The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1891-07-16

the said.
'scouda't say TOO much for--you-
know -you-- know. Guess I'd bette
move the ladder ter the south side lh
tree. wouldn't your
Martha Ann could have cried then ans
there Jane said no more. and the ap
pie gathering went on in silence.
Bur now. II the time l am writin.
about, they were actually engaged. ans
the reader will probably come 70 the con
clusion that Martha Ann must have pro
posed, JUST As the worthy gossips Of th'
Big Creek section figured. The fact
are as follows;
Martha Ann decided firmly on a eli
max. Either James or she must speak
II she could induce him 10 declare hi
love, all well and good; II not, she mus
draw him out. II he would not draw
she must tell him the old story herself
No straiegist could have planned fnel
campaign.
4 II was the evening Of Easter Sunday,
The day had been bright and sunny,
The services at the church had been in
spring. and James had come home with
her for supper.
Aftera meal which would have warmed
the heart u cynic, let alone ahealthy
farmer like our hero. all the folks retired
10 the parlor where rosy fire was glow
ing in the CRATE, the dry maple logs
burning slowly, but determinedly, and
every coal which dropped no ding is
color for an hour
The organ was opened, ana iirst the
pieces sung by the choir thst day were
played over, as Martha Am said, Just
ter hear how they sounded ter home.
Father Todd sat near the hearth, ono
knee overlapping the other, his eyes
looking clean up through the ceiling,
past the bed room on the second floor,
past the stars in the keen spring SKY,
past the boundaries Of space into that
beautiful land Of pure delight, where
saints immortal reign, which MarthaAnn
was singing about.
Mother Todd sat in her rocker near
him, her arms folded on her motherly
bosom, her round, fair, good old face
beaming with perfect rest and peace.
James stood by the side 81 the singer
and joined in the chorus now and then,
for he had a robust bass voice, which
''might'd amounted ter something. .
Martha Ann said, had he only had the
high trainin' OF the choir
And So the early evening passed, and
pretty soon the old people went to sleep
in titful way until the worthy sire al
lowed it might do fer young folks to set
up, but fer as he was concerned, guess
he'd crawl off ter bed He was soon
followed by his faithful partner, and the
field was ready for the action to begin.
Martha Ann concluded that she would
not sing any more, for her throat was
getting choked up, and with the greatest
sang froid drew the sofa UP before the
fire and sat down, leaving James to look
out for himself
This move put him in bad fix. II he
sat down anywhere in the room but in
one place her back would be towards him.
He hemmed a little and wandered aim
lessly about. tried to get interested in a
picture Of Mrs. Todd's grandmother, and
finally sat down on the organ stool.
Martha Ann paid no attention. She
sat with her face in her hands looking in
the fire, as If oblivious Of his presence.
There was q silence 81 intense and
painful presence ia the room. Now and
then a spark shot upwards from tue
burning loos, or "a stick fell from the
logs intoa heap Of crimson Goals.
james actually suffered. He had M
more idea what to do under the circum-
stances than the traditional child unborn.
But when the stiffness began to actually
ache, Martha Ann reused up, and turning
to him said why, James, don't set
over there alone. Come and sit on the
sofa here by me and watch the fickcrin'.
/ jes see the prettiest little home you
ever heard tell Of. Come and I'll tell
you"
lie blnshed crimson at this Was it
possib!el Was this really Martha ANN
Was he Jim Simpkins2 "Come and set
down right aside o. her, and watch the
flickerin well, I'll be ctarnally!r was
what instantly passed through his brain.
And she had turned again to the fire.
Hecoughed little, made as If to get
up, but subsidized He turned all colors.
And there sat Martha Ann looking so
cosy.
A look OF heroism came into his eyes.
He arose. sat down again, got up once
more, and the first thing he knew he was
actually sitting on the same sofa with
her, and she, never moving from her
place near the middle, continued her
weird stare into the fire.
flames, she said, Il never see such
buildin' of palaces and a maxim Of
stories as there is in the FIRE there to-
night"
Cant say as / see much, Martha
Ann"
Look there, right side the dog.
Can't you see the little house there and
the vines a-trailing up over the roof, and
the door wide open and the children a.
playin' about. and the old well there
see it. James. bucket, beam, everything
les as natural as life. and what's them
bendin' over the welll They may be
lovers, James, bendin' over the water
jes' as we are over the fire. >
you got farnal good eyes, Martha
Ann, ter see all them things. P'rnps
amt no imagination, but l can't see
nothing but some Goals breathing sorter
like as II they hated ter give in.
Martha Ann continued her rapt atten-
ton Of the drama in the FIRE, aud James
began to get TO home on the sofa.
By and BY she lifted her hand and
brushed back her hair, and then let IT
descend il q careless way till il fell on
that Of her companion