The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-04-05

4
MI shady country roads and
" 81 pastures where sleek
cattle are contentedly
,ed grazing great stacks OF
Zen alfalfa; farmhouses with fiow-
n and vines, as well as thriving
ktchen gardens; windmills that pipe
fuses with water as well as fill the
In troughs; automobiles and good
ads-there could hardly be a great
contrast. And il is pleasant to
ear that the pioneers who suffered
credible hardships during the lean
ears are now reaping the reward of
heir toll, courage and versatile. in
bmitable ingenuity.
The frozen soil ratified under the
prses' hoofs; the wagon wheels rat
IA on their own account A Deem
er wind was keen enough to make
e driver wrap his patched quilt
pser and pull his battered straw hat
wer over his ears. He was a man
thirty, with high, tanned features
"a eyes that would have been hand
me but for their sullen frown.
Fl should call it getting good and
Iady for a blizzard" observed the
her man on the board (seat the wag-
had none); maybe he won't
me"
He'll come fast enough" returned
hs driver; you don't catch buzzards
lsying in for weather."
Il don't know. He's a pretty luxu-
1pus young scoundrel. Bixby says he
"a letter from him-very particular
bout fire In his room. and plenty
. \ hot water and towels. Bixby is
borried lest the boys make a fuss
Hith him in his hotel"
~Bi1by is a coward from Wayback,"
rs the drivers single comment or re-
~. The other man eyed the dark
rodle at his shoulder, out of the tail
y his eye. rubbing his hands up and
own his wrists under his frayed
1ssves He was young man, short
y Of stature than the driver. He had
bround. genial tanned face, and bad
IA On him. His hands were bare
ecause he had lent his mittens to the
DFiver; but he wore a warm, II shah
= b reatcoat and a worn fur cap.
Z don't suppose" he said in a care
- tone, you fellows mean to do
1Dre than scare the lad well"
We scared the last man. Doc Rus
~ got him fairly paralyzed; told
m bout the Shylock that turned out
y Kinneys, aad Miss Kinney's dying
the wagon, she was so weak; and
n-somebody Ccourse he didn't men,
bu names) shooting that man; and
hsir arresting Kinney, and the jury
equitting him without leaving the
IN Oh, he told a lot OF stories. Some
EN-. l guess, he made up out of
y own head; but that Iowa lawyer
vallered the whole batch, hide and
oofs and all. And he couldn't git
= Of town quick enough! But
bats the good? Here's this young
hds cone again Say, did you know
Q bis ~ that owns most of the stock
the trust?"
Nor
Yes, sir. He's got the upper hand
EN- all They've bought up every
Ut bit Of foreclosed land round here.
-, We was so mighty smart, we
xed It that nobody'd dare to buy; and
obody round here would dare, even
posing they got the money. which
hey amt"
There certainly amt much loose
oney round here. Wesley. At least,
men ran the paper l didn't find 1t;
was glad to rent an abandoned farm
q trade my subscription list for
ough corn to pay the first install
ent on some stock and a cultivator."
Did you pay any more?"
No; times got worse instead of
etter. I'd have lost the stock and
4 cultivator and every blamed thing
NE way Of implement I've got If it
mt been for you fellows running
implement man out of the coun-
q; he'd a chattel mortgage that
= terror. But what were you say
: about the land? Nobody would
ayY
vi course nobody would buy, and
hugged ourselves We was SO burned
y Oh, my! Now, here comes
20 one Of them bloody trusts that's
ing this country up, and goes to
land company and buys the fore
"a land for a song. II goes all the
sper because its known far and
that We elected the sheriff not
enforce writs, but TO resist EN-:
me same with all the officers; and
re ready to shoot down any man
Tries to push US on the earth.
scared folks, and the investment
"pany sold cheap as dirt They
~ they couldn't git anybody to
re up farm round here. Look a.
He jerked the point of the
That served for whip in the
ecuon OF a dark bulk looming
nst the glowing belt of red in
vest The outlines of a ruined
ey toppled over the misshapen
Inc door and window openings
"a forlornly; doors and windows
gone long since. wrenched OF
ner needs. Bit by bit the house
ven niboled at-here a porch
m taken. there a patch of
'ae.ooarding. shingles pulled from
nof, the corn crib a wreck. the
oings carried away piece-meaI
sadder ruin than fire leaves,