Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-05-11

- NPlj ~ ~
1.-THE snake!p MumbIed John Moreland.
like her, too. or you never would have
gone with her to the hospital-now
don't you?'
Il reckon I CANT deny" the More
land leader muttered, "'at / like Babe
Litteford. She amt like none O the
rest of 'em, Bill"
Dale went on:
"All there is TO do to enlist the Lit
tlefords on our side is this: YOU 20 to
old Ben and say to him: Let's begin
anew; let's be friends, your people
and my people. you and me- He'll be
glad YOU did it. Then it viii be easy
sailing for Us. The Balls never would
dare TO attack such g force as the
Morolands and the Littlefords com
bined. Don't You see? ! admit it will
| be something of q sacrifice on your
part. But man like you can make
sacrifices Any man who is big
enough to 60 down on his knees and
Hsk the blessing of the Almighty on
his enemies is big enough to make
sacrifice Come-let's 90 over and see
Ben Litileford now; won't your
The mountaineer didn't answer.
You won't throttle the cause born
in David Morelands good heart on ac-
count OF little personal PRIDE
know you won't" Dale said earnestly.
Moreland Strengthened.
you mean well,' he said slowly. 81
think you're one O the very best men
in the world, Bill Dale. You often
make me think o pore David himself.
But I'm afeared ye don't quite onder-
stand. BIZ. I've seed my own son die
from Iittleford's bullet. TO 20 and
offer to be friends with n man who
might be the same one at killed my
boy is q pow'ful hard thing to do. I'm
afeard We don't quite understand"
1T was terrible thing. ] know"
said Dale. 'But it was the fortunes
OF war. The Littlefords have endured
the fortunes of war In exactly the
same way. Come with me; let's 60. |
need Your help; I can do very little
without your help. Come John More
land!"
The hnman replied slowly: well
III 90 with we over thar. Hut Ben
he'll hat TO make the fust break at
a-bein' friends, cause I'm purity shore
never will. As soon rs l git my
hat. Bill
lie went to the front porch ana
took from charpost his broad
trimmed headeear. Then the two set
out.
They crossed an ox-wagon road, a
sweet-scented meadow, the river by
means of the downtown sycamore,
another sweetscented meadow and
another ox-wagon road. and entered
the cabin yard of the Littleford chief
Here, too. many old-fashioned flowers
were in bloom; cane fshingpole
slender and white, leaned against the
porch; it made Dale think of
Babe. 49,.
you wait out here" whispered
Dale, with a hand on lis companion''
arm. "Ill 20 in and see il ! can per
suade Littleford to make the advance
I'm pretty sure / cam
He started forward when a hound
rose from the stone step and growlet
warningly. AT that Dale halted ant
, sang out:
"Hello, Benz
The front door swung open, creak
> ing on wooden hinges, and Babes fin
d Their barcheaded and with lamp II
j his hand appeared in the doorway
He knew the voice that had summ0ne,
u him.
Come right in, Mr.. Dale he in
u vited with the utmost cordially
4 "Come right in"
Il lie scolded the dog away, and Dal
> entered the primitive home. He wa
shown into the best room, where h
+ dropped easily into a roomy old rock
{ or that was lined with an untanne
l. sheepskin. Ben Littlcford put tn
Il lamp on a crude table. drew up ar
, other chair, and sat down facing hi
e visitor.
II 81 hope We amt jest happened owe
. 70 minute or two on business" h
:, drawled ~ hope we've come To- spen'
. the night wi me, anyway
I'm here in the interests of peace,
t Dale began, looking M the hillma
squarely. IL want you Littlefords {
I. be on good terms with your neigh
&c bors, the Morelands. John is on
u there at your gate now; he is waitin
20 for YOU TO ask him in and say to him
d Let's begin anew; let's be friends
y your people and my people, you an
'r me- You want that, don't you, Ben
~ Babe did, I'm sure"
u Littleford frowned, laced his big fir
= gers together and twirled his bi
y thumbs. Now tl.at he was once NOR
at home, with assurance that hi
" daughter would entirely recover, h
was no longer weak he had all hi
=, old courage and all his old, stubbor
Z" hill pride back