The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-05-03
THFUI6HT
IN THE RLFARINh
ATALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY
IN THE TINE OF SILAS WRIGHT
lily
IRVINE HACHEuER
HOLDEN OF The BLESSED ISLES
UP
or
tEN HOLDEN pR AND Darrell OF The BLESSED ISLES
KEEPING UP With LIZZIE. ETC ETC

gan 10 hiss and jeer. Ii gave me
feeling | have never known since that
day. | logged along over the brow OF
the hill when. at q white, frame house,
! saw the center toward which all the
men of the countryside were coming.
Suddenly / heard the hOOf-beatS OF |
a horse behind me. | stopped. ana 1
looking over my shoulder saw a rlder !
approaching me in the costume of an |
Indian chief. A red mask covered his |
face. A crest of eagle feathers circled F,
the edge of his cap. Without a WORD |
he rode on at my side. l knew not
then that he was the man Josiah Cur
tis-nOr could | at any time nave
sworn that it was he.
A crowd had assembled around the
house ahead. | could see string or
horsemen coming toward it from the
other side. | wondered what was go
ing to happen to me. What shouting
and jeering in the crowded dOoryard!
! could see the smoke of a fire. We
reached the gate. Men in Indian masks
and costumes gathered around us.
Order! Sh-sh-sh," was the loud COM
mand of the man beside me in whom L
recognized--or thought that did-the
voice of Josiah Curtis. what has
happened?"
zone o. them tried to serve n writ
an we have tarred an feathered him."
Just then l heard the voice of Pur-
| Wis shouting back in the crowd this
impaSsioned plea:
Bart, for Gods sake. come here"
] turned to Curtis and said:
"If the gentleman tried to serve the
writ he acted without orders and de-
serves what he has got. The other fell
low is simply hired man who came
along to take care of the horses. He
couldn't tell the difference between a
writ and hole in the ground"
Men. you have gone far enough"
said Curtis. This man is all right.
Bring the other men here and put 'em
on their horses an I'll escort 'em out
o the town"
They brought LatOur on a rail
amidst rOars of laughter. What bear
like. poultrified, be-pOoded object he
was-burred and sheathed in rump!ed
gray feathers from his hair to his
heels. The sight and smell of him
scared the horses. There were tufts
of feathers over his ears and on his
chin. They had found great joy in
spoiling that aristOcratic livery in
which he had arrived.
Then came poor Purvis. They had
just begun 10 apply the tar and feath-
ers to him when Curtis had stopped
the process. He had only a shaking
ruff of long feathers around his neck.
They lifted the runaways into their
saddles. Purvis started off at a gallop,
shouting Come on. Bart" but they
stopped him.
. Don't be in hurry, young Teller,
said one of the Indians, and then there
was another roar of laughter.
eco back TO yer work now" Curtis
shouted. and turning to me added
"You ride along with me and let ouI
. feathered friends follow us"
4, So we started up the road on Oul
way back to Cobleskill. Our guide left
g us at the town line some three miles
7 beyond.
Latour was busy picking his arms
and shoulders. Presently he took OF
: his feathered coat and threw it away
7 saying:
They'll have to pay for this. Ever!
= one o. those jackrabbits will have t.
7 settle with me-"
"You brought it on yourself" | said
!, you ran away from me and got US al
T into trouble by being too smart. 70,
tried TO be fool and succeeded be
9 yond your expectation"
! 1t was dark when l left my com
panions in Cobleskill. l changed m,
o clothes and had my supper and foun'
= Judge WestbrOOk in his home and re
= ported the talk with Curtis and on
9 adventure and my view of the situa
a ton back in the hills. / observed tina
he gave the latter n cold welcome.
y. 81 shall send the sheriff and
/, posse" he said with troubled look.
;. Pardon me, but think it will max
a bad matter worse" l answered.
g I'VE must not forget that the pa
y troOns are our clients" he remarked.
n yielded and went on with my worl
= III the next week or so | satisfied my
" self of the rectitude of my opinion!
If Then came the most critical point |
my histOry-a conflict with Thrift an
d Fear on one side and Conscience o
the other.
Is The judge raised my salary. / wan
7 ed the money, but every day l woul
n have to lend my help, directly or ind
ID rectly, TO the prosecution of claim
n which l could not believe to be jus
he My heart went out of my work. l b,
n gan TO fear myself. For weeks l Ia
rs not the courage to take issue with III
lie learned judge.
rs One evening I went to his home d.
n termined to put an end to my unhal
I'd piness. After a little talk l told hi
he frankly that l thought the patroor
#, should seek friendly settlement wit
rs their tenants.
ne "Why?" he asked.
y Because their position is unius
ne un-American and untenable," was IL
a answer.
g. He rose and gave me his hand ar
es a smile of forbearance in consider
w ton of my youth, as l took it.