Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1893-10-18

by taking MS fathers place at the head
of the table before she told him TO- He
also put two spoonfuls of sugar in his
tea, instead of one, as was his custom,
and absolutely refused to eat bread
with his sauce. Moreover, he met her
look of astonishment with a defiant
grunt, and his little gray eyes CLEANED
in way that showed he had made up
his mind. He would be boss in his own
house. He took sauce twice
Mary Clark felt the foundations sink
ing beneath her feet She, too. had
been counting on season of freedom.
She scraped some butter from the
piece of bread she was eating, and re-
marked, as il thinking aloud (she had
TO think very loud in order TO make
Samuel hear: THE old gather to-
gether, the young scatter. Fathers
gone an theirs no tellin' when all he's
shaved an dug for all THESE years will
be gone too-scattered TO the four
winds of the earthl''
She sighed, and. with eyes fixed
prophetically, gazed on the wasteful-
ness of the future. Samuel, the spend
thrift, stirred his tea. The death OF his
father had turned certain speculations
OF his into absolute knowledge. He
had lived in q uiet corner of the world,
where nature for the most part took her
course unmodified by seemingly alien
forces. Severe storms and pcstilence
were unknown there. Death was
usually as the dropping of the scar and
yellow leaf The blade. the ear, the
full corn in the ear, and the harvest. 1t
was thus that the monarchs of the
forest fell and the young saplings
stood. 1t was thus that his father had
died. 1t was thus that she would 90 at
last, and he would be free Evidently
she had not thought of this. lie had
best remind her.
'Life's uusartin. All got 10 die some
time. Best be ready" he said, in a
cheerful tone
This was the beginning Of long
struggle. Each occupied ground that
was impregnable, and retreat TO
their fortresscs ended most OF their
skirmishes for the time
Then Samuel Clark reminded his
mother scarcely ten years bis senior.
that she was old, and mrst soon die,
and then he would wear bis cost clothes.
rent his farm and boatd in town or
travel. Her only defense was. YES.
Samuel, but hope 20 be able 20 lay
you away first You know, Samuel,
you're def, and you'd be cheated out of
your eye teeth. l hope to be spared "a
long as you need me, Samuel"
And Samuel, who knew what this
kindness and care meant, was not
softened. He knew that it was true
Iauf nd H., ,l.s
world to cheat him. Bearer than him
self was his little property, which he
so longed to enjoy in his own way. He
felt powerless, yet impotently welded
his one weapon. ''All got TO die The
old die first" In his thought the flower
of youth was yet TO bloom for him.
As 10 the picket fence, it seemed TO
Samuel that she had always wanted it,.
Given passion for flowers. "A firm faith
in the economic value of chickens. and
no picket fence, the result is easily
imagined. Mary ClarlIs husband had
considered flowers n sinful waste OF
land and labor. What were door-yards
for, If not for the chickens? And
Samuel felt that in order to be the man
of the house he must clothe himself as
with armor in the opinions ofhis father
lie could not remember the summer
when flowers had not bloomed around
the door; and, that they might do so,
his youth had passed in n yyearvinr
chase after chickens. When he had be-
come old enough TO go to the fields
generations of brindled dogs had worn
out their lives in the same occupation.
Like his father, samuel abhorred a
blossom that was not harbinger of an
edible fruit Apple blossoms were
beautiful to him because of the apples
10 follow. They were more beautiful
after the petals had fallen, revealing
the round green ball at their base
which dispelled the fear of barren
pistil. But he had grown accustomed
to the flowers in the dooryard. He
would ha We missed them had they failed
to appear He would have missed those
vigilant sl1irmishers, the chickens, had
they been limited TO "A space of their
own. He would have missed the per
sistent reminders of his mother that
IF that there fence was only built"
and his own unfailing antagonism.
Perhaps he would not have liked 10 miss
any of these things.
Il tell You what IT, is, Samuel Clark
all want is 20 get you away long
enough, and III build that fence nv
self. she said at last, desperately
No tellin' what may happen before
next spring" the old man crowcd. his
bicarcd eyes lighting. PERHAPS YOU
won't be here by that time. Best be
ready. All got to die. The old first"
"Well Samuel. il / die first. i don't
expect no picket fence. There won't bc
any money % build itw it'll. or any farm
60 build it on inside year. You know
you're dcef Sam-u-cl They'll cheat
you out OF everything you've got"
'.ll risk 10, D. it, I'm risk IA. %
yelled Samuel. with unusual vim But
this ''-1e Inc had gone too far
u rW have that fence. So there now.
samuel Clark and that very after
noon she drove 90 town and ordered
hc.materiai& Thc,ncxt morning they
came and % man %. make OF them a
fence
Samuel eyei Che work sullcnly. His
mother was silent but triumphant
As M4ry clar.. stood iu The shade OF
her apple tres giving her orders ns Co
Che distance apart aud depth OF post
hDIos. figure emerged from the house.
and. when she caught sight of DO. was
jogging rapidly down the r1ad d.
wns chin figure. not very tall. H.
ci1ihe, hung loosely about it Its bat
was lammci down tJ its ears. a1d it+
.rrre hair HrIu..fa.f ....f t......tt