That Girl of Johnson's — page 107: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 THAT GIRL OF JOHNSON'S. CHAPTER XXI. ' WHILE THE FIRE LEAPED AND THE STORM ROARED. “T heard reyhter a strange story ower yander in ther town thes mornim’ when I went fer ther docters,”’ Tom Smith said, presently, setting down his mug of cider and wiping off his bearded lips with the back of his hand. The cider was strong, and he smacked his lips with satisfaction and tipped his chair back against the side of the fire-place.- ‘‘A strange story an’ reyther more’n I think Johnsing de- serves.” ‘He hev more’n he deserves now,” Sadler said, with a leer at Lodie. “But the story, Tom,” Jones interposed, to prevent fur- ther unpleasantness. “ Et’s jest ther night fer a story with - ther storm a-ragin’ an’ ther fire a-leapin’ like all possessed. Let’s hev et et once.” The empty mugs were set back on the table and the men drew their chairs in a closer circle in front of the fire with a faint show of interest on their sluggish faces. “Et’s ’bout Johnsing, of course,” Smith said, solemnly. “ Kt all ’pears ter be bout Johnsing. A shef’less, no ’count critter ennyhow.” “ Never mind ’bout thet,” Jones said, seeing Lodie turn his big black eyes from the fire to the face of the speaker. “ Johnsing is havin’ all he ken well carry’ thout our sayin’ hyard thengs ’bout hem. Let’s hev yer story, Tom.” “I ain’t meanin’ nothin’ hyard ’bout hem,” Smith pro- ~ tested, doggedly. “Yer knows, an’ wes all ken tell’t thet Johnsing is shef’less an’ no ’count. He kyan’t seem ter help et, but et’s true, an’ jest now there’s pretty hyard thengs ’gainst hem ower in ther town yander, special as he warn’t fer ther trial when he had a summons—” “How could he be on time fer ther trial?” Jones inter- comicbooks.com S ~~