The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-10-09

Rachel starred steadily into Mrs.
Sbomon's face. There isn't any
thing to worry about. Mrs. Simmons.
I've always had my mother to tend to,
an SEWN an cleanin' TO- other folks,
an III jist keep ON dom as I've always
don ! amt a baby to go an knock
my head against a stone WALL"
She tramped homeward erect and
stern. Once she stopped and flung the
rose-hips far out into the middle OF the
road. A little cloud OF dust rose up
and hid them from her. She felt as II
she had flung away the last shred OF
her youth.
Where are yo' goin' Rachel p"
asked her mother an hour later.
What yo' putin yo'r bonnet on TO-?
Seems to me .yo' jist come in an then
go out again"
"I'm goin' to run down an tell Mr..
Simmons to stop fo' me tomorrow
mOrnin' with his. express. L nights
yell go to Haversham tomorrow an
do my Fall shoppin' as mex week.
When its done it's done.n
- 9o' didn't say anything bout it
."No, I've just made up my mind
since / come from church."
The old woman eyed her over a cup
of steaming tea.
DelleVe sOmetnlnS The matter,
Rachel"
Out of the fog that shrouded the
dawn of the following day ratified u
curiously colored vehicle-a glare of
yellow and splotchy crimson-and
drew up in front of the Fuller house.
A mufled figure waited at the gate.
That yO', Miss Rachel?'
Yes, I'm here, Mr.. Simmon." He
helped her up carefully to a seat.
"Only got yo' an the letters this
mornin.' Chilly, amt it 2"
The last house on the street had
been but lately built. It's white paint
was void OF age and weather stain it's
shingles fresh and yellow. 1t had no
garden, simply @ strip Of grass divided
door.
Rachel had her hand held out to the
latch when a step sounded behind her.
~ young woman with her sun bonnet
pushed back of her face and o kettle
in her hand stopped at the gate. She
was tall and had an abundant of very
fair hair that curled about her brows
like that OF u baby's; her eyes were
blue.
Are yo' Bill Tipsdale's wife? ,"
Yes m'm." The young woman
gazed c%uriously at tho blunt middle
aged one
How long have yo' >.een married to
him ?"
"Most two months. It'll be two
months Tomorrow"
81 heard SO, but | jist come in from
Green Meadows to-day, an l thought
I'd ask"
1--WE got some folks livin' in Green
Meadows, an it seems like L ought to
know .yo','" said Hester T~ipsdale.
Won't yo' come in an rest awhile ?"
u hope yo1l be happy" she said
The gabled houses swarm out OF
sight. She could smell the late roses
in tho little gardens as she stumbled
along but she was half way down the
street before the fence stopped waver-
ing, or the rose bushes we're more than
q blur OF crimson. 1t was q shadowy
vehicle driven by a shadowy Mr.. Sim
mons that ratified toward her as she
waited on the corner.
"Yo' look mortal pale, Miss Rachel.
Heard anything while yo' went round
dom yo'r shoppin'?"
No; I'm tired, MI. Simmons. I'll
feel all right when we're movin' on the
wind BLOWN, l guess"
They had travelled more than half
the distance to Green Meadows and
were in the heart of the hill country
when Mr.. Simmons turned upon his
companion with the same question he
n asked herin Haversham.
Rachel"
"No, none a'tall."
Now, don't yo' git frightened, Miss
Rachel, but Pm goin' to tell yo' bout
something, that happened in Green
Meadows this mornin'.."
What, Mr.. Simmon?"
well, then, yo'r house burned
down this mornin'."
She caught his arm in a grasp
that made him vince.
And what's come to my poor old
mother, Mr.. Simmons ~.
Shes safe an sound, an not a
scratch on her. Bill Tipsdale was
passin' an he rushed in an carried the
old lady out through the blaze an took
her up to his house an laid her on the
bed, an went back and helped to save
the things. Everything'd been burnt
up if Bill hadn't been so stirrin'."
Down they plunged into q hollow :
anything that Rachel had to say was
lost in the clatter that followed. They
climbed up to the level again; the
MOUNTAINS were closing in about them.
Cant yo' go faster, Mr.. Simmons q"
~ cloud of dust rose up, and went
before and behind them. The little
naked birches along the pike looked
silver like and ghostly through it.
They beckoned, but the two travellers
ratified on. 1t vas through this cloud
of dust that Rachel caught q glimpse
of the blackened walls other old home.
n little after she stood at Bill TIPS
dale's door.
There was a lamp burning in the
front room. That and the logs on the
hearth flooded it with light.
The old woman, prOpped up in tho
bed In the corner, rose on her elbow as
Rachel came in. Her face was as vital
As W
Go git Bill Tipsdalc. Go git him,
right now"
"Mother--'
60 git Bill Tipsdale, 1 say"
Bill thrust his head in from the
blackness OF the outer room.
Come in here, Bill Tipsdale." He
numbered forward. 81 don't love yo'
any better'n | ever did, Bill Tipsdale,
an. L don't ever expect to, an I don't
think yO've got more sense than yo'
had before, either; but yo' saved me
from bein' burned up this mornin,' an
| amt goin' to forgit it any more'n
Pm goin' to forgit some other things.
AN If yo' want Rachel, yo' can have
her
II guess Rachelll have to decide
that, Miss Fuller; but il she'll have
me-, Ill be GLAD 10 have herr