People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1897 — IN THE HEAR OF THE HILLS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN THE HEAR OF THE HILLS.

By SHERVIN CODY.

■'‘CuP'teiCiMT. 1896. BY THE AUTHOR.

Exflanalory —Owing to a slight aceiuc this side of the paper, a large nutnber 1 installment of the story, with addition .I. pocrly printed copies. -Emcnn. •'Ob, Alec has conic EaekP’ cried > and Bessie together as they tan totneefa him, and Jim smiled a welcome. One little girl took one hand and the oth r the other hand, and they would have asked him innumerable questions, but something serious in his face s’tpppf d them. So they looked at him intently to see what the matter was. Ho said be had something to tell them if they would come into the parlor with him. Ho sat down in a chair by the front window and put an arm about each little girl as they stood on either side of him, while Jim stood with dignity directly in front of him, almost touching his knees. “What is it?” asked Flo impatiently. “Has anything happened?” “Yes,” said Alec. “Something sad has happened. ” “What is it?” asked Flo again, but the where were silent and i\ ariul. “ Your papa .hais gone to heaven. ” “Is he dead?” stifd Bessie, looking at Aloe with.great round eyes. “Yes, ho is dead!” answered Alec. There was silence, for a moment or two. Then Flo, with childish but innocent heartlessness, asked: “Is that all you had to tell us?” “Isn’t that enough?” answered Aleo solemnly," perhaps a little Shocked. “You Avon’t see ycur papa any more. He’s gene, and he won’t come buck again. Aren’t you sorry?” He looked up at J. l.i mid Saw great i tears in tho boy’s eyes. The little girls i looked up at him, too, and as they did ■ so the tears rolled •down his bravo i cheeks. Alec told Jim of the conversation with ’Lisbeth tlie night before and of their intention to keep on with the storo if possible. He gravely wood red if he ought not to stay out of school to help. But Alec thought-that if ho worked hard out of school hours that would be sufficient. It was a very gloomy household. Tho children tagged nbout. after ’Lisbeth, who had to watch hw baking and every now and .then ? •oivu some kind friend or neighbor v o had coi in to

help or to offer sympathy. of. tben: breupie ; and cakes, krmv. .••■3 that ’Li:;’;->sh. mw-sfr ba short with so many p; ~da to feed. The men c.-.me. tea. They could not Eave been kinder or mors solicitors. Mrs. Eiggins t:yd in her room, k:t there ra- : ••’•,••■■ I her friends, and gave Alec directions. She said that if it weren’t f ■? Alec she tfibught she -hould die. It was such a comfort that ho waa there. ’ Suppose he had never corro to AM-on <r Mr. Hlgginahadn’t hh-etWnm 1 V. but won id they have dona rm •? Botha was there, attending to everything, • and it was a great comic-..-. ' Tho next day was Sunday, and of course the house was crommi with people. Al;-c did not go to church, nor did | ’Lisbeth, and several of the neighbors staid over at the tavern durm; the service. Then, when it was Cd: bed, many new faces appeared, : rsuns who bad ■ hot . heard the news till they came to church, or else had net before been able .to cod. a and offer their symp:..hy. It ! was a hard, trying day, and at night ; Alec was nearly ready to drop for weu- - rincss. * . Gectge bad brought the coffin the day ■ before, and all that was left of Joo Eig- ■ gins had been placed in it. The coffin was a shiny black walnut veneer, and had an engraved silver plate on top, and there were six silver handles, tbrqe ion each side. Some thought two would have been enough, but others agreed that Joe Higgins deserved three. . The next morning the sexton might be heard digging the grave in the cemetery over across the open square. He worked away at it all the morning, and it was not finished till near 3 o'clock. Tho funeral was to be at 8, and even ’ey noon the house'was filled with people. Mrs. Higgins was up and dressed in mourning, for which ’Lisbeth had sent to Pentonville by George, and which with her own hands she had sewed and fitted that Monday morning. She a’.-.-o had her own black dress to trim with crape, and to fix the children. The neighbors assisted her, however, and by noon all was ready. Six pallbearers had been selected from the most respected men of the village, i Jonathan Finchley was one. They came early and stood near the coffin, Meh 1 had been placed in the middle of the parlor, with flowers over it, which j .neighbors had brought from their own •' houses or friends from a distance had sent. They were mostly white—pinks, I

