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er whiz nigh while I watered the nags yesterday evening. It all happens along towards dark." "This is horrible," I said. "Yes, it's low-down. Folks ought to fight in the open if they got any fighting to do." "Is Richard staying with you?" "Day and night. I allow he's setting with the babe this minute. All I'm afeared of is that they will shoot him in place of me. But we keep all the windows blanketed and chinks stopped of a night." XXII THE EECH, AND TRAGEDY _Thursday._ Ever since Philip's return he has been scratching himself in the most annoying manner. Before I started for the hospital to-night, he came into my room, clawing viciously at his ankles. "Gimme something for the eech," he said. "For what?" I asked. "For the eech,--I knowed I'd ketch it when I seed Dewey Lovel pawing round so them nights I spent with him." "Do you mean the itch?" I inquired, sharply. "No, I mean the eech,--the seven-year-eech I reckon this is, by the way it feels." "I have no idea what to do for such a disease as the itch!" I replied, helplessly. Philip danced on one foot, clawing his arms now. "'Itch',--listen at that now, boys,--she calls the eech the itch,--don't know no better,--ha! ha!" "What do people do for it?" I asked. "Some rubs on lard-and-sulphur; and some axle-grease." "I'll ask the nurse for medicine,--go along now, please,--_don't_ stand so near me!" "Get enough for three," was his parting remark, "Taulbee and Hose is beginning to scratch too!" Yes, get enough for a dozen, he had better say! _Saturday, P. M._ This afternoon bows and spikes (arrows) became violently the fashion. All the boys went up the mountain side to get hickory limbs for bows, and arrowwood for "spikes". But from Geordie alone can be bought the horse-shoe nails (Hosea's before popgun time) which, when hammered flat at the head, shaped around a nail, and then fitted on the end of a spike, make a truly dangerous and desirable weapon. These nails are held at five cents apiece; but when the buyer has no money, as usually happens, the set of marbles received in his Christmas stocking is acceptable. As Keats says, what good are "marvles" anyway, with the ground either snow or slush all the time? _Sunday Morning._ My fears are verified. Every boy on the place is scratching; and I too have an irresistible impulse in that direction. _Sunday Night._ All my family in quar
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