New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-22
THE DIXIE.
THE AIrrunR MAKES AZ CALL

snufing like a child who Is getting ready to have
| good cry. stood on the doorstep For a wonder
Orlando stood by in perfect quetness his ears were
prickcd up and he looking at me as II asking
II thought that person would really cry after all
glanced through the netting / saw 'zlas standing
| at a table before a pan of peas. He almost
covered by long calico tire" His face was snarled
| and twisted, and his under lip was hanging loose
and trembling he was Smelling peas in slow,
| pcrfunctory fashion.
| Before Knocked I looked at the mother had
never before any face such an expression OF
| determined endurance It was set and hard, but
set and hard only that the owner might Keep her
| grip her sanity and her duty. II she softcned
In degree she dared not meet the result. In
| that moment knew it was the look which her face
wore when she was at homo; tho look which had
grown with thirty years OF the life she had lived
since her husband, who bad been awfully in love
with herr had been brought to her dead. And there
her only child, standing with towering, mbeco
head, opposite her, and only keeping at his task
because she watched him. She was kneadng dough
on cake board' laid the table
Zlas,' she said, II you're goin' to cry bout It,
I'd know what shall do! II could rake after
with ye, 'twould DO different, but ye know l must
do that washin' N ironin'."
Then / knocked, and Orlando barked
'Zias Immediately stopped whimpering, In HIS eager
ness to know who had come. Mar Baker took her
hands from tho dough- spatted them violently to-
gethcr to shake off the flour, and came toward tho
door; she followed by her son, who had absently
seized a handful Of sheled peas he started, and
who as absently dropped them on the floor when he
saw me.
ats hard ter git this screen open and shet,'
said Mrs. Baker after she had greeted mo, that
shn have ter ask ye to go round 10 the back door,
When l reached the back door she was there, with
the head of ozas rising high behind her She was
holding the door open few inches and saying that,
II hadn't objections, she guessed she'd let the
dog stay outside She always was kinder 'fraid er
mad dogs somehow. I Indignantly assured her that
Orlando was not mad, but that he could stay out
side She now put back the door just far enough
fer me to squeeze in, which did hurredly, lest
Orlando might come too. He did make the attempt
and at the same time 'zias flung handful Of pea
pods at him.
When was safely In the bit Of a room, Mar Baker
said she had noticed that folks always did say their
dogs want mad but she never yet but
what was lest as liable as could be to mad any
minute. For her part she liked dogs but sho liked
'em in their places, and wouldn't set DOWN.
sat down, and she resumed her bread moulding
'Zias taking advantage Of the presence OF VISITOR
did not go with his work, but stood up his head
Just grazing the ceiling, his arms akmbo, looking at
me- Before I could think how to begin my GRAND
the idjit broke out
al say now, mar, guess she's come ter git me
ter rake after. You'll let go. wont yer9
The small woman bent her head lower over her
dough. l said did come about the haying, but that
there any need to rake after until they began
to cock up the hay at night and also when they put
It on the cart for the barn.
But oughter be on the dixie so to be ready; mar I
MARI with this cry the tall being again began to
mako signs of crying.
Scarcely knowing what I did, I rose and walked
to the window l looked out the wide fats in
silence. In summer and winter Mar Baker had the
flats to look at from her house; and Within no live
creature but her boy That was what she knew OF
life that and the ccasng struggle not to be
a pauper, for shc remembered what her husDand
used to think of paupers.'
AS stood there l felt slight touch on my arm
Looking hastily round and down, saw Mrs. Baker
close to
She glanced out and said aloud, Should MT wonder
~ Won got shower on yer grass fore night then in
a hasty whisper, faint safe for him. say you don't
want him.
AS she went back to the table 'Zas forward.
His small nature was capable of being suspicious.
Mar, what We whlsp'rin' about!' he asked whin-
ingly.
aDon't be- silly 'zlas amt whisp'rln' answered
his mother promptly.
He turned to and began to laugh little as
he asked how much I would give him an hour for
rakn' after, and he added Immediately naI ho suesSou
he liked lemon ice-cream bouts Wells any.
al came over to say l thought l would put you
on some other Job made answer wondering what
on earth the other Job would be.
The mother glanced gratefully at me, but the vapld
face of the son cloudcd over
"Td ruther rake after" he said, specially IL
there's a merchine somewhere's round.'
'ZIas n said Mrs. Baker severely, aud the long
form shrank back and seemed to double up.