1 to our press last week while-running ■ ■ bidly printed We reprint last week’s; for the benefit of those who received everlastings, tea roses rrom notnouses. a ' little before 3 the minister came. Of course he had been there before to comfort the widow and the fatherless. After a short service in the house the body was carried to the church, where more people were waiting. . The last rites were read, and tho friends filed up the long aisle and past the coffin to take the last look at the dead. Alec followed respectfully and at a distance. He felt himself a stranger, for these people looked on him as an outsider, a “hired man.” They had, known Joe Higgins for 50 years, from the time he w;w a baby in arms. This was a newcomer, and it was impossible t to bo intimate with him. ■ ’Lisbeth and Mrs. Higgins stood by the grave, each bolding tho hand of a little girl, with Jim near them, as the I clergyman said, “Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.” Theii tho soil was shoveled in, ■ and it was all over. They walked back, i Aleo r■: 'uteifti!ly fc owing behind. ! Kind sympathisers stiil condoled with them, but most of tho company hurri d away how that all was finished, whipping up their horses with spirit as they drove away.

The friends from a distance returned to the boute arid ’Lisbeth prepared supper for them, and then one by one they drove away. By 10 o’clock Alec, Mrs, Higgins, ’Lisbeth and tho children were left alone in the parlor, CHAPTER XVIII. ALSU RECEIVES A CALL FROM JONATHAN FINCHLEY. Mrs. Higgins was so tired she couldn’t cry any more. ’Lisbeth’s face was hollow and distressed. So' it was all over. Ou the morrow a now life must begin for Alec, with new refijruLteibilities. First the accounts of the store mus t be looked into, and legal furmalatii ■, which ho did not understand, goijo through with. The sr;i was already shining brightly wh .n Al ••. < ambered down the stairs the next m oing, but the hou. seemed to have a rl’ i.ed .stillness. Not even ’Lisbeth v.r.s u ■ yet. Ho we: t through tl;o famUii ;..Mg room, the/neverthe--1; had n .p. eb.. aged air al. nt it, out into the storo. The blinds w- re tightly ftehsned over'tho windows and the outer door.-, like store had a slightly chilly atr.’ ...phert, i.i. 1 .'l./re was • a close odor winch, iu Ai.te’s i.iucy, had a connection wi.hthogr . Joe Higgi;. was d noVer ;>• in would sit ca the old i: 1 lee end ar.? the boys, or lie ra full L.tegihupon l’ : ”u::ter, li; i iia.i o Ute day’s gossip. .i;l there was no master now, v.iwso juCiaaeht■ fcbuld L asked, OB white’ III’: . ...lility should st. ? ecroeue.:; ■ : uter door, t< k down the Llhtels and itb energy fell o ewr ep« i/y liocr 1 ■ bad been . dstoujed to do. But". i;ci that was do. , helook-e-i •.-.hbut <;" . ' how little tkn. .v of the ■. y!o Li?. ■‘! i ? affai’.;.. ,’h: : the si?.wds low, . Ir. Ito-te. ■ . ordered io re, but cf wb on, or hov.', < / What he paid, Ab o had never known. The soiling, V’. i.'teo all the toWnsp plo were (/'-UM • M bay wk. u in need, v i?-o'.’ >-.■•;/.? i.f much less importance k ■; thfe 1 ..' g. But xvas his c’i’Aice. hl: del<.i ..'limed then aud-there '■ ■■ w ’■■■ ’I ■ 1 ... >;?•, !l / ■ 'fh > I.regime was ctel/d and a now oi-0 i. L-...,1ii. Thu Looki must b$ overbaah’d, an executor unpohiicd— Cte.i:’ .? .' tavftcn, Aleo decided —and the tow.-;,.; -. yl?. must I eshown at once that the st.re would be carried on with renewc i .viger. Ho k-psiag neg! ?et should enco;: ..r\ uan ii. c-ldpor to art a new Steicaud run*, tbo business value of this, C;i t; j siiccess of which so much depended. - ,ir:?..ue time past he had heard ’Lisbeth in the kitchen getting '/'oakfast as u . It wr - ;• comfort t - think that she e alii alwUy.! bo: - depends; i on. There weal I be no moments of di .bacted w< ■ i.ii'Srs in her, and Alee determined that there should bo none in himself. ’Lisbeth should be appointed postmistr? as she was now the azsistant, and t’ r-1 •< uld bo hired to help her with tl ■> :-.hen work. Ho would ♦insert an advertisement that very day in the Pavoi’ian ’Gazette. " About 7 o’clock ’Lisbeth camo to the deer and eaid meehaniOaliy: “Breakfast is ready. ” She bud reen weeping, and her eyes were still filled wi'ih tears. But as she looked about the store her face brightened with the perception of Alc-c’s faitli■fuhiess. She said nothing, but stood looking about, for a moment; till Alec was.by her side, waiting to go through the door. Mr. Higgins had always left the stere without attendance during ! breakfast, and though Alec had some doubts as tt» the wisdom of it he followed the old custom this r.jcrnii g. Ho thought'l?h;.t when they Ind a servant she could stay in the store. That she would expect to sit at tho table with the rest of the family never entered -his : mind. Mrs. Higgins did not appear, but as Alec and ’Lisbeth entered lie dining room the children came clatter-in*down the stairs. When breakfast was nearly flushed, Mrs. Higgins came, but her i • ■ ■ i>r was so Solemn that the children w> frightened, r.nd no one spoke a wor “What do you intend to <1 ith the store?” asked Aleo at leno open the conversation,

