The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-04
The Wise Women's Message.
BY WM. II. SIVITER.

dense forest an Old woman known as
Granny Brown. Often people spoke OF
her as the Wise Woman.
Her hut stood just out of sight of the
path trod by the charcoal burners as
they passed to their work in the morn
ing and to the village when day was
done. She lived a lonely life. Her
only companions We're her chickens
and her cats.
The people who lived in the forest
differed widely in their opinions about
Granny Brown. Some thought she
was good, for many a time she had
gone to cottages to nurse the sick child
rem. 1t was she who attended old Joe
Babbitt when he had some dreadful
disease that everybody else was afraid
of.
Others thought she must of necessi-
ty be wicked or she would not live
without human company, with no one
but cats and chickens to talk to. In
deed, whispered hints went round that
Granny Brown was witch.
Somebody believed that she possess
{, ed knowledge not given to all mortals'
I and that was why she was called the
Z Wise Woman. People were afraid of
her, and no one travelled the path near
her hut, especially after dark, without
hurrying by. One afternoon, as Gran
ny Brown was going through the for
est gathering up sticks for firewood'
she came upon man and little boy
sitting upon grassy bank.
The boy was pretty little fellow OF
about three years, and his father
would have been handsome man had
not trouble SPOILED his good looks. He
was actually crying when the Wise
Woman espied him, and the little boy
was trying to comfort him. AS she
came near he drew his coat sleeve
across his eyes to hide his tears.
Son. said the old woman, "why
do you weep?"
ooh Grannyu he replied; II wish
were dead"
ut is very wrong TO speak so, my
son. But tell me your trouble"
"It's all about my wife"
"Your wife ~
eyes; she does nothing but scold
from morning till night. Scold, scold,
scold. about anything and everything.
She never has a pleasant word for Ell
ther Freddy or me, and if it were not
for my dear little boy really think I
should put an end to myself"
You must not think Of such a
thing" commended the Wise Wo-
imam. "Tell your wife to come to my
home at sunset tomorrow. I have an
important message for her,"
Granny Brown then hobbled away,
and little Freddy and his papa went
home.
"Well, where have you two idlers
been all afternoon?" snapped the
mother, as soon rs she saw them.
."Now don't bring any mud in on your
feet! And Freddy, throw that flower
right away! 1 wont have the house
Uttered up with dead leaves. Now eat
your supper quick, for want to clear
away the things and go to the village
When supper was over the husband
said:
"The Wise Woman told me she had
a message for you, and that you must
90 ut sundown tomorrow to receive
it,"
II won't gom she exclaimed impa-
tiently.
''It is message of Importance, she
said"
Don't care what it is ~ she said.
II won't be ordered around by any
bodyn'
All that night and next day the
scold wondered what message Granny
Brown could have for her, and at last
her curiosity became so strong that she
decided to 60, so anxious was she to
hear it. She arrived when the sun
was still half an hour or more above
1.-The horizon. Tapping on the Wise
Woman's door, she listened for the in
vitation to enter.
Who is there" came from the in
side.
Mrs. White"
"You may enter the moment the sun
disappears"
1t seemed to the scold that the sun
was never before 50 slow in setting.
AS it neared the top of the little hill to
the west, her impatience became al
most unbearable. Would it never set.
At last the upper edge of the disc