Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-11-25

the Body Home"
into their embrace But he was not
there
In the quaint conversation of the
Widow Everson and her sons Juanita
found so much of the amusing that she
had to school herself against too great
an appreciation of their utterly unin-
territorial humor. Though she was a
'fotched-on woman" to be taken on
probation, it was only a matter of
hours before the family capitulated, as
people in general had fashion of do
ing under the spell of her graciousness
and charm. Jerry Everson, whom men
accounted surly, for the first time in
years brushed his shapeless hat and
remembered not to hang it on the
floor" and Sim Everson hied him into
the misty woods at dawn and brought
home squirrels for her first breakfast
in his house.
In the forenoon of her first day she
left the house and, crossing the tiny
garden where the weeds were already
growing tall and rank enough to hint
of future ragged victory, she made her
way by d narrow trail that led to the
crest of the ridge.
JuaDita was steering her course for
a patriarchal poplar that sent
straight shaft heavenward at the rim
of the crest, opening it's verdure like
great flag, unfurled on a mighty para.
H.
could look two ways across the divide.
and that her battle-ground would be
spread before her
She looked to the east, and line after
line Of hills melted into the sky. She
looked to the west, and there, too, they
rose, phalanx on phalanx, to dissolve
in smoky haze that effaced the hori.
ION. 1t seemed as if in a majesty of
relentlessness they reached from sun
rise to sunset, and so, as far as the
locked-in life of their people went,
they might.
She stood there a long while, and
finally she saw, where for a space the
road ran near the brick house, IN
shielded by the woods, a struggling
little cortege. At it's front rode a
stoop-shouldered man in whom, even
at that far distance, she thought she
recognized the missionary. Behind
him came a few horsemen riding in
two squads, and between the squads
crawled ''jolt-wagon" drawn by
mules. She knew that the Haveys
were bringing back to the frontier the
enemy's dead, and she shuddered at
the cold reality
1t may have been three hours later
that Good Anse Talbot rode up to
the Widow Eversons. When the girl,
who had returned long ago from the
crest, came out to meet him at the
door she found him talking there with
Miit McBriar, who had also ridden up,
but from the other direction.
"Anse Havey lows" the preacher
was saying, that he hes done fetched
home Their body OF little Nash Watt,
an tibet Their boy was shot ter death
a layin' in Their la'rel hundred PAGES
from the Winder Whar Cal Douglas was
a standin'!"
I've done already acknowledged
thet, declared Miit in a voice into
which crept a trace Of truculent sui
lenness.
The missionary nodded. 81 hain't
quite through yit, Milt," he went on
evenly, and the girl who stood lean
Ing against the door-frame. caught for
an instant sparkle of zealot earnest
ness in his weary eyes.
"Anse is wiilin' ter take yore hand
on this truce. He's willin' ter stand
pledge thet Their Haveys keeps faith.
But I'm preacher of the Gawspel Of
God, Milt, and 1 don't low ter be no