“Oh, don't asK me," responded Mrs. Higgins in a weeping voice. “You and ’Lisbeth can do whatever seems best.” “I suppose there ought to be come law proceedings?” said ’Lisbeth in an inquiring tone to Alec. “I don’t know anything about such things.” “Shall I ask George Marston to do whatever is necessary r- aeoea Aiee, auu Mrs. Higgins immediately responded: “Giu yes; ask George. He will do anything, and I’d rather have George than any one else.” Wi. n Alec left the table, he went out to the blacksmith shop. George was at work on a wagon wheel “Fine morning,” said George. “Come in and have a seat.” “I wanted to speak to you a moment if I could,” said Aleo. George responded, “Certainly,” and immediately led him' up stairs, where they could be in private. The little rough garret was filled with boards and iron rods and various carpenter’s tools. “Sit down,” said George, pointing to a tool chest, while he took his place on a low box. He was much more at his ease here within his own domain than Alec had ever seen him at the store or on the expedition to the mountains, and this difference in manner disconcerted him a little at the beginning. But as George sat silent, waiting for him, he managed to speak. “I wanted to see if you would be willing to attend to the legal proceedings necessary over at the store?” “What are they going to do with the store?” inquired George, looking sharply at Alec, and Alec felt George wished to know what he intended to do himself. “I think we’d better keep it on if we can. 1 thought we might freshen the business up a little, and ’Lisbeth and I could carry t hings on for awhile. Don’t you think so?” George accepted tho post of legal advisor and said he would go down to Pavonia that afternoon and see what steps were to be taken. Before he went bo would drop in to see Mrs. Higgins and ’Lisbeth. There was much curiosity in tho neighborhood as to what would take place now that Joe Higgins was dead. Alec was at cnco recognized as an important factor in the affair. Some wondered if he might not marry ’Lisbeth and settle down there. Others suggested that he would buy out Mrs. Higgins and i iarvy some one, any one, not necessarily ’Lisbeth. Alec spent the day in the store looking over books and papers and trying i to think what should he done. But 1 about 3 o'clock in the afternoon he had a special visitor, no other than Jon- . athaxi Finchley. Mr. Finchley came in ! and asked for a piece of tobacco. When ' ho had received it, he cut some up, rolled it in his hand and put it into hit; pipe. Then ho asked for a match and began io smoke. He was very do- . liberate, and Aleo stood respectfully, i waiting for him. ! “Ba yon goin to run the store?” asked Mr. Find-ley after a time. Alec -hesitated, for he was far from ; sure Whether the idea of his managing the store would be received with favor ■' or not.

