Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-12-13

complimentary action might be expect
ed as natural and characteristic. His
immediate procedure was to PROSTATE
himself fiat upon the ground. against
I the stable
In so doing, his shoulders came
~brusquely In contact with one Of them.
which happened to be unfastened, and
II swung open, revealing to his gaze
two stark.white white boys, one Of
them holding an IN pistol and
both staring ut him In stupnr Of ulti-
mate horror. For. to the CLASSY eyes
of Penrod and Sam. the stratagem OF
the young coIored man. thus dropping
to- earth. disclosed, with awful certain
| ty, Il slaughtered body.
This dreadful thing raised Itself up
on its elbows and looked at them. and
there followed Il motionless moment
a tableau of brief duration, for both
boys turned and would have fed,
shrieking. but the body spoke:
"'At's a nice business 7" 1t said re-
proachfuliy. "Nice business! Tryln'
blow II mans head off"
penrod was unable to speak, but
Sam managed to summon the tremu-
lous semblance of n voice.
"Where-where did 1t hit your" he
gasped.
"Nemmine anything bout where 1t
hit me-" the young colored man return
ed, busting mis- breast ana knees us he
rose. II want to know what kline o
white boys you think you is-man
can't walk long street 'thout you blow
in his head off !" He entered the sta
Bile and, with I'LL Indignation surely
justified, took the pistol from the limp,
cold hand Of Penrod. "Whose gun You
pIayln' with? Where you git at guDf'
ITS ours ~quavcred Sam, ut be-
longs to us"
Then YOU pa ought to be rested"
said the young colored "Lcttin'
boys play with gum" He examined
the revolver with IN interest in which
there began to appear symptoms of a
pieasurnhle appreciation. My goo
ness! Gun like ISIS blow II team o
steers thew a brick house! Look at nj
gum" With his right hand he twlrled
it in q manner most dexteruus and sur.
prising then suddenly he became Sc
we're. You white boy. listen mel' he
said. "Ef l went an did what | ought
to did. I'd march straight out ISIS sta
Bile, git a policeman, an tell him 'res1
you an take you off to Jail. ATS what
you need--blowin' mans head off
Listen me: I'm goin' take iss gun an
th'ow her away where you can't do NJ
mo- harm with her. I'm goin' take hei
way off in the woods an th'ow hel
away where can't nobody fine her an
|, go BLOWN mans head Off with her
! ATS what Tn goin' dol" And placing
the revolver inside his coat as incon
spicuously as possible. he proceeded Il
. the open door and into the alley, where
, he turned for u final word. II let y0t
off 'iss one time" he said, 'but lister
me-you listen. white boy: 20 bet no
tell you pa. / ain goin' tell him, an
you ain goin' tell him. He want know
where gun gone, you tell him you los
, her"
, He disappeared rapidly.
, Sam Williams. swallowing contlnu
ously, presently walked to the allie!
| door, and remarked In a weak voice
I'm sick Mt my stummlck." He paused
+. then added more decidedly: I'm gotn
\ home. I guess I've stood about enougl
i around here for n day." And be
slowing II last glance upon his friend
who was now sitting dumbly upon tn
floor in the exact spot where he hat
stood to fire the dreadful shot. San
moved slowly away.
= The early shades Of autumn evening"
: were falling when Penrod emerge'
from the stable; and b better ligh
: might have disclosed to a shrewd ey
some Indications that here was a bo'
u who had been extremely, II tempornl
! lily, Ill. He went to the cistern, and
: after a cautious glance round the n
g assuring horizon, lifted the iron coveI
Then he took from the inner pocket o
b his Jacket an object which he droppe
~Nstlessly into the water: It was a bl
d Of wood. whitfield to the likeness Of
pistol. And though his lips moved no
6 nor any sound issued from his vocs
organs, yet were words formed. The
were 10 deep In the person Of Penro
they came almost from the slowly COZ
= v.Sa-~AuS n~popunHlfiA1 AZ hia st0macl