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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1932-02-11, Page 6(Continued from last week.) "Et don't matte no diff'en'ce nohow" he muttered, "there ain't no use in a doctah when doff tome's a-wallsin. INiggah signs am such; but doctab stuff am uncertain. De sign am riot to be d•isembaye'd. What fo' did iCupe walk a'bsent-nninded like iitto de house t -day carryin' an. axe on his shoulder. ` Did n't Cope know dat seek a sign mean sure deff to some person, and fo' de ILawd, de debbil make him do that awful thing. And when Cupe think of the awfulness of de transaction an' step back to leave de room, there settin, in de open doo' way wah dat dawg, Ddawge; and he jest look up in Cupe's eyes as sah'ful- like as ever a dawg could look, as if he say to his old frfen , 'Cape, you lha:b gone an' done it, sure.' An' then when Cupe cutch de awfulness of de mistake an' look down at Dgawge questionin'-like, de dawg raise his head and open his mouf and -howl tang and skearylike, looking all de time in. Cune's face as moanful as de young missus in de big house on her dyin' bed look, in de long -ago. God save 1Ia'se, dah am no escaping de aftercomes` of'sech sigus as dese. De sign in de ashes de night dat de boy come out of Bloody Hollow done pointed to Mase dead dis New Year night. De axe sign today done. say he gwine to die, an' then de dawg what set in de doorway and howl am de s'artin sign ob doff, case he see deff ooni'n'l But d•e, surest sign ob alt" (and Cupe's voice became yet Lower and more measured), "de su'est sign 'of A1'1 auk dot de, cadah tree limbs what Ma'se planted atm es long as e coffin now Cupe measure them ag'in today. Yo' kin stay heat, Doctah, deb ain't no use in yaahstuff nohow elf deff em in de room. De signs what nebbah fail ant po'in(in'. to sahtin' deff, dah ain't no good in doctah's stuff now." Having thus d'i'sposed of the 'doctor, the messenger turned to Mr. Jones. "Morse wants de preacher. He has not asked for de doctor; be. say: `Cupe go for de parson, II must see de ,par- son.' And then Cu'p'e say, sed he: `Marse, dial .you make friend wid de parson like ole Cupe 'say to do?' " 'Shet up your black mouth and go for de parson,. and don't wait too long, for lI fell powerful weak -like,' say 'Morse, and he give Cupe such a look as to say there ain't no time to lose. 'And de face of de dead niissus rise ep, and ICupe hear de words of de promise he made dot sorrowful night to 'de honeychile what ant an angel now. Den' he say to Morse: Masse, I' swear 'to your dear inuddah dat never de ,weather should be to'o hot and never too 'cold for Cupe to serve de chile Heaven sent to cher, bttt dis am de last time, ,ole Cupe can serve you, Marse, and 'den 'Cupe ;lite out and 'here ,he am, Marse 'Preacher, you will go, sure you will; de sign mix you and Morse-IH'oney up wonderful - like." The preacher hesitated, .' but not from fear' of -the storm, Ilse (l'ooke'd at the sheet :that 'covered the lank form of the ,Colonel, then replied, speaking more. to the audience than to the negro: "I am not a minister—but-a mur- derer," The negro gazed at him •in wonder, then following the parson's glance, he stepped to the tdheet and raised it ceutiosly, 'far enough only -to give a view of the face of the colonel, and started back with sta'ring eyes. ' "For de OLawd, Marse (Preacher, and dird you skew de c'ol'onel?" "I 'did." The negro's self -composure :return- ed immediately. "Who'd of 'believed it, 'Morsel And you so weak -like. You aim a 'better pun don you looks to be, Morse Poacher, and ole 'Cupe knows you .servedfhim right, Go to 'Morse Hard- man, never mind the colonel" The preacher invade no reply. "Doan David `slew Gliah," ;Cupe continued: .'loan de Lanvd 's'lew de wicked Bels'hazzali; (loan de people rlew 'Stephen in de name of de iLawd and doan you slew de wicked colonel cause de .Ilawd want him killed " The parson looked :inquiringly et the judge. 'Parson;" responded the judge, "your resignation has never been ac- cepted by the church. You are yet legally a minister. The church must accept the resignation you wrote in order bo consummate the act." "But the murder?" "That point remains to be estab- lished. If 'thi's ease comes to trial, the evidence may show that you acted in, self-defen'ce. If I am not mistaken the colonel •cocked .his pistol while you were still 'talking and standing defeticelless with both hands exposed. He half drew his pistol before you grasped his throat. If I am correct, he now 'holds a loaded pistol in his hand. Let us see." And raising the sheet, the judge carefully drew the colonel's right 'hand from its resting place, where it had fallen partly cov- ered by the coat, and with it came a tightly clasped .pistol, "I saw 'h'im draw