Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-13
CHAPTER II.

| VIAL IL.
The next farm to that of Mrs Hance belonged
| to Squire Pusley. a widower, who was consid-
| cred well off as farmers go. He was a mean
sort of q man, but honest 4 not unusual COM
bination. and he held 4 mortgage on Mrs
Hence's farm, for her husband lived better
than farmers are apt 20 live, and IL cost MIN a
good deal to do ii. Believing that he would be
able to pay it back without difficulty, he Dor
rowed money of Squire Pusley and gave him
mortgage the farm. An attack of pneu-
monia carried him off in his early prime. SO
that he really lef: inheritance of debt to his
wife. She was plucky woman and good
farmer, and given time, Squire Pusley would be
paid.
But the squire was not anxious for his pr4nci-
pal so long as his interest was paid regularly.
for he enjoyed the privilege OF calling for it
himself. Mrs Haace had never given the
squire much encouragement to call. so these
semi-annual occasions were the only ones that
found him in the little front parlor of the
widow far m house. He was the opposite of
the late Mr.. Hance in every way. in character
as well appearance. and he knew it. but as
their farms adjoined each other he thought it
would be good thing to marry the widow and
throw them into one.
One pleasant evening early in the summer
when the hOnevsuckles that clustered at the
front of the house were sending their sweetest
perfume through the open window into the
little parlOr, Mrs. Hance Squire Pusley
coming gaily up the path--as Sailv. that is az
his age and labor-stiffened Joints would allow
She noticed that ne was in gala-tlay attire and
that there was actually bit OF lilac in his but
ton hole. Nothing could be further apart than
flowers and Squire Paisley. and Mrs. Hance said
this to herself 10 she saw him approach. His
were mean features and his expression robbed
them OF none of their meanness.
Il knew this was collection day, SQUIRE"
said Mrs. Hance, ushering him into the parlor
land am ready for You. Here's your inter-
est. and she drew an envelope with the money
in it from her pocket and handed it to the
caller. The squire took it in his horny fingers
and opening the envelope counted it carefully
and then wrote q receipt and handed it to the
widow. who stood waiting for him to take his
leave. But he was in no hurry.
Mis- Hance." said he, lit want only the in
terest money that brought me over here this
evenin'. Ii was sumthin' else. Can't You guess
what! said he, trying to look sentimental but
succeeding so badly that Mrs. Hance exclaimed:
Yes, 1 know. That meadow fence is down
again and my pigs have got into your clover.
Amzi was TOO busy with the hay to do anything
with the fence today, but he will put it up the
first thing in the morning"
No. Mis- Hance, TWAIN tina THAT brought me
here this evenin': I'm a plain-spoken man, Mis-
Hance, an don't go round the long road when
/ can cut cross lots. You're a widder an I'm
widdewer, our lan's jine. Why shouldn't our
hans jine!'
Squire Pusiey had been preparing this speech
for long time and he ratified it off very glibly.
Mrs. Hance was not prepared, however, and
she stared in stolid amazement at the old man
At last she said
Il think there must be some mistake, Squire
Pusley. do not understand YOU"
My meanin : plain enough" said the squire
rather tartly, for her manner was not encOur-
aging. Will you marry me! That's the plain
English of it,
10 be equally plain, Squire Pusley, will
not; and am surprised that you dare ask me
such question:
surprised at gitten SIGH a good offer. 1
guess, replied the squire ho,ly. I'D make
yer much better husban' than Joe Hance did,
for wouldn't leave yer with mortgage on yer
farm"
Squire Pusley if YOU say one word against
my dead husband 1 IL have you thrown into the
road. said the indignant woman, her ewes
fairly swapping with anger. She had hardly
spoken when the voice of AMI came through
the window clearly and distinctly:
I'm agoin' to turn the old hog out, Mis-
Hance."
Then there was silence for moment during
| which Squire Pusley face became purple with
rage, while that of Mrs. Hance took on mingled
expressions of amusement and surprise.
'You called your hired Niger in to insul.
me. did you! said the squire. "A fine lady
you are. But II make you pay for this. Abb
gall Hance. and shaking his fist almost in her
face the irate squire left the house and shuffied
down the path "a fast as he could, closing the
gate behind him with bang that almost broke
| the hinges Mrs. Hance watched him until he
disappeared; then she looked around the room
| to see If she was really awake and in her own
parlor Yes. everything was Just as il always
was. except that bit of purple lilac lay ON the
| floor, Its fragrance crushed out by an angry
boot heel. Then Mrs Hance went out in the
dusk to look for AMI. whose threat had so en-
| ragged the squire and rid her of his hateful
presence. She crossed over the bit of bleach
/ ing ground at the back of the house and walked
| down to the acre lot by the barn, but she saw
nothing OF the negro SO raising her voice
| she called. '.Amzi Am-zir'
| Back up the hillside came the answer in
| AMI 8 familiar. CHEEKY tones:
I'm down here. Mis- Hance, turnin' the big
hog out r Squire Pusley's medder."
/ Mrs. Hance sat down upon u moss-coyered
boulder At her feet and, burying her face in
/ her hands, shed few tears in memory of the
husband whose good name had been insulted
/ by the nrean-spirited Squire Pusley. Then she
burst forth into a merry laugh, which came
very near turning into mysteries, for il was a
1 trying scene she had gone through notwith-
standing it's ridiculous denoument. We'll"
said she, as she arose from the boulder and
walked slowly back to the house. 'Amzi GER
tainly proved himself my protector this
EVENING"
Amzis early education had been neglected,
but Sally, whom he adored not only for her good
looks (she was a comely mulatto), had learned
to read and write, and of this AMI very
proud ''Sally's got heap o. larnin'," he
4
she can read readin and writin' too. Well. /
'spose I'm better OF without it, fur if could
read readin'. I'd allus be stoppin off work to
doit. Book larnin' is good thing fur women,
but men hadn't orter take the time away from
| their work for SIGH things"
All the same it was great grief to AMI that
he could not read and that he was Obliged to
make his mark" on occasions that called for
his signature.
/ II kin make a good mark ef have a good
| pen. Thar's great deal in pens. Why, I've
seed some pens that couldn't make no mark at
ALL
| I think AMI would have felt less badly than
be did on the subject Of education if he had
! only been able to read Sally's letters Sally
was proud Of her accomplishment as a CORE
spondent and she wrote AMI long letters when
] she was away from home, which was most of
I the time, and he would carry them around in
his pocket for. days before he could make up
his mind 20 ask any one to read them to him.
One evening Mrs. Hance saw him sitting on
the big stone, which served as the kitchen
doorstep, with his spectacles en- his nose and Q