Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-04-23

Marse. Hep yo'se'f. Come fom he
centah OBJ de yerf, dat watah En- dahl
folks say de centah of de yerf is all
fab. Yo' reckn dey's right, Mars
Chahmahs?"
Now. how the devil do you know
who l am, Anthony" The judge set
down his cup on the well-curb. q
haven't been by here for a year
The ebony head moved slowly from
side to side. "OP Ant'ny don need
no eyes," he said, touching his hand
to his brow. He see ev'ything heah. u
The judge beckoned to the others
and they trooped inside the paling.
I've brought some other folks with
me, Anthony; can you tell who they
are?"
The sigLtless look wavered over
them and the white head shook slow
ly. Don know young mars" said
the gentle voice. How many yuddahs
wild yo'? One, two? No, don know
young mistis, eidah"
Il reckon you don't need any eyes,
Judge Chalmers laughed, as he passed
the sweet cold water to the rest. zone
of these young ladies wants you to tell
her fortune"
The old negro dropped his head
waving his gaunt hands restlessly
The judge beckon ed to Betty Page
but she shook her head with little
grimace and drew back.
You go, Shirley she whispered
and with a laughing glance at the
others, Shirley came and sat down on
the lowest step.
Mad Anthony put out a wavering
hand and touched the young body
His fingers strayed over the habit and
went up to the curling bronze under
the hat-brim dis de III mistis," he
muttered, ain afeahd OBJ OF Ant'ny
Dah's fab en- she ain afeahd, en- dah's
watah en- she ain afeahd. Wondah
whut All gwine tell huh? Whut de
coloh OBJ yo' hath, honey?"
Black" put in Chilly Lusk, with a
wink at the others. BLACK as a crow
Old Anthony's hand fell back to his
knee. Young mars laugh at de oil
man" he said, but he don know. Dat
de coloh dat buhn nah han's-de coloh
OBJ goT, en- eyes blue like er cat-bird's
aig. Dah's er man gwine look in dem
eyes, honey, en- gwine make EN- cry
en- cry" He raised his head sharply
his lids shut tight, and swung his arm
toward the North. ''Dah's whah he
come fom," he said, zen heah"-his
arm veered and he pointed straight
toward the ragged hill behind them
he stay
Lusk laughed noiselessly. Hes
pointing to Damory Court" he whis-
pered to Nancy Chalmers, the only
uninhabited place within ten miles
That's as near as he often hits it,
fancy
"Heah's whah he stay" repeated the
old man. Heap OBJ trouble wait heah
fo' him too, honey,-heap OBJ trouble,
heah whah lii mistis fin him"
Come. Anthony" said Judge Chal,
mers, laying his hand on the old mans
shoulder. That's much too mourn,
full! Give her something nice to top
Oh WIFI, DIT least!
But Anthony paid no heed. "Gr'et
trouble Dah's fab en- she ain afeahd
en- dah's watah en- she ain afeahd. En-
All sees yo' gwine ter him, honey. All
heah's de co dollhouse clock a-strikin' in
de night-en yo' gwine. Don wait
don wait, lii mistis, er de trouble
cloud gwine kyah him erway f'om 20
When de clock strike thuh
teen-when de clock strike thuh,
teen"
The droning voice ceased. The
gaunt form became rigid Then he
started and turned his eyes slowly
about him, vague look of anxiety on
his face. For a moment no one
moved. When he spoke again it was
once more in his gentle quavering
voice:
"Watah? Vas, Mars, good watah
Hep yo'se'f'
The Judge set a dollar bill on the
step and weighted it with a stone, as
the rest remounted. We'll, good-by
Anthony he said. We're nightly
obliged
He sprang into the saddle and the
| quartette cantered away. MY expert
ment wasn't a great success, I'm
afraid, Shirley" he said ruefully.
"Oh, think it was Splendid" cried
Nancy. DO you suppose he really be
! lieves those spooky things? 1 declare
at the time almost did myself What
an odd idea-'when the clock strikes
thirteen which, of course, it never
does"
Don't mind, Shirley" bantered
Lusk When you see all dem trou
bles coming, sound the alarm and
we'll fly in body to your rescue"
They let their horses out for q
pounding gallop which pulled down
suddenly at muff1ed shrek from Bet
ty Page, as her horse went into the
air at sight of an automobile by the
roadside
Now, whose under the canopy is
that?" exclaimed Lusk.
It's stalled" said Shirley. 81
passed here this afternoon when the
owner was trying to start it, and I sent
Unc' Jefferson as first aid to the in
jured."
Il wonder who he can be-" SAID
Nancy. I've never seen that car be
fore"
Why" said Betty gaily, "Ah know
It's Mad Anthony's trouble-man, Of
| course, come for Shirley