“Nothing has been settled yot, ” hs answered after an embarrassing' pause. “But you have an idee you may be put on. to manage, ain’t you?” Mr. Fir ’< I; y took a scat on the top of ■ a barrel, and bis xnansae assured Alec, who stood behind tho comder, that the-' old gentleman had something serious on ; his mind. “I may say,” Mr. Finchley went on ■ after a time, “that some of us old ones : was Ihinkin abort puttin in another store here. Joe Higgins v.a3 a.good sort • in hi':; way, but he ain’t run things exact;;:'to riyif . or >■.' >.;ee of some’ otl.c.s, and we cal’lat-y ■;> put in a new store here, just to emartia things up a bit in town. “But what I craa, to say was' that if you bo goin to t:s:e holt and run things here in a smart way, go’s to do credit t’o 1 the town, you 'know, why I, for one, ■ would be agin a new store, and I reckon ’ nobody else would do if I backed out.” Ifq paused, glanced at Alec, and ob-J served that the ypuuj’inan was looking i at him in astopishnumt. “I reckon you know more about run- 1 nin a store than about mewim” said ! Jonathan, dropping his eyes and chuckling to himself. “I ain’t nothin against yon on that account.” be went on after.' another pause, but without looking up at Alee. ■ Vy. ; J The young man felt that he must say , something,, though Jonathan Finchley I smoked on ns if iso ware in no hurry. I “It world kill the business if another ■ store were started,” Alec said at last. “Exactly,” remarked Jonathan, puffing with vigor. “I think the store might be managed so that it would satisfy all parties,” Also went oft. “Itcud,” said Jonathan briefly. “And if I stay here I shall do all I can to make it a success.” “I hev an idee yoheud do it. ” “1 haven’t any idea what Mrs. Higgins and —and—-’Lisbeth would do if I didn’t stay,” he also said. Jonathan winked at the mention of ’Lisbeth and said ho reckoned they’d ' have a bard time of it yrithout him. “Don’t you bo bashful, young men. You just go in, and I’ll bet 20 dr . bills on you all the way around.” Ho rose from his seat, brushed sawdust from the r :it of his trouper ■' lot them down for comfort, knocked : -w ‘ ashes out of his pipe and said . “Got any cornmeal?” ; Jonathan Finch! y had never i: • • ht cornmeal at the Here before, • a little meditation r bowed Alec t • :uii . meaning of this last significant « : -y’ | Alec said they had, and Joriatba :k a l*ag, which he helped Alec to .'•-or.- ' into the back of his light Conco.• on. -Ha climbed up to the seat, .; brusque “Good day I” and drove ;■ ...ay. Alee stood on the veranda st • till he was cut of si. ’:t,-and then r< .rued to the store in a state of the great ■.. st excitement. Going straight to the back door be said: “’Lisbeth, what do you suppose?

