Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-03-26
6Y 6O66o7AHnPNk OOz9FTY

the circumstances you mention have
never been descanted upon by me"
81 see by the papers" said Mrs. Gift
ford. with an air of resignedly chang
ing the subject, they've been investi-
eating the failure of the Valiant Cor
poration. The son seems to be get
ting the sharp end of the stick. Per
haps he's coming down here because
they've made 1t so hot for him in
New York. Well. I'm afraid he'll find
this county disappointing"
He will that" agreed the doctor
savagely. mo doubt he imagines he's
coming to a kindly countryside of gen.
tle-born people with souls and imagi-
nations; he'll find he's lit in a section
that's entirely too ready to hack at his
fathers name and prepared In ad-
vance to call him Northern and
turn up its nose at his accent-a COM
munity so full of dyed-in-the-wool
snobbery that it would make Boston
look like a poor-white barbecue. I'm
sorry for him!"
Just then from the zeal Of the house
came a strident voice:
"Yo', Raph'el! Take yo' hans
outer dem cherries! Don yo' know eff
yo' swallahs dem ar pits, yo' gwineter
hab 'pendegeetus en- lump up en- die?"
The sound of a slap and shrill yelp
followed, and around the porch dashed
an infantile darkey, as nude as a black
Puck, with his hands full Of cherries,
who came to a sudden d~emoralized
stop in the embarrassing foreground.
"Raph!" Numbered the doctor,
Didn't l tell you to go back to that
kitchens"
Yes, subj responded the imp. But
yo' didn' tell me ter stay dar!"
IF | see you out here again" roared
the doctor, I'll tie your ears back
and grease you-and SWALLOW
you'll" At which grisly threat, the
apparition, with a shrill shrek, turned
and ran desperately for the corner OF
the house.
81 hear" said the doctor, resuming,
that the young man who came to fix
the place up has hired Uncle Jeffer'
son and his wife to help him. Who's
responsible for that interesting infor
mation?"
hickey Snyder" said Mrs. Mason
She's got a spy-glass rugged up in
a sugar-tree at Miss Matte Sues
and she saw them p~ottering around
there this morning"
Little limb" exclaimed Mrs. Gift
ford, with emphasis. she's as cheeky
as a town-hog. I can't imagine What
Shirley cambridge was thinking o.
when she brought that low-born chile
out of her sphere"
Something like a growl cam from
the doctor as he struck open thu
screen-door. Limb I'll bet tel
dollars she's an angel in a cedar
tree at a church fair compared will
some better-born young ones | know
Of who are only fit to live wheI
they've got the scarlet-fever and whC
ought to be in the reformatory Ions
ago.. And as for Shirley cambridge
it's my opinion she and her mother
and a few others like her have go
about the only drops of the milk o.
human kindness in this whole aban
doned community"
Dreadful mani" said Mrs. Clifford
soto voce, as the door banged vicious
Iy. ITO think Of his being born
Southall! Sometimes | can't believ'
it,"
Mrs. Mason shook her head AM
smiled. "Ah, but that isn't the rea
Doctor Southall," she said. That
only his she'll"
1--WE heard that he has anothe
side," responded the other will
guarded grimness, "but If he has,
wish he'd manage to show it some
times"
Mrs. Mason took off her glasses ant
wiped them carefully. Il saw it whel
my husband died." she said softly
THAT was before you came. The,
were old friends, you know. He wa
sick almost a year, and the docto
used to carry him out here on tn
porch every day in his arms, like
child. And then, when the typhu
came that summer among the negroes
he quarantined himself with them-th
only white man there-and treate
and nursed them and buried the dea
with his own hands, till 1t wa
stamped out. That's the real Docto
Southall."
The rockers vibrated in silence for
moment. Then Mrs. Clifford said: :
never knew before that he had an.
thing to do with that duel. Was h
one Of Valiant's seconds?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Mason; "and tn
major was the other. I was a littl
girl when it happened. can barrel
remember 1t, but it made a big sens
ton"
And over a love-affair!" exclaime
Mrs. Clifford in the tone Of one I
whom romance was daily bread.
! Il suppose it was"
! nounds For q pumhor nj veara nj