the pistol," said I; "i.t taught in his overcoat's lining and got tangled up." The judge regarded .Fie curiously. "Do not •forget iwhat you saw, child," Then, turning again to the minister: "Another •second," he .said, "and you would have .been a death man, Parson; seli'f-preservation is the first impulse; you were un'ar'med. and. ,had made no aggressive motion. You did your duty, Mr. Vons, and did it bravely; the case is self-defence; and, whatever may be true of New 'Eng- land, yolk )teed fear neither judge nor jury in K'entueky,'t, n Still the Parson hesitated. `.'Gil" said the judge in a tone of authority, pointing to the door; "hu- manity calls." Drawing his overcoat tightly a- round hint, without speaking s word, the parson moved to the door, opened it, and passed out. "De end am not yet," laid old 1Cupe, speaking to himself; "de sign point- ed to two men dead dis night,' but de colonel was not one of them. Here am one what de sign miss. ^Am de sign wrong? ' 'Fool, lie murmured, "fool nigger, not to know that two Jeffs' could not 'come alone in de face of su'c'h signs. I'f it am mare than one, it am not two, it amfree er seven er nine." "Do 'you remember what the Corn Bug said to Mr. Jones the last time they faced each other in this room?" asked the teacher, heedless of Cupe's mutterings. "Yes," said the judge. "I have it :written," interrupted the grocer's boy; turning to his 'steno- graphic book, he read: "'You haven't the spunk ofa sick rabbit and yeti haven't the energy of a sleeping po's- sum; you wouldn't cross the street in a shower to 's'ave the soul of a saint, and you wouldn't 'crook your finger in the fade .of tmrtle-dove for fear it would get pecked.' ' CHAPTER XL Into the ,Storm Passed the Minister. IWhen the door of the grocery .rhos ecl behind him the pastor paused, turned, 'grasped the door -knob, and stood with his back to the stoma. In- sensible now to external things, he did; not fed the raging :cold outside the room 'he had left, and gave no further thought . to the glowing' warmth within. He dropped upon his knees and 'raised his hand's in supplication; then, rising, the drew this hat firmly . down and strode ant of the 'feeble light which struggled through the wihdow. He did not 'think of the course he should take—there was no path that night, He did not 'reason: .his way— no power of reason reuaained. His mind was wrapped ha desponden'cy, his spirit ,was host in angulrsh so deep that this hurricane, the .maddest storm Auneri'can 'history records, was un- noticed and .unfelt. There is no other explanation of the part he took that night. To have attempted thought concerning surrounding things would THE SEAD'ORTH NEWS, have been fatal to his errand; to have reasoned w•oulcl',`have lost hint the way, 'U'nder such conditions and in such...blackness to look for roadways, to seek :2familiar 'objects, to attempt to guide One's' self'by She intellect, would be to .walk in 'circlos, Lure here and there, stagger like a ctrunken man, stumble fall, and pemish. The 'man did not care to see the way. Sensible neither to the cutting hail, the shr-eik- ing 'bloat, nor the iute'iise cold, he ig- nored that king of storms. . 'Leaving the 'Stringtown pike, he struck 'into the fields and proved on: As. if it were -a balmy autumn' day, and the breeze simply banning the cheek and cooling the brow, as if life's pleasures were 'before him and 'happy thoughts behind, 'he strode onward. Presently he turned aside; something -he nelither saw nor fel1 'blocked r the way• A herd of swine huddled together crushed one another, cads seeking to creep beneath the others, striving to press nearer to the 'centre 'of the heap, vain- ly trying to ,escape- the 'piercing cold that all night long creptthrough and through from :beast to ;beast,; until, when morning broke, not one remain- ed aliive,'Scarce:ly hod he .passed them by When close beside hint a mourn- ful cry sounded; but the wail of an- guish did not 'catch his ear nor ,did it sound again, .for it was the last cry of some -"hapless beast that, sti'ug- gllisg, had fallen helpless, and would not rise again,- .Caring not for. -man nor beast, -the pastor moved onward, guided by he knew not what, toward a light be did a not see: Over .hills, through the 'woods, across frozen creeks,- climbing fences, jumping gul- lies, seeking neither path or road, he sped: At first the shooting hail stung the skin, leaving -little indented spots, but the sense of pain soon ceased beneath the quieting touch of benum'bi•ng cold. At first, the wind had waved the flowing hair that encircled his brow; but soon the heating hail and congealing frost 'hall matted 1 to- gether and frozen it to his skin and coat. lAt first, his arms and his 'fing- ers moved 'freely; but they rapidly grew insensible