The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-24
half the stories told bout him was true.
He had terrible temper, an was as sot

half the stories told bout him was true
He had terrible temper, an was as sol
in his way as q mule. Everybody sale
if Mis- Tracy hadn't been one of the
peaceablest creturs alive she never coulc
have got along with him. But as twas
she didn't have no trouble, or, if she
did, nobody heard ont.
"TEcy had one son. Norman Tracy
was liked by everybody in the village
great an small. He was 80 brave al
generous, an had sich pleasant an win
MIN ways! Both the squire an. Mis-
Tracy sot their life by him, though they
had different ways of shown it, an
'twa'n't no wonder, nuther.
"Mis' Tracy hadn't no girls of hel
own, an she tuck fancy tew Jenny
when she was leetle bit of thing
She used tew often have Ter up tew hel
house tew spend the day or AFTERNOON
an was alters takin' notice on her when.
ever they met, though she was 80 modest
an retirin' that it didn't seem to set hel
up none. as it would most girls.
Jenny was alters handy with her
needle, an tuck naturally to all kinds Of
fancy work; an when she was growed
up, Mis- Tracy used tew have her tew
her house weeks to time sc win fur her
Sometimes she would 60 home nights
and sometimes she W )uldn't, jest as il
happened.
He had been tew college. He had growed
an altered wonderful, but he had the
same handsome face an merry, winnin
ways.
Norman was alters great mothers
boy, an. as Jenny was sewin' fur Mis-
Tracy all the time Jest then, him an hel
was naturally throwed good dea- ssew'
gether.
Il had married an settled down in q
home of nv own. But John an me was
ambitious tew git ahead. We hadn
paid fur our place, ans l used tew dew
odd jobs at the house fur Mis- Tracy,
ironin' an clear-starchin' her muslins.
She was pertic'ler bout sich, an alters
said suited her tew 7. So was in
an out the house considerable.
"Mis' Tracy used the room opcnin
out of her'n, an which used tew be the
nursery, tur a sewin'-room. Tew my
mind twas the pleasantest one in the
house; the winders was low, loekin
out upon the garden, that was full ol
| flowers an shrubbery.
ut was warm weather, an the door
was open intew the hall, an used tew
often see Norman in there mornin's,
either talkin', in his pleasant way, OF
readin' aloud tew his mother, out OF
some book Of po'try. He had a beauti-
full voice, an liked the sound of it,
tho couldn't make no sense ont.
Jenny alters sot by the winder.
sewin', an remember. as if twas only
Yesterday, how pretty she looked. the
color a-comin' an goip' in her cheeks,
an her dowrcast eyes shinin' through
the long lashes. An l remember how
he looked at her. an' how gentle his
voice was when he spoke tew her. An
I minded that they used tew often be in
the garden an down by the river tew-
gether.
"I've often wondered sence what his
mother could be thinkin' on. But she
seemed tew think that Norman was the
boy that he was when they used tew
play tewgether, an then Jenny was SO
still an quiet, that she.didn't have no
suspicious rs to what was comm.
Il was sorter Uneasy myself some
times, when l see how Norman con-
tinued tew be alters where Jenny was
an she seemed no ways averse to it
fur knowed that the squire would
never consent tew his marryin' Tom
/ Locke's darter, an Mis- Tracy, fond as
! she was of Jenny, would never think
/ her fit wife fur him.
Il don't know how it came out, but
the squire seed or heard suthin' which
reused his suspicious. want there
! :,nd want sorry, nuther. Them that
was, said that he ript an raved fit tew
take the roof off. TT e upshot ont WAS,
that Norman went off tew furrin parts,
an Jenny was sent home mighty sud-
ding.
Sammy was only few weeks old,
then, an kept me tew home pooty close,
so / didn't see nothin' of Jenny 'cept
tew meetin', an then Ter pale, sad face
went right tew my heart. But thought
it was from grievin' arter Norman, an
that arter spell she'd get over it,
"Arter while, some Ugly stories got
afloat. was mad enough when they
was fust told me, for I didn't believe
one word ont. But Imade up my mind
that I'd see Jenny, an have talk with
her. But more'n a week passed, an
somehow didn't git started suthin' or
ruther happened every day tew pre-
vent.
Zone cold, stormy evenin' in Decem-
ber-I sha'nt never forgit it the longest
day l live-I was sittin' alone by the
fire. a-knittin'-husband had gone down
intew the milk-suller for suthin'-when
I heard tap at the door.
II opened it, an there stood Jenny,
with nothin' round her but a thin
shawl, an her face as white as the snow
at her feet.
"Fur the lands sake!' says l, as 1
pulled her in tew the fire, what brung
you out such night as this?'
Twice she tried to speak, but her
voice ended in sob, rubin her hands
all the time, which were list like ice.
Then she said:
"Polly, I haint nowhere to 60. an
no friend but you!-tather's turned me
out of doors!"
"Then she fell tew the floor in dead
faint.
Il hollered tew yer uncle, an be-
twixt us both we got her ontew the bed
in my bedroom. Then l built rousin'
fire. while he went fur the doctor.
Jenny was dretful sick all night, an
all the next day. When the wust was
over, she didn't seem tew rally. 1t
almost seemed as if she was goin' tew
die from pure WEAKNESS and disgust Of
life. Arter tryin' everything else l
could think on, I put her baby in her
arms-as fine boy rs I ever laid eyes
Oh. She kissed it, an from that mo-
ment began tew git better.
"Her folks didn't none on 'em come
nigh her, an husband an me both said
she could have q home with us as long
as she was mind tew stay.
"Sich commotion as it made in Bar
berry Green never see yit! The folks
in the village made all sorts of errands
pto come in, SOS tew see Jenny Locke's
child :,
"a body would ha' thought thatshe'd
sunk tew the floor with shame, tew
meet all them pryin', curious eyes; she
was alters sich a sensitive thing, color
ing tew the ears if man looked at her
harder than common. But she didn't
seem tew mind it one speck. but sot like
! , ,,,,rblo ototoo an q lrn ost ae white