Cleveland County herald., 1921-10-06
CHAPTER XVII.
Bill Dale Iauohs

"'Ao oidtCiieu sprays OI Dlue WOOd- smoke. The Morelands had gone to farms lying around Cartersville in the rowland, on each of which fair-siZed first payment had been made. the bor rowed capital was to remain borrowed for another year. The Morelands were already losing their outlandishnesS and growing into universal respect. David Moreland's dream was at last being realized.
 Then Dale drowned heavily. If only he could do as much for Babes peo- pie! But he couldn't. The men of the Iittlefords still worked the coal mine. They received almost twice the custom ary wages, but even that wouldn't buy them farms and educate their children.
 Under his eyes lay two unanswered letters from his parents. He found little pleasure in answering their let ters, for he was still somewhat bitter toward them-toWard his father be- cause of his fathers ill treatment of David Moreland and David Moreland's people; toward his mother because she had let him go hungry for mother-loye as baby, as a child, as boy, and as a man; toward them both because he had been reared d do-nothing.
 The door opened suddenly, and By Heck came stamping in with gust of cold air at his back. He carried in one hand the mail satchel; in the other Was his ever-present rifle. After throw ing the satchel to the floor at Dale'S feet, he turned to the glowing wood stove.
 'I'm dang nigh friz, Bill" he chat tered. My gosh, I couldn't be no cold er'n what I em eff I'd ha' elim' the nawth pole neck-ed. Say, Bill, why'n't ye burn coal 'stid O wood? Igod, it's hotter''
 Coal is worth money. Wood isn't" He threw aside letter from the Alex ander Crayfield Coal corporation, which took the entire output of the mine at an extraordinary, figure, and picked up a letter which bore the postmark of his home city.
  he paid so little attention to the letters of his parents, they had requested her to write to him--they wanted him to come home for Christmas dinner. Wouldn't he come?
 He arose and paced the office floor for two or three minutes, then he sat down at his desk and dashed off let ter that contained only two sentences.
 By Heck sat beside the stove and watched his god with thoughtful eyes. He understood, he believed. How any woman on earth could turn down a man like Bill Dale was utterly beyond him. By Heck was great deal like 8 good-natured dog. .
 If Bill would only laugh, it would be good for him. It had been so long since he had heard Bill laugh. By Heck de- cided that he would make Bill Dale laugh.
 "Old boy?"
 "Wen?"
 Do ye want me to tell ye funny tale?" drawled Heck. He barely heard the answer:
 'I guess I don't mind. By"
 Heck's sympathy made him gulp. But he swallowed the lump that came up in his throat and began bravely:
 One time the was feller named Smith. Odd name, Bill, ain't it? 'Hoss- fly Smith, they called him, cause it was said 'at he could easy shoot a hossfly offen a hoss's ear and never break hide on the animile. He was d hellion, too. One time Hosshy, he was a-tryin' to git appinted the chairman O some sort O politics doin's, and on that same day he was a-drinkin' sort @ tol'able heavy. They agreed to make him the temp'rary chairman, but Hossf1y, he didn't want that. So he hops right up in the middle O the meet in, and he hollers out and says:
 "'Feller citizens.' he says, I want to be the permanent chairman I ain't a-goin to act in the capacity of a .lurned temp'rary chairman; I abso d-n-lutely ain't!
 His old inemy, Eb Wright, he yells back and says smart-like: Set down thar, Hossfy, says Eb-'you're drunk, and you don't know the difference a. tween temp'rary and permanent"
 Well, they knowed Eb had it a comin' to him right then, and they lis tened fo' 1t. Hossfiy, he addresses the whole meetin', and this here is what Hossfly says:
 Feller citizens,' says he, 'Eb Wright thar lows don't know the diff ference atween temprary and perma- nent. I'll prove to you that do know the difference. Eb Wright says Pm drunk. I am. That's temp'rary. ED Wright is poke-nosed idjit. That's permanent !!
 Heck finished with lazy laugh: ]: Flaw, haw, haw! Hee-haw, hee-haw '"
 That story" Dale said wearily "has been told on dozens of politicians It has become a part of the history of this state.'
 Well, my gosh." moaned By Heck. He thought deeply for a moment. de cided that Bill Dale wouldn't laugh at