Jonathan a tncrney nas oeen nere auu bought a bag of meat ” “I’ve heard that he and some other men were going to start a new store,*’ she said. . “Yes,” said Alec, “he came in to tell me he intended to back out, and he traeesed it wouldn’t be started.” U Jonathan hmcmey was going so stand by them, that meant the town would be on their side. Both Alec and ’Lisbeth had had some doubts as to whether they would be considered old enough for such a responsible post. Alec had more confidence than ’Lisbeth by far, for she knew the way of country village publics, who have very decided ideas on matters within their own control, and this obviously was one. But if Jonathan Finchley was for them the others would have tocome around. The next question was how the finances stood. If Mr. Higgins had left no capital, it would be hard work to restock the store as Aleo wished to do. But he did not think of any such possibility as this, or if he did think of it he brushed it quickly away. Matters must be looked into as soon as possible in order that they might make a beginning of the new regime at once. He wanted to send an advertisement to the Pavonian Gazette for a servant girl, but ’Lisbeth refused to allow that till matters were settled and they knew where they stood. “Perhaps there won’t be any money to pay the girl, ’ ’ she said, but Aleo said: “Then we’ll make some.” ’Lisbeth smiled and said they’d see. She kept steadily at her work, and Aleo wondered what she was thinking. He felt sure she must be formulating some plan, George Marston started for Pavonia by the stage that afternoon and would not return till the day after the next. In the meantime Alec would havo to wait in patience, but be kept thinking over that visit of Jonathan Finchley and the purchase of the bag of meal so strangely significant. CHAPTER XIX A FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION AND A DEPUTATION OF LADIES. As Alec thought aboujXSe advertisement and an ’Lisbeth, it flashed acyooe-- h re-mind one day that hero waZa chance for Maud. It had troubkm him to think that such a good girllfshould lead such a confined life, and that, too, at the hands of her mother. But would her mother let her go? Or would she come without her mother’s consent? What penalty had been visited on her for that visit of his which he i still recalled with peculiar pleasure. He I had kept the dollar bill as a sort of re-! memhrance of her, and now ho waa in-; clined to think he had hurt her feelings • by returning it in the first place. He i should have found some moro delicate way. In his delight at the idea he had con-' cei ved he wanted to write to her at once and ask her if she would come. But ho decided to wait until things were more 1 settled in relation to the financial stand-, ing of the store. ’Lisbeth' r take ! any step- whatever until tho books were■ examined and they knew just where they J stood. Aloe was impatient with her and scolded her a little, but she remained stolidly obstinate. In his mind he laid out his career. He would work hard in the store this win-; ter and get the trade that now. went to j neighboring towns and villages. With j the’money caved he would improve the ' tavern and provide suitable accommoda- i tioijs for suminer L< ard. •Perhaps ; .some time a great hotel might stand on j the spot of this old store. ' ■ ' George camo over the next evening I and reported the results of his visit to Pavonia.’ Ho said it would tako.several .weeks for the probate court to move, and ho brought forms for ’Lisbeth and Mrs. Higgins to sign, petitioning for the appointment of himself as executor. He thought there v. : aid bo no trouble, however, and he advised that Mr. Higgins’ ! books and powers be thoroughly examined at cnee., and after that the business be carried on as seemed best, with- : out waiting for legal formalities. What- ; over was done could bo legalized after-1 ward. ’Lisbeth- agreed that an immediate i examination of the condition of affairs j was the first great thing; for sho want- j ed io know just how much or little I mom v there was. If there was little, i .she n’t want to waste any of it by ■ ■’spending it at first as if it were much, ' aud if there was more than they expect- j ed it would be a relief to. her mind at ■ lea |o ( know it. The next morning George Marston came over early, and Alec shut the front door, pinning up a half sheet of note paper, .with the words written: “Clpsed * for examination. Open 12 to 1.” The: opening of an hour was for tho mail. ’Li.-.beth decided to serve, the family with cold meals and give her whole attention to this business. All tho books of the store were spread out on the i counter,"and ’Lisbeth brought the little tin trunk that held Mr. "Higgins’ most private papers. The old deal_ desk he wrote on, which was built upon the end of the counter next the postoffice boxes, was emptied of its contents, a most mis- i cellaueous mass of papers, and then the ’ work of sorting, calculating and.reckoning up went on busily. They found a deed of some land in Dakota that might or might not be valuable, but it proved ■ to be mortgaged for nearly as much as it cost. There was a deed of the lot in the cemetery where the owner now lay buried, and that was all the real estate ; he seemed tp possess. There was a record of !? 100 deposited in a savings bank ’ in the name of ’Lisbeth, which he had evidently provided for the emergency of , his death. Thea there was ,the store’ bu ■mess. Mr.TJiggfnS had kept a small bank account, and there seemed to be a ; little over SIOO now on deposit, but nearly the whole of it was owing to the wholesale dealers from whom ho bought his stock. There was a mass of bad * debts owing from the country people for ; groceries sold on account, but George i Marston knew very few collections could : be niade. The quarter’s rent of S4O was j overdue, and -the only provision for its

