Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-02

ling and empty1ng MS glass. nave
you father? 2" he asked suddenly.
Hannibal shook his head. "A MOTHER
demanded the Judge.
"They both of them done died years
and years ago." answered the boy. Il
can't tell you how long back it was,
but reckon don't know much about
1t. l must have been small child
"Ho-a small child!' cried the Judge
laughing. He cooked his head on one
side and surveyed Hannibal Wayne
Hazard with glance of comic seri-
BUSINESS. "a small child--and in Gods
name what do you call yourself now?
To hear you talk one would think you
had dabbled your feet in the f1ood!'
I'm most ten said Hannibal, with
dignity. B. -
~ can we'll believe it,"responded the
Judge. "And with his weight of years,
where did you come from and how did
you get here?"
From across the mountains"
"Alone?"
mo, sir. Mr.. Yancy fetched me
part way" The boys voice broke
when he spoke his Uncle Bob's name,
and his eyes swan with tears, but the
Judge did not notice this. s
"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 inten-
ded for a smile Of fatherly affection be-
came a leer of infinite cunning.
81 got ten dollars" Co.,. s.-
Ten dollars" the judge smacked
his lips once. "Ten dollars" he re-
peated. and smacked his lips twice.
There was q brief silence, in which he
seemed to give way to pleasant re-
veries. r...,
From beyond the open doc. of the
shanty came a multitude of night
sounds The moon had risen, and what
had been a dusty country road was
now a streak of silver in the hot light.
The purple flush on the judges face
where the dignity that belonged to age
had gone down in wreck. deepened.
The sparse, white frost above his ears
was damp with sweat. He removed
his stock, opened his shirt at the neck,
and cast aside his coat; then ne
lighted a blackened pipe, filled his
glass. and sanl, back in his chair. The
long hours of darkness were all before
him, and his sense clothed themselves
in rich content. Once more his glance
rested on the boz. Here, indeed, was
a guest of whombo one might make much
and not err-he felt all the benevolence
Of his nature flow toward him. Ten
dollars! ,ssa.,.. .,.,a, s2, -.
Certainly the tavern would have
been no place for you! Well thank
God 1t wasn't necessary for you to
20 there You are more then welcome
here. tell you. when you know this
place as know 1t. you'll regard every
living soul here with suspicion. Keep
EN- at arms length" he sank his
voice to an impressive whisper. IN
particular, warn you against a GER
tain solomon Mahaffy.. You'll see
much of him: I haven't known how to
rebuff the fellow without being rude
he sticks to me like my shadow. He's
profited by my charity and he ad-
mires my conversation and affects my
society, but don't tell him you have so
much as a rusty copper, for he Will
neither rest nor eat nor sleep until
he's plucked you-tell him nothing
leave him to me. l keep h1m-tnere
the Judge extended his fat hands,
Eat arms length. say to him meta
phorically speaking--t,so close, but no
closer. I'll visit you when sick, I'll
prav with Won when dying. I'll chat
with you, III eat with you, III smoke
with you and if need be, I'll drink
with you--but be your intimate?
Never, Why? Because he's a dam.
ned Yankee! These are the inextin-
punishable feelings of a gentleman.
am aware they are out Of Mace in
this age. but what's bred in the bone
vii, show in the flesh. Who says 1t
won't, is no gentleman himself and a
liar as well! Ny place in the world
was determined two or three hundred
years ago, and my ancestors spat on
such cattle as Mahaffy and they were
f1attered by the attention! Inc
Judge, powerfully excited by his de.
nunciation of the unfortunate Mahaffy,
Quilted his chair and, lurching some.
what as he did so, began to pace the
floor.
! "Take me for your example, boy:
.You NAV be poor. you may possibly be
hungry-yo,1'l often be thirsty, but
through it all you will remain that
splendid thing--a gentleman!. Lands.
niggers. riches. luxury, I've mad EN-
ali: I've sucked the good OF EN-;
they've $colored my blood. they've
gone into the fiber of my brain and
body. Perhaps you'll contend that the
old order lis @overthrown. that family
has gone9to the devil? You ere right,
and there's the. pity of it, Where are
the great names? A race OF upstarts
has taken their place-sons OF NOBODY
--nephews of nobody-cousins Of no
body observe only deterioration in
the trend of modern life The social
fabric is tottering-I can see it totter
-. ard he tottered himself as he said
this.
The how had watched him out of
wide eyes, as ponderons and unwieldy
he shuffled back and forth in the dim
candle-light: now shaking his head
and muttering. the Judge dropped into
his chair.
"Well. I'm an old mantle specta-
Gle won't long, offend me. I'll die
presently. The bench and bar will.
review my services to the country, the