The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-06-05

answered as he stood resting on hiD
srath. "rve lived seventy-two years
on this hill come the fourteenth day O.
June. an II didn't know where she
lived I'd be 'shamed Of II. Do you ses
that big house down there in the
Areesf
l could see the place at which he
pointed far back from the village street
In the valley below us, the house near
ly hidden by tall evcrgreens.
"Yes," answered.
wal. that's the Squire Fullerton
place-he's Kate's father"
Does the squire live therer"
mo, sir--not eggzac'ly. He's dyinP
tbere-been dyin' there for two year
cr more. BY gosh It's wonderful how
hard tbs fer some folks to quit breath
In. Say. be you any O. his familyr"
sNo."
"Nor no friend O. hisr
"No"
Course not. He never had friend
In his life--too meant He's too mean
to die, mister--too mean fer hell an
wouldn't wonder-honest, wouldn't
mebbe that's why God Is keepin' him
here-Jest to meller him up little,
Say, mister. be you In q hurryr
"No."
"Say, hitch yer hoss an come in
here. I want to show ye suthin'."
I dlsmounted and hitched my horse
to the fence and followed him into the
old churchyard, between weather.
stained messy headstones and graves
overgrown with Wild roses. Near the
far end Of these thick-sown acres he
stopped.
"Here's where the buryin' begun"
said my guide. "The first hole In the
ELL was dug for Fullerton"
There were many small monuments
and slabs Of marble-some spotted
with llchcns and all In commemoratlon
Of departed Fullertons.
"Say, look a. that said my guide NJ
he pulled aside the stem of leafy
brier red with roses. "Jest read that
mister"
My keen eyes slowly spelled out the
dme-worn words on a slab Of staiEsd
marble:
Sacred "a the memory ct
Katherine Fullerton
17s7-1s0s
proclaim his Word in every place
That they are dead who fall from gracAs
A dark shadow fell upon the houss
Of my soul and heard loud rappiDI
at its door which confused me uDtil,
looking out. saw the strange truth Of
the matter. Rose leaves and blossoms
seemed to be trying to hide 1t with
their beauty, but in vain.
II understand" said.
"No ye don't. Leastways don't b.
lieve ye do-not correct. Squire Full
lerton dug a grave here an had an
empty coffin put into 1t away back In
1906. 1t means that ne wanted every.
body to understan' that his girl was
Jest the same as dead to him en- to
God. Say. he knew all about God's
wishes-that man. Goshl HA has
sent more folks to hell than thefe are
In 1t, I guess. Say. mister. do ye know
why he sent her thereY'
shook my head.
|
thing that's been sendin' women tc
hell ever since the world begun. Va
know hell must "a been the invep don
Of a man-that's sartin-an' II was
mostly fer women an children-that's
sartiner-an' fer all the men that
didn't agree with him. Set down hers
an I'll tell ye the hull story. My days
work Is DONE"
We sat down together and he wess
on as follows:
ibid ye ever see Kate Fullertpnr
"Yes."
"No ye didn't, nuther. Yer too young.
Mebbe ye seen her when she was OLD
an broke down, but that want Kats
mo more'n I'm Bill Tweedy. which ]
ain't. Kate was as handsome as
golden robin. Hair yeller as his breast
an feet as spry as his wings an
voice as sweet as his song. an eyes NJ
bright as his'n-yis, slr--ye couldn't
beat her fer looks. That was years
and years ago. Her mother died when
Kate was ten year old--thefe's her
grave In there with the sickle an the
sheaf an the portry on 1t. That was
Unf0rt'nit an no mistake. Course ths
squire married agin but the new wits
want no kind of mother to the girl,
an you know, mister, there was Q
young scoundrel here by the name q
Grimshaw. His father was q rich maA
owned the cooper shop an the save
mill an the tannery an lot o. cleared
land down In the valley. He kef com-
p'ny with her fer two or three year.
Then all Of sudden folks begar ts
talk-the women In partic1ar. Ys
know men invented hell an womcs
keep up the fire. Kate didn't look right
to 'em. Fust we knew. young Grim
shaw had dropped her an was keepin'
comp'ny with another gal-yis. sir. Do
ye know why"
Before could answer he went on:
"N0 ye don't-leastways don't be.