payment seemed to oe tn® aeposit w me savings bank. Evidently all that was left to the family was the depleted stock of the store and the good will of the business, which might together be reclioned at S3OO perhaps. But half that sum ought to be spent at once to put the business in good shape. Tho accounts showed that it had paid S7OO to SI,OOO a year net profit. They did not finish the examination till late that night,’ but for some hours the approximate outcome was apparent. About 9 o’clock George Marston, after • whispering to Alec that he was willing to advance SIOO if ’Lisbeth would accept it, went home on foot with scarce'ly any other goodby. Aleo was disapi pointed, for ha fancied he saw all his j dreams' fading. Certainly his plans I would have to be readjusted. ’Lisbeth was simply stolid, and said it was about i what she expected. After George was gone she left the store, and Alec shut up the blinds and locked the outer door. When he came into the diningroom, she took up a small oil lamp and said she was going to bed. ’Lisbeth had told Mrs. Higgins the result and she had already gone, muttering to herself that Joe never was a good manager. The next morning after breakfast Alec decided that the-first thing that ought to be done was to circulate a petition ad? dressed to the postmaster general, asking for. the appointment of ’Lisbeth as postmistress. He told ’Lisbeth what he was going to do and asked her to look ' after the store while he took it around to various influential persons. The first man he went to was Jonathan Finchley, who grumbled at being asked to sign a petition against his own political party. • 3K “But ’Lisbeth is strictly nonpartisan, ” said Alec. “I suppose we’ll have to say so, ” he answered. “If my conscience rebukes mo_for the act, J’ll say thpt. ” Of course all the members of Mr. 8 Higgins’ political party signed readily enoegh, and a number of the opposite'/party signed because Mr. Finchley had. When all the names were secured, he would send it with a letter to the senator who knew Mr. Higgins personally and got his appointment before, and ’Lisbeth’s appointment would be a certainty, though there would doubtless be’ : a month’s delay. But while Alec was attending to this matter Mrs. Higgins and ’Lisbeth were receiving a deputation of tedies, members of the Women's Temperance Alliance. It was notorious that Joe Higgins : had always kept a stock of cidar and ! whisky and bear, though it was entirely against tho law. He said it was for city visitors, but the cider was certainly con- •. sumed by the townspeople. Theja had been much talk about the matter. The minister had come to argue with him, • and some of the deacons too. The ladies of - the Women’s Temperance alliance had visited him moro than once, and collectively and individually scolded him for hoars together. But it.was his . custom to bring out a glass of cider or a ' bottle of beer and offer it all around, of j| course to be indignantly refused, and’4j then to drink it himself in their pres- .J

eneo, delivering as be did so a long and humorobs argument in favor of alcoholic drinks. So they went away in despair and disgust. Ox course they might have summoned the law against him, but he Lud shown all of them too many generous favors for them to do that. ' But now the ladies had their chance. They knocked at the front door of the tavern, and Mrs. Higgins received them. ; She gave them a cordial w.elcome, but , was somewhat overcome with dismay when the six. filed in. She showed into the parlor, and they took chairs about the room in prim dignity. MrsJ Higgins was overcome, and remained J silent. Miss Mary Ferguson, a maiden ■ lady of CO, who devoted herself to managing town affairs as much as she was permitted, was spokesman, and began :-/g “Mis’ Higgins, we -come to express cur deep sympathy for your loss. He had ins good qualities, and was a gen.’? rous hearted man. - Nobody_ever said he wan’t. We hope you bear up under the grief as well as could be expected. ” “Yes, Joe was a good man, and as\ kind to his family as there ever was, ” ; replied Mrs. Higgins, melting in tears.,- j “But he had his shortcomin’s,” said Miss Ferguson promptly as soon as she 1 saw the tears. ‘‘ We all have, ’’ assented Mrs. Higgins,' checking her tears, for she perceived thaijhey were coming to the heart of the mystery. “And one of them,” went on the good latly, “was feedin the devil in his own lair. “You can’t deny, Mis’ Higgins, that he did that most scandalous.” “I won’t hear nothin agin Joe,” protested his spouse, weeping afresh, j ? “You can’t deny that he made drunkards,” went on Miss Ferguson, a little maliciously. “You know, Mis’ Higgins, we did. everything we could to stop him, and he wouldn’t stop a bit,” put in a very ; fat matron at her right. “He drunk a glass, of cider right in my face one time and I sh’ld think you’d be so 'shamed of : it you wouldn’t know, what to do. You was always a cnurchgoin woman, even i" after you merried him. ” ’.j ? t (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Digging the grave in the cemetery

The work of sorting, calculating and reckoning up went on busily.