Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-11

For lust an instant the bronze-gold
head gave a quick imperiors toss, like
high-mettled pony under the flick OF
the whip. But as suddenly the shadow
Of resentment passed: the mobile
face under the bent hat.rim turned
thoughtfully. poor little beastie;"
she said meditatively. I'VE so sci.
dom think of his side, do we! We!
think only Of the run, the dog-music,
the wild rush along the wet fields.
with the horses straining and ponder
ing under us. I've ridden to hounds
ali my life. Everybody does down
here" She looked again at him. do
you think It's wrong to kill things?"
she asked gravely.,
"Oh, dear, no." he smiled. ~
haven't a single ism. I'm not even a
vegetarian"
"But you would be II you had to kill
your own meat?"
Perhaps. So many Of us would. AS
a matter Of fact, I don't hunt myself.
but I'm no reformer."
"Why don't you hunt7"
ST don't enjoy it." He flashed
slightly. II hate firearms he said, a
trifle difficulty. II always have. I
don't know why. Idiosyncrasy, I
suppose. But I shouldn't care for
hunting, even with bows and arrows.
I would kill tiger or poisonous
reptile, or anything else, in case of
necessity. But even then should
hardly enjoy 1t. know some ami
mails are pests and have to be killed.
Some men do. too. But don't like
to do 1t myself
"Wouldn't that theory lead to a
wholesale evasion Of responsibility?
perhaps. I'm no philosopher. But
a black-bird or red COX Is so pretty,
even when he is thieving, that I'd let
him have the corn. I'm like the Lord
High Executioner in The Mikado who
was so tender-hearted that he couldn't
execute anybody and planned to begin
with Guinea-pigs and work up. Only
I'm afraid I couldn't even manage the
guiena-pigs."
She laughed. "You wouldn't find
many to practice on here. Do you
raise guinea-pigs up north?"
"Ah," he said ruefully, ''you tag me.
too. Have by chance a large letter
n tattooed upon my manly brow? But
I suppose it's the accent. Uncle JEFF
ferson catalogued me in five minutes.
He said he didn't know why 7 was
from de Norf,' but he 'knowed' It,
I've annexed him and his wife, by the
way"
"You're lucky to have them. Unc'
Jefferson and Aunt Daph might have
slipped out of a plantation of the last
century. They're absolutely ante.
bellum. Most Of the negroes are more
or less spoiled as you'll find, I'm
afraid" She turned the conversation
bluntly. Had you seen Damory Court
before?"
"Do you like the general plan Of the
place."
do like it," cried John Valiant.
do I like it,"
A quick pleasure glanced across her
face. tits nice Of you to say it that
way We ask that question so often
it's become mechanical. You see it's
our great show-place. We exhibit it
to strangers as we show them the
Natural Bridge and Monticello. and
expect them to rhapsodize Years ago
the negroes would never set foot here.
The house was supposed to be
haunted"
I'm not afraid" he laughed 81
wouldn't blame any ghost for hanging
around Pm thinking of haunting it
myself in hundred years or So"
ooh, the specters are all laid long
ago, if there ever were any"
At that moment a patter of foot
steps and shrill shrieks came flying
over the last-year's leaves beyond the
lilac bushes. Its Hickey Snyder"
she said, peering out smilingly as two
children, pursued and pursuer, burst
into view. "Hush!" she whispered:
Il wonder what they are up to-
The pair came in whirl through
the bushes. The foremost was
seven-year-old negro girl in single
short cottonade garment, wizened,
barelegged and bareheaded, her black
wool parted in little angular patches
and tightly wrapped with bits of cord.
The other was white and as frcckled
as turkeys egg. with hair cropped
like a boys. She held a carving.
knife cut from a shingle. whose edge
had been deeply ensanguined by poke
berry Juice The pursued one stumb.
led over a root and came to earth in
heap, while the other bounced upon
her like wildcat.
Hold still, you limb Of satan,' she
colded. "How can | do it when you
won't stay still?'
"Oh. lawd," moaned the PROSTATE
one, in simulated terror: ooh. Doctah.
good Doctah Snydah, has All gotter
hab dat operation? Is yo' sho'
gwineter twitter eroun' NAH nsides
wild dem knives en- saws en- things?'
ut won't hurt" treasured the would
be operator: mo more than it did Mis-
Poly Clifford. And I'll put your liver
right back again"
"Wait er minute. All ies' remem-
bahs All fo'got ter make nah will. All
leabs--'
ritably you made it yesterday. They
always do it beforehand"
Nonsense" objected the other ir-
mo, sub; All done clean forgot ct.
All leabs nah thimble ter de Mefodis'
church. en- nah black en- wife kitten
ter Hickey Snydah, en-
II don't want your old tabby!" >said
the beneficiary unfeelingly. Nov
1atten out, while I give you the
chloroform."