to.pain or touch and. finally hung stiff and motionless. The man knew nothing of all this, knew not that the oreepimg cold was near- ing his vitalist little cared for life or death, 'At last the pastor's eyes were greet- ed by a slender ray streaming through a little win'd'ow near the ^ door of a cabin. He tried to raise.his hand and grasp the door -knob, but could not 'Both arms 'were numb. 11Ie shouted, but the cry was lost in the roar of the blast; he listened, but no answer come, only the tumult of the sweep- ing storm. Again and again he cried, and then in desperation threw 'himself against the door, crushed it in, and fell forward -into the room. I -le tried to rise, but his hand could give no" ,response to his will; his fingers rat- tled against the floor; his arms re- fused to bend. By chance, he pressed his 'heel's against a crevice in the rough-hewn 'floor, then he raised 'his head, next Isis shoulders, and finally, as a worm creeps up, his -body rose, and at last stood upr'fght. Edging along the wall}, he reached the swinging door that now slammed in and rout 'obedient to the whine of the varying blast, and pressing his weight against it succeeded in dosing it, even to the snapping of -the catch; Just 'then the flickering flame in the great fireplace flashed upward, light- ing the room. The cabin .was built of unhewn beech logs. The spaces between the logs were chinked with stones and the interstices had ,been filled with mud. In the ceiling was a square hole to which a ladder reached; the floor was 'puncheon, lAt .one end of the oblong room a Chimney -place cover- ed moth of the area. A window op- posed the fireplace, and another was cut beside the door. The hearth was made of a single, large flat fossil stone from out the creek bed. On that. stone stood en iron O'Neil, a few kit- chen utensils, and in the huge throat of the 'chimney hung a crane to 'hold the kettle or suspend the roast. The furniture of t'he moone eompitisedi a small table, a few chairs ,and a abed, On the wail hung a brace of horns, a couple of guns, some arrows, aryl a powder flask and pouch' that once had been -in service, Alt this the 'pastor, saw as the fitful ifirefash glimmered'; for the quickened intellect of the man whose life, resting on the edige 'of one world did not teach yet a foot- hold 'in the other, comprehended quicklly all that rose 'before his gaze. To the dying pastor time was preci- ous, and a single flash carried to his brain what, under other circum- stances, might, have remained long unseen, Then `he fixed 'his gaze cit the wen visage of the Corn Bug, Who -stared back again iron the coverlets of the bed; -a face in which only two great eyesand a stub nose were visible, for a mass of tangled beard and matted, enlcenvpt hair covered all but t'he star- ing eyes and whiskey -dyed nose, while the ,body, of the wretched nran. 'sank back. The man was not alone; for Llr. Jones saw another form in the shad 0N's, half reclining, half'sitti•ing an the opposite side 01 the bed -'the 'form of a child, a young gilt with dis'h'evelled flowing hair. She seemed to have been startled from sleep by the hi- truder, but site made 110 movement need asked lip question. 'And still be- yond these two, on the hearth, in the edge of the chimney, so indistinct that 1 was a question whether it were a shadow or a su'b'stance, he caught sight nt, a sombre tracing that .resem- bled a human being, and yet seemed not altogether human—a dusky mask that seemed tli own 'befooe and yet might have been a part el a farm behind. The flickering fire started op and sank again,, the shadows played in dis- solving waves about the room, The wind without, in unison with the dan- cing shadows, within, rose wird fell, singing strange songs, which verber- ated through the many half -:chinked crevices of the logs. IN -ever had the New England Parson heard the play of the wind at midnight in a house of Fogs, nor had he ever - gazed at such .a scene as this. In that Kentucky land, :than nor child had ever taken part in such a drama, nor, atter that New Year's Eve, '1564, has any men beard such, fiercely' wild wind music..The two men gazed long at each other, but both held their voices. The chllld broke the spell, and it is well that she did so, for the men, seemed unable to utter a word, Each seemed to have transfixed the other; neither had the power to move. It was a nightmare spell, and as in a nightmare spell, and as in a nightmare the life may flee before the body can be induced to prove, so, had no living being'apoken, .the s-pell that held these men might have ended as nightmare sometimes ends. Impulsively the little girl threw her arms about the form of the bedrid'd'en man, and then she laid her fair, chubby cheek against his rough beard keeping her eyes