Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-07-22


sons, Caleb and Luke, were as much
alike as the fingers on your hands;
they were tall and broad-shouldered,
grey-eyed and brown-haired.
Before shutdown Dale had become
acquainted with the rest Of the More
lands, and he liked them, every one.
He was at the cabin Of his hosts gray
old father and mother for a long time
When supper was over John More
land lighted the big glass lamp in the
best room, and the family and their
guest gathered there to spend the eve
ming. Then the lanky moonshiner and
his mother came in.
Granny Heck had the sharp features
and the stopped, thin figure Of witch.
She wore faded blue bandana about
her white head, and she carried long
hickory staff; there was a reed
stemmed clay pipe in her mouth, and
her dark calico skirt had tobacco
pocket in it.
Her son preceded her into the room.
He walked to the center table, faced
about, and said with a low and airy
sweep of his right hand:
"Bill, old boy, this here's NAV. Nav,
she tells forchunes."
$50 this here" creaked Granny
Heck, looking over the brass rims Of
her spectacles, "is Mr. Bill Well,
we'll | jest thought to myself at I'd
come up and see We, Mr.. Bill, and tell
yore forchune."
She dropped into the rocker that
Caleb had placed for her.
"Addie," she said to the smiling Mrs.
Moreland, twill We bring me a cup half
full O coffee grounds?"
When the cup came, the fortune
teller took 1t and shook 1t and patted
it, all the while muttering mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee Joe = which
served her purpose very we'll.
Il see," she mumbled more or less
sepulchrally, "a pow'ful good-lookin'
gyurl in caliker dress, with her hair
a-hangin' away down her back. A bare
footed gyurl, with big, purity eyes.
She's astandin' on a low cliff, a-peep-
Bill. This is In the past. -.
In the future" she went on slowly,
Il see this here as plain as daylight
through knothole; a awful big man,
with curly black hair and curly black
beard, and with eyes like O cliff
hawks; and l see you, too, Mr. Bill;
and l see fight, a master fight-Lord
hot Lnk arrl. D..A
marry the gyurl after all, Mr.. Bill"
Dale laughed. The old woman had
described Babe Littleford But who
was the "big, dark man.? Some FED
low who had lost his heart to the
mountain girl, perhaps.
When the Hecks had gone, John
Moreland leaned forward and touched
his guest on the knee
THAT thar big man mentioned In
telHn' yore fOrchune," he said might
ha' been Black Adam Ball. Black Adam,
he lives with his pap and mother a
few mile up the river. AS big as
skinned boss, he is, and plumb on
godly strong. He's been a-beggin Babe
Littleford to marry him fo' year or
two, and she won't listen to HIM.
EFF ever We do hat to fight Black
ADAM" John Moreland went on, we
want to fight him with q two-eyed
shotgun and buckshot. He's the mean
est man on earth; snake-broth and
pizen vine is religious aside O. him.
But ontel We begin a-makin' love to
Babe Littleford, l reckon the amt no
danger o. you a-havin' trouble with
Black Adam; and you amt likely,
take it, to 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. He
opened the Book at random.
ITS about time we was a-goin' to
our rest, and We'll go jest as soon as
we've had prayers, Mr.. Dale"
When half chapter from st. Mat
thew had been laboriously 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 1t had
IN IT more or thanksgiving than OF
supplicatiOn. And part of it certain
ly was uncommon
BLESS the stranger with us here to-
night, and all O. our kinfolks, and all
o. our friends, and our inlmies, the
Eittlefords-'s specially the Littlefords.
Aymen y
Dale was deeply impressed. He
heard Mrs. Moreland dimly when she
told him to let her know-she would
near him if he called-if there wasn't
enough cover for his bed. Then he
found himself alone with the stalwert
chief Of the Morelands.
He stepped forward and put his