated, and smacked his lips twice.
The purple flush on the judges face,
where the dignity that belonged to age
had gone down in a wreck, deepened.
He quilted his chair and, lurching
somewhat as he did so, began to pace
1.-THE floor.
Take me for your example, boy!
You may be poor, you may possibly be
hungry-you'll often be thirsty, but
through it all you will remain that
splendid thing-a gentleman! Per-
haps you'll contend that the old order
lis overthrow, that family has gone to
the devil? You are right, and there's
the pity of it! The social fabric is
Itottering-I can see it totter-" and he
tottered himself as he said this:
swell, I'm an old man-the spectacle
won't long offend me. I'll die pres
emily" He was so profoundly moved
His voice broke, and he buried his face
by the thought that he could not go on.
in his arms. A sympathetic moisture
had gathered in the child's eyes. He
slipped from his chair and stole to the
Judges side.
"Im mighty sorry you're going to
die"
BLESS you, Hannibal" cried the
Judge, looking wonderfully cheerful,
despite his recent bitterness of spirit.
'I'm not experiencing any of the pangs
of mortality now. My dissolution amt
a matter of tonight or tomorrow
there's some life in Slocum Price yet,
for all the rough usage, Ell? l think
you'd better go to bed"
II reckon l had" agreed Hannibal,
slipping from his chair.
well, take my bed back of the
quilt. You'll find a hoe there. You
can dig up the dirt under the shuck
tick with (which helps astonishing
ly. What would the world say if it
could know that Judge Slocum Price
makes his bed with hoe!"
Hannibal retired beneath the quilt.
do you find it comfortable?" the
Judge asked, when the rustling of the
shuck tick informed him that the
child had lain down.
Eyes, SIR" said the boy.
Have you said your prayers?" in
quired the judge.
"No, sir. amt said 'em yet"
We'll, say them now. Religion is
as becoming in the young as it is re-
spectable in the aged. I'll not disturb
you tonight, for it is Gods will that |
should stay up and get very drunk. y
| (COntinnod noyf wook Y