riveted- on the face of .the silent parson. She stroked the matted hair of the uncouth man, and, searching with her face beneath the shaggy mo.ustathe, sought to kiss his lips. Even the suffering parson could but contrast the holiness of dawning childhood and the horrible repulsiveness olf self -wasted manhood. The child spoke pleadingly,' as she toyed with the uncouth, visage: "Uncle, uncle, speak to me, Uncle Hardman;" but the dying sinner, re- leased from silence by that voice, spoke, not to her, but to the man, "Come here, Parson, come hene. I ordered Cupe ter find yo', and the black rascal did his duty; he said he would send yo' ter me, an' he did. Well, Parson, bygones es bygones, .1 'riled you once, Parson, but I didn't meaa half I Said, yo' see, Parson— come closer—we who are bad ilev a kind of hatred fo' yoah kind, jest be- cause yo' are good and we, are bad; there ain't no other reason. And when the corn -juice gets hold ov us we say cussed things we always half feel toward the like ov yo', but don't always speak. Wall, Mr. Jones, I asks fergiveness now, and a#tat yo' does what I wants you ter, then you must kneel down, and pray fo'—comeclos er, ;ones, I ain't strong now and 3 can't speak loud. I swore at you once and said you daren't wet your shoe sales in ice water; you have beaten the words back," Me-. Jones moved slowly, painfully` across the floor. The 'girl in fear slung closer to the sick man; the parson saw by the nearer view that the child was very beautiful, and also- by that nearer view perceived ` that the man became more hideous, '"Parson," continued' the sick man, "in a trunk in the loft above is money, gold and silver, a fortune. I have seen some of it, Mr. Jones, gold id there. Cupe says my grandad cap- tured it from a British paymaster and hid it in the chest; but it don't make no difference what it came from, it ain't safe' ter ask questions of any dollar. All I own, land an' motley, all but two thousand dollars, the gill must have; write it down quick, Par- son, write it down," • "Where is the .paper, pen or peer ci'l?" lir. Jones asked. "I have been raised with the Dig- gers and by the 'niggers, too. Never had 00 use for paper and pencil." "Then I cannot do what you wish," said the parson. "But you must tto it; didn't the judge say' the ni'gh't'1 burned the deed that I must make a w'ri'ting will ? Ain't this child to •be taken care of and the boy to 'tie .given money to educate hint? You most wnite,it down,. Parson," he pleaded; "the end of the nigger spelli is here, the nigger spell' that linked you and me together, Mr, Jones, and you most write, 1, can't talk no longer, for'I am very tired," "I left my note -book and pencil be- hind roe; I cannot" • "Can't you write on a slate, mist- er?" asked the girl; "I can," "She can't write; she knows her ,let- ters, but call making pictures writ- ing," interrupted the Corn Bug. "I can 'write, and I've got a slate full of writing," protested the child. THURSDAY, ..FEBRUARY 11, 1932 "Where isthe ,'slate " asked ' the 'Parson; "give it to -me quickly," The child ran to a corner of the room, and Tettuned with a slate to which a pencil was attached by a string. "There, mister, see the writ- ing," and she 4pointed to the child drawings with which one side of it was covered. But the parson could not use the pencil; Isis fingers refused to obey Isis will; he was helpiess, "Write," said the Corn 'Brig, "write Parson, or I will d.ie without malting my cross: .See, morning is. Coning, it is daylight now, ,and Cope's uig- ger sign said that with' this morn- ing'slight I wound die. fduick,r;P:ar sot:, I want to ln'alce my cross." By an effort Mr. Jones pressed the slate between his wrists. "Make your leUtcrs, child, as I tell you to do." And obedient to his coms'mand, site slowly sp'eiled, letter by letter, word. by word, ;the shortest will on record' in Strimgtowii'County, to which as witness the pastor 'managed to sign his name. "Now for your cross marls" The dying man seized the pencil, anal as he clid so the old crone arose, and advancing front out the chimney jamb, (for she was the siiaclow), stood over hint acidsaid, partly as an apology, partly to herself, "I'se a nigger, het if signing of papers am to be done, I wants to see cle making of de cross. Cope, he say, 'Dinah, doan you never let leo signing of papers be done by Marse lessen you sees- de making of de cross.' " With the negro crone •on one side and the, child on the other, the Corn Bug made the cross; and then his patly relieved mind' reverted to the future, "Would you pray for the likes of me, Parson?" But the parson, too weak to rise, near to eternity as was the Corn Bug, shook his head, and -murmured, "I cannot, I dare not," "Can't you pray, Mr. Preacher?" asked the .girl;, "why, I can say the prayer any mother left me." "Pray for both of us, child," Mur- mured the parson with a last effort. Kneeling upon the puncheon floor, with her little hands clasped and her child -like face turned upward, the girl interceding for the dying profli- gate and the wretched murder lisped. the simple prayer Now we lay, us down to sleep, We pray' thee, Lord, our souls to keep If we should die before we wake, We pray thee, Lord,'our souls to take But neithe'r of the Hien heard the end of the touching invocation; before the words were hustled the spirits of both had broken their bonds and followed the message to the bar of justice. The morning light suffused' the room, the break of the bitter cold Friday morning, January 1st, 1864. The rising sun's rays paled the fire- flash; the shadows vanished; the wildwind subsided, and excepting the 'biting cold without and the froz- en creatures scattered over all the land, no evidence 'remained to tell of the storm which had come and gone. When the door of that lonely ca -bin was opened by the searchers - for searchers started front Sbniligtown with the break of day—they found the negresshhovering over the embers on the hearth, folding in her embrace a sleeping gent. In the rude ro'oni, on the bed one man lay, and beside 'the bed another man kneeled,, while be - tweet) them, tightly clasped in the. stiff lingers of hien who kneeled, a child's slate rested. Over the upturn- ed surface of this slate awkward word -s were scrawled, and at the tip of the index finger of the man on the ted, 'hint who clutched the 'pen- cil, they saw the sign olf'the cross. .I will to Sammy Drew, the widow's son, two thousand dollars, All else to -Susie, my' adopted child, Joseph Hardman. . Mis X, Witness Osmond Jones. To be continued, 'Nearly all children are subject to worms, and many are :born with then. ;Spare them suffering by using Mother -Graves' Worm Exterminator, -all •ex- cellent remedy. Went and For Sale Ads, l tune 25c. PROFESSIONAL CARDS. Medical DR. H. H'UIGIH ROSS, Physiciran and Surgeon. Late of London tlea- pital, London, England, Special attention todiseases of ,the eyo, Car, nose and throat. Office and res'- dence behind Dominion Bank, Offfec Phone No. 5; Residence Phone lOti. DR• P: J. BUIRI121O1WiS, Seaforth. Office and residence, tGoderiedi street; east of the United Church. Coroner' for the County of Huron, Telephone -. No. 46: 'DR, C. MAGICIAY.—C. "Madam, honor graduate of Trinity University and gold medallist of Trinity Medical College; member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.; DLR. F. 5, R. k101RIS1TEIR—Eye, Et Nose and Throat.: Graduate in Medi.; cine, University of Toronto 1891". Late Assistant New York Op'htfzai' mic and Aural Institute, Moorefaelde Eye, and 'Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London, England. At• Co€mmr- ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday', bis f. each month, from '11 aim. to 3 p.m DIR. W. C. SIPIROIAT.-:Graduate of Faculty of Medicine,' University or Western Ontario,'. London: Member of College of Physicians and Sur- geons of Ontario. Office in rear of Aberhart's 'drug . store, Seafarer - Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 710 -9 p.m. Other hours by appointment Dental DR. J. A. MUNNN, Successor to Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, IIP. Li- centiate Royal College of Dental Slw- geons, Toronto. Office over SEW hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Phone 151. DR. F. J. EECHIELY, graduate Royal College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto. Office over. W. R. Smith's grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Phones,,, Office 1$5W residence 185ff. Auctioneer. IGDOIRIGIE EILIDO'TT., isiceusei Auctioneer for the County of Hurons Arrangements can be made for. Safe Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guranteed. WATSON AND REID` REAL ESTATE AND IN'SU'RANCR AGENCY" (Succssors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAF,O'R1TH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect. -- ed at lowest .rates in , First -Gras* Companies. TIDE McKILLOP Mutual Fare Insurance Cat FIAIRIM AfNID 'IISIOLATED TO'WNE PIRIOIPIEIRITY, O Y, IIN'SU REIit O-frficers — John 'Bennewies, Brod hagen, ,President; Jas. Connolly, •God- erich, Vice -Fres.; I.D. ,F. ' tMnGregur; 'Seaforth No. 4, 'Sec.=Treas. Directors—Geo. R. McCartney, Sea forth No. 3; Alex. Broaditoot, Sea - forth No, 3; James 'Evans, Sesirtrtb No. 5; IRobt, Ferris, 'Blyth No. 1; Jas'.' Skold-ice, Walton Jilo. 4; John !Pepper, Iirucefield; 'Wii.lvam Knox, 'Londe -T- horough. Age abs—iJas, Watt, IB'lyth No. I; W- E. (Itin'oh'ley, ISoaforth; J. A, Murray, Seaforth No. 3; W. J, Yeo, C'fintc,a No., .3; R. 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