National Baptist world., 1894-09-28

although the firing increased. i
meant nothing to her. Life was 81
dreadful, SO strange, that it had left nc
room for comprehension of the dread
ful tidings Of death.
"Bo-room! Bo-roomr' cried the
child, laughing aloud, and trying tc
initiate the deep, sullen reverberatiou
of the guns.
What for, nanny, what for?" he
asked, eagerly.
Il don't know" she answered,
slowly.
Very soon his interest slackened,
and he put his head again wearily on
her shoulder. Nanny, Use so poly
She tried eagerly enough now to
arouse him, but he slept heavily as if
fever had already drugged his veins
with it's red poppy juice. 1t ran its
course quickly. The last night she
watched by bin the rain dripped slow
ly through the leaks in the roof Now
and then came gust Of wind. Nathan
sat by the hearth and his wet coat and
hat, hung on chair, dripped upon the
| