The herald., 1894-07-13
MANDY.

that part of Livingston county where
the farms are red and gully washed,
where the cornstalks are thin and sick
ly looking and burn yellow in the sun
almost as soon as they are green. He
was strong and rugged, this sturdy
farmer, with his big, bony hands and
nut brown, lean cheeks, and as he
stood out in the burning August sun,
striking vigorously at hidden sassafras
roots with his homemade hoe, he was a
striking illustration of those people who
toll throughout their lives with little
thought of the rest of the world or iti
pleasures. Between the rolling, poor
land on which Eph was working and
the road stood two room log house,
scantily protected from the suns rays
by a.few scrubby black oaks.
At grindstone at the rear of the
house stood an old man grinding away
at an AK. His hair was snowy white.
His wide brimn1ed straw hat, with its
shoestring band, did not conceal tbs
deep wrinkles on his face. His hickory
shirt was torn and faded, and the skin
looked blistered through the rents. He
rested once in awhile and tested the
edge of his ak with his thumb. This
was Eph's father. A woman almost as
old and long past the age of work sat
on stone in shady spot watching the
grinding Of the Ak and remarking in
cracked voice the chances for a crop.
They had failed in this the last season,
and it was Of great Importance to them
The corn bread and bacon had been very
scant of late. Eph's parents were very
old and feeble. but they helped as best
they could.
A tall, angular woman of perhaps 40,
though she looked much older, came to
the door, Her calico dress was soiled
and torn. A pair of Eph's boots with
great patches of rawhilde and with the
heels run over peeped out from under
her tucked up dress. Hser face was hard
and pinched. The sallOw color contrast
ed strongly with the dark, almost black
blue OF her gown, and whom the sleeves
wernrolled to the elbows her arms were
brown. One bony hand clutched dish
rag, which she held against the side Of
the door as she shaded her eyes with the
other Shc was looking 1T her husband
as he worked across the red clay field.
The clatter Of horso's hoofs on TIE
hard and gravel washed road was heard.
Her. eyes were turned in the direction Of
the rapidly approaching rider. A hall
dozen children, the eldest boy Of 10,
came from a gully near by, where they
had beau playing also attracted by the
sounds All moved around to the front
Of the house. To the surprise of all, the
stranger pulled up at the fence;
"Eph Parks live herc?"
"Yep, that's him over there in the
feld,'' answered the woman.
The stranger dismounted, tied the
bride rein to the rail fence and started
across the field toward Eph. The chill
dren instinctively clustered around their
mother and tugged unconsciously at her
dress She smacled them right and left
impulsively. She was watching the
stranger. The man finally reached Eph,
and the two had parley for several
minutes When they starSed toward the
house, the stranger had hold of Eph's
arm. Eph's parents and his wife and
children were all standing close together
when the pair reached the house.
"Mandy, this ere's COVE 'Inent ossi-
fer, and he's cum ter take me way tc
Jail fur maxim them dollars. 'Twan't nc
harm nohow, le'stwise Tn er church
member yet.
''Hurry up, hurry up" said the de-
teotive. II want to get to the station il
time to catch the night train "
''How long will yer be gone, Eph?
said his wife. His aged parents stood
with their mouths open. They did no
understand it at oil.
'sDoan' know, % answered Eph as tht
handouts were adjusted to his wrists.
Then the men climbed over the fence
The stranger got on his horse and tolC
Eph to walk along in 'front.' of him. II
also said that any attempt on Eph par
TO run would cost him his life. Their
was no handshaking, no tears Th
men moved off down the soorching no
road, leaving the group standing as i
had stood at first, together The oil;
man and old woman looked at Mand,
appealingly, but Mandy watched he
husband and the stranger disappea
in the woods. Sire stood there in tn
sun with her head uncovered long afte
they had moved out Of her sight TIL
old man and woman went back to tn
rear of the house, and the children final
ly resumed their playing Still sh
stood there looking. The sun continues
his travelling, and finally dropped be
hind the woods in which her husban
had disappeared.
eyes, " she murmured, "that there
FIN Dobson's work He tole on Eph
She shook her head several times
looked down the road once again an
then passed into the house. She pre-
pared the. soanty meal without word
There was strange silence in til
house, as if a corpse were near. Th
children were put to bed, and soon th
old man and old woman followed. The
Mandy pulled her stool over to the ope
window and looked ont into the NIGH
She placed her elbows on the sill an
rested her chin in her hands. The moo
caine creeping up from behind distal
hill and shed its soft light over til
farm. Still Mandy gazed out into IL
night. Her face seemed as void Of e.
preston as the black oaks in the yarc
The cold, hard stare was directed t