American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-12-16

8AfN ~
teller took Il and shook Il and patted
II, nil the while muttering mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee Joe - which
served her purpose very we'll.
II see" she mumhled more or less
sepulchrally, n pow'ful good-looksn'
gyurl In a cali6er dress. with her hair
a-hanein' away down her back, A bare.
footed gyurl, with big, purity eyes,
she's a-stand'n' on a low cliff, a-peep.
In az you through the %laurels, AIR.
Bill. This is In the past,
In the future" she went on slowly,
II see this here as plain as daylight
through Il knothole; a awful big man.
with curly black hair and surly black
beard, and with eyes like a cliff.
hawks; and | see you, too, Mr.. Bill;
and see n fight. n master f,ght-Lord
Ia mussy, what a fight Rat youm
marry the gyurl after all, Mr.. Bnl."
Dale laughed. The old woman had
described Babe Littleford. But who
was the big, dark man"f Some fell
low who had lost his heart TO the
ulouhtain Slfl, pefnapS
When the Hecks had gone, John
Moreland leaned forward and touched
his guest IN the knee.
That thar big man mentioned IN
tellin' yore forchune," he said, "mighi
ha' been Black Adam Ball. Black Adam
he lives with his pap and mother n
few mile up the river. AS big as
a skinned boss, he Is, and plumb on.
sodiy strong. He's been a-heggln' Babe
Littleford To marry him TO Il year or
two, and she won't listen TO I'm.
EFF ever We do haf TO fight Black
Adam" John Moreland went on, I'VE
want TO fight him with n two-eyed
shotgun and buckshot, He's the mean.
est man on earth; ~snake-hroth and
pizen vine Is religious aside o. him.
But ontel ye begin a-makin' love 10
Babe Littleford, | reckon the nln't no
danger % YOU a-havin' trouble with
Black Adam and you amt likely, |
take II, Ia make love TO Babe"
but Babes the best one o. the Lit.
tlefords," declared Luke,
John Moreland reached for the
Battle-Ground old family Bible. ne
opened the BOOK nj random.
TITS about time we was a-goln' TO
our rest, and Wen 30 Jest as soon ms
we've had prayers, Mr., Dale"
When half q chapter from st. Mint.
thew had been laborlously but rever.
emily read, the Morelands knelt at
their chairs, and so did Bill Dale. John
Moreland's bedtime prayer was very
simple, and very earnest, and Il had
In It more OF thanksgiving thnn OF
suppiicatlon. And u part of Il certain.
~ was uncommon
BLESS the stranger with us here 10.
night, and all o. our kinfolks, and al!
o. our friends, and our lnlmies, the
LlttlefOrds-'speclnlly the Littlefords.
Aymen r.
Dale was deeply impressed. lie
heard Mrs. Moreland dlmly wnen she
told him TO let her know-she would
hear him II he called-if there wasn't
enough cover for his bed. Then he
found himself alone with the stalwart
chief OF the Morelands.
He stepped forward and put his
hand ON the m%Ountaineer's shoulder.
"How a mnn can 40 down on his
knees and pray for his enemies"
smiled Dale, "is entirely beyond me.
Do you really mean ~"
81 try hard TO-" MoreInnd said quick
ly. "In n-doin' that" he went on, II
30 Ben Littleford One better. Ben
Littleford's the bell sheep o. the pe0-
pie who lives acrost the river from
us, people we've hated To- years and
years. Ben, he holds fnmDly prayers,
too, every night. He'd ax the blessln'
o. the Lord on the stranger Onder his
roof, but not on his lnimies, the More
lands. Yes, | try hard to mean II. Blll
Dale"
And that other enemy" murmured
Dale-nnd he wondered why that
should bother him 30 much. why he
should feel hat vague responsibility
about 1.-THE man who killed your
brother, David"
II don't never pray TO- him." inter.
rupted the mountaiDeer, going a little
fN H"fHa hhhA hiEu Jhftt'As n
man don't git so good at he axes the
Almighty to bless the devll-or the
rattler In the l%aurels, or the copper
head at waits oDder a bush TO the
passin' O. some bnre-legged child"
Dale WINGED, but MOreland didn't
notice II. Dale let his hand fall from
the others shoulder. MOreland begun
TO speak again:
II didn't tell ye afore. Bill Dale. My
brother David, he was the hope o. his
people. He was better'n the rest OF
us. The u big aim o. his life was
to educate us all, the b~enighted. Yes,
we're behighted, and we know IL. He
meant 10 do II with the coal he'd
found. AZ I've done told ye. we amt
never had the heart TO sell tine conl
hope yen have a fine rest. BiIl
IlaIA .N.f4 q. IL a.. IN - -.