Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-02-03

else. l was one of those present, but
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 it so hot for him in
New York. Well, I'm afraid he'll ind
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 section
that's entirely too ready to hack at his
fathers name and prepared in adj
vance to call him Northern scum and
turn up it's nose at his accent-a COM
mznity so full of dyed-in-the-wool
snobbery that it would make Boston
look like a poor-white barbecue. I'm
sorry for him!"
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 slap and shrill yelp
followed, and around the porch dashed
an infantile darkey, as nude as black
Puck, with his hands full of cherries,
who came to a sudden demoralized
stop in the embarrassing foreground.
Ralph Numbered the doctor.
Didn't tell you to go back to that
kitchen?"
Yes, suh," responded the imp. "But
yo didn' tell me ter stay dar!"
IF l see you out here again." roared
the doctor, I'll tie your ears back
and grease you-and SWALLOW
you!" At which grisly threat, the
apparition, with shrill shrek, turned
and ran desperately for the corner OF
the house.
II hear" said the doctor, resuming,
that the young man who came to Tx
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.
shes got spy-glass rugged up IN
a sugar-tree at Miss Matte Sues
and she saw them pottering around
there this morning"
Little limb!" exclaimed Mrs. GIFT
ford, with emphasis. She's as cheeky
as a town-hog. | can't imagine what
Shirley cambridge was thinking OF
when she brought that low-born child
out of her sphere"
Something like a growl came from
the doctor as he struck open the
screen-door. Limb I'll bet ten
dollars she's an angel in a cedar
tree at a church fair compared with
some better-born young ones l know
of who are only fit to live when
they've got the scarlet-fever and who
ought to be in the reformatory long
ago. And as for Shirley cambridge,
it's my opinion she and her mother
and a few others like her have got
about the only drops of the milk OF
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
Southan! Sometimes l can't believe
it,"
Mrs. Mason shook her head and
smiled. "Ah. but that isn't the real
Doctor Southall," she said. That's
only his she'll"
I've heard that he has another
side," responded the other with
guarded grimness, but if he has,
wish he'd manage to show it some
tines
Mrs. Mason took off her glasses and
wiped them carefully. Il saw it when
my husband died." she said softly.
THAT was before you came. They
were old friends, you know. He was
sick almost a year, and the doctor
used to carry him out here on the
porch every day in his arms, like a
child. And then, when the typhus
came that summer among the negroes,
he quarantined himself with them-the
only white man there-and treated
and nursed them and buried the dead
with his own hands, till it was
stamped out. That's the real Doctor
Southall."
The rockers vibrated in silence for a
moment. Then Mrs. Clifford said: L
never knew before that he had any
thing to do with that duel. Was he
one of Valiant's seconds?"
YES said Mrs. Mason; land the
major was the other. l was a little
girl when it happened. l can barely
remember it, but it made big sensa-
tion.''
And over a love-affair!" exclaimed
Mrs. Clifford in the tone of one to
whom romance was daily bread.
II suppose it was"
For a time the conversation Ian
guished. Then Mrs. Clifford asked sud
denly: who do you suppose she
oorId.t1ouo hoou 2-tho GIRL behind that