Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-12-02
II dor-t think mvzeI<> a Saint

7 don't think myself a saint /
guess I'm pretty weak. Ny first ap-
peal to you was pure weakness. But
| stand fer ideas that the world has
acknowledged to be right, and tor that
reason / an going to win. That is
why, although I'm a girl, with none of
your physical power, and no gun
fighters at my back. you are secretly
afraid of me. That is why you are
making unfair war on me- / stand for
the implacable force OF civilization
that must sooner or later sweep you
away and utterly destroy your domi-
nance"
For the first time Bad Anse Havey's
face lost It's impassiyeness. His eyes
clouded and became puzzled, surprised.
Il reckon l don't hardly follow ye."
he said. IF We wants it to be enemies
all right, but 1 amt never made no
war on ye. | don't make war on wom-
q needless war nohow. All I've got to
dc Is to give ye enough rope an watch
ye hang yourself"
IF you think that" she demanded,
with quick upleaping of anger in her
pupils, why did you feel it necessary
to prevent my buying land? Why do
you coerce your vassals, under fear of
death. to decline my offers? Why,
if my school means no menace, do you
refuse 1t standing room to start its
tght?"
The mans pose stifened.
Who told ye I'd hindered anybody
from sellin' we land?"
Wherever I inquire 1t is the same
thing. They must ask permission of
Bad Anso Havey before they can do
as they wish with their own"
by heaven, that's another lie,' he
said shortly. But l reckon We believe
that, too did advise folks hereapouts
against sellin' to strangers, but that
vas afore ye come"
He paced the length of the room a
while, then halted before her.
Some Of that property" he went
on. and this time his voice was pas
sionats In it's earnestness, has enough
coal an timber on 1t to make its own
ara rich some day. Have ye seen any
of the coalminin' sections of these
kills? Well. 60 an have look. Ye
won't find any mountaineer richer fer
the development Yell ind EN- plum
dered an cheated an robbed Of their
homes by your civilized furriner. I've
done aimed ter perfect my folks
against bein' looted. I aims to go on
pertectin' EN-"
Ignorance won't protect them she
insisted.
Il told We We was distrustful Of fur
riners," went on Havey. Some day
tbere'll De a digger war mere than the
Havey-McBriar war. Yeve seen some
thin of that. That other war will be
with your people, an when 1t comes
there won't be any Mc-Briars or
Haveys Wen all be mountaineers
standin' together an holdin' what God
gave US. God knows l hate Milt Nc
Briar an his tribe--hate- 'em with all
the power of hatin' that's In mean
I'm mountain man. But Mills peo-
pie an my people have one thing in
common. We're mountain men, an
these hills are ourn. We have the
same KILN instinct when men seek to
rob as. We want to be let alone, an
II We aght amongst ourselves it amt
nothin' to the way We'll fight, shoulder
TO shoulder an back to back. against
the robbers from down below"
The man paused. and as Juanita
hooked into his blazing eyes she shud-
dered, for 1t seemed that the killing
instinct Of which he spoke was burn
ing there. She thought OF nothing to
say, and he continued:
TITS war between families now-but
when your people come-come to buy
for nOthin' and fattep on our sfarya.