Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-12-09

We hain't such bad people, after all"
After that she felt that from the Nc
Briars she had gained official sanction,
ana her resentment against Anse Ha-
Yey grew because OF his scOrnfuI IN
grac1Ousness.
The last weeks of the summer were
weeks Of drought and plague. Ordi-
narily, in the hills storms Drew swiftly
and frequently and spend themselves
in violent outpourings and cannonad
ing OF thunder, but that year the
clouds seemed to nave dried up, and
down in the tablelands of the Blue
Grass the crops were burned to worth
less stalk and shrunken ear. Even UP
here, in the birthplace or waters, the
corn was brown and sapless, so that
when a breeze strayed over the hill
side fields they sent up a thirsty, dying
rasp OF rafting whisper.
1t was not only in the famished
forests and scared fields that the not
breath OF the plague breathed, carry
ing death in its tetid nostriIs. Back in
the cabins OF che "branch.water folks"
whPre little springs diminished and he.
came polluted, all those who were NOT
strong enough to throw off the touch
of the specter's finger sickened and
died, and typhoid went in and out OF
Havey shack and McBriar cabin whis
pering, "a pest on both your houses"
The widow McNash had bot been
herself since the death of Fetch She
who had once been so strong over her
drudgery, sat day long on the doorstep
OF her brothers novel and, in the Ian
guage Of her people, lest sickened an
pined away"
So, as Juanita Holland and Good
Anse Talbot rode sweating mules
about the hills, receiving calls for help
faster than they could answer them,
they were not astonished to hear that
the widow was among the stricken.
Though they fought for her life, she
refused to fight herself, and once
again the Eastern girl stood with
Dawn in the brier-choked "buryin'-
ground" and once more across an open
grave she met the eyes of the man
who stood for the old order.
But now she had learned to set a
lock on her lips and hold her counsel
So, when she met Anse and Jeb after
ward, she asked without rancor: MAY
| take little Jesse back with me, too?
He's too young" she added, with just
heartsIck trace Of her old defiance,
to be useful to you, Mr.. Havey, and
Id like to teach him what | can
Anse and Jeb conferred, and the
elder man came back and nodded his
head.
Jesse can go back with ye," he said.
1 m still Amin to give We all the rope
We wants. When we've had enough an
quits, let me know, an I'll take care of
Fletch's children"
And on her farm, as folks called
Juanita's place, that September saw
many changes. Near the original
cabin was springing up a new struc-
ture, larger than any other house in
that neighborhood, except, possibly,
the strongholds of the chiefs, and as
1t grew and began to take form it i'm
parted an air Of ordered trimness to
the countryside about it. It was fash
Toned in such style as should be in
Keeping with it's surroundings and not
give too emphatic a note Of alien
strangeness
Juanita wished that her cabin could
house more occupants, for the plague
had left many motherless families. |
and many children might have come
into her fold. AS it was, she had sew
eral besides the McNashes as her nu-
eieus, and while the weather held |
good she was rushing her work of |
Undertaking and building which the |
winter would halt.