The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-03-26

you look so sober, Ruth?"
They settled comfortably around the
fire. 'Turah brought in the molasscs jug
and the butter jar. Ruth took down
several ears of pop.co from the back
kitchen rafters, and the girls shcllcd
them while "Turah made the candy. At
length it was finished, and set out on the
side porch in two goodly sized milk pans.
4 pyramid of snowy corn was piled up on
the blue platter, and then Grace and
Ruth fell to cracking hickory nuts on
flatirons.
Kitty had just returned from visit to
ithaca. She was overfowing with ''new
ideas" and after describing the latest
fashions, she began to dance.
Kcturah shifted. She had been sitting
bv the table, listening with pleased air
to the girls, chat, but at the sight OF
Kitty's dancing her face heightened again.
THAT must ha' been the very place where
he stood" she said, dolefully, "and the
very same kind of double-shuffle he
danced. 1 don't like to see it, after
them seven crows tonight
There was a solemn mystery in her
words which made itself felt, and the
girls all huddled together as she told
again the story of the sign she had seen
that night.
"But can't see that the dance is very
dangerous!" pouted Kitty.
: "Ever hear how your Uncle Bile died,
Ruth9 My mother told me. Forty
year ago Bic Tottcn lived in this house,
and he was a great feller for to dance
double shuttle. He was the greatest
dancer in the country, Bile was.
"Well; he had company here one
nirht, and of course they asked him to
heel and toe it for 'em. He stood up and
berun to whistle the tune he danced to,
when all on a suddent he stopped. He
told 'em seriously he felt he oughtn't to
dance it. Somcthin' told him not to.
But they persisted and joked him, till
finally he give in.
"I do it, says he, sagin my convic-
tions.' And when he comes to the place
where he give three high hops, he Just
fell over, spang! and up and died before
his wife could get to him. But he
seemed bound an determined for to I'm
ish that dance.
"Once year, on the night that he
died, at twelve o'clock, the family reg
ularly heard that double shuttle a-goin'
on in this kitchen, and then all to once
heavy thud-"
80 'Turah, stop!" cried Kitty, in an
agony Of terror. Ruth was white, and
both Grace and Belle looked frightened.
Keturah paused, little dismayed at the
CONSERVATION she had produced.
II don't think 1 shall sleep a wink
tonight" cried Kitty.
"Hark!" said Ruth, sharply: "What's
that?'
1t sounded as if step was approaching
the house. There was football on the
porch, and then knock.
uThe seven crows have come" NUT
tered Keturah, under her breath, as she
listened intertly.
The knock was repeated, and then
came an imperative rap.
"No one shall open that door this
night" declared Kcturah, with a white
face.
Again they heard the step, and sud
denly noise arose, so terrific and
deafening that it seemed as if cyclone
had struck the house. The windows rat
tied, the door-latch shook, and w.tl the
general uproar were mingled frightful
stamps and slams. These sounds doubled
in violence, and low, angry growls were
distinctly heard.
Panic.strickcn, the girls shrank to-
gether in numb terror. Keturah stood
as if frozen, but she presently managed
to say:
"It's my sign! What has happened?
Oh! what has happened2 It's awful.
It's awful"
The uproar died away all at once into
light echoes.
"Ruth. Ruth" walled Keturah,
"cither Mary is dead or somethin' turri-
BILE has happened to your mother! Didn't
I say so?'
But before she had finished speaking
hearty mans voice on the other side of
the door called out:
"Won't you let me in2 I'm Silas
Vandevender."
There was no mistaking it, and in a
transport of relief Ruth sprang to open
the door. Slas hobbled across the
floor, over which he usually strobe, and,
carefully lifting first one foot and then
the other, he shufflcd toward the centre
of the kitchen.
One glance at his feet told what had
happened. Each foot was firmly fast
cncd in the centre of milk-pan full of
soft taffy, and Silas, with queer grin,
stood regarding the pans curiously.
$50 that's what it was, was it:" he
slid, after the girls, in strong reaction
from intense fear, had laughed till the
tears came. "Only some of 'Tury's taf-
fy. Well, it's tol'ablc sticky, 'Tury! 1
wonder at you settin' this stuff to cool on
the porch. Did you calc'late to ketch a
burglar? I come here tonight primed
for stcalin', but twas in fair way. |
only wanted to steal you FROM Mrs. Tot
ten"
A phenomenal blush overspread the
gathering chagrin on keturah's face.
Kitty gigglcd outright.
II set one foot in somethin' soft,
Silas went on, "an' while was tryin' to
stamp it off, set the other foot inter the
same stuff. was kind O. surprised, yc
see, an danced consid able out thee
tryin' to git out O. the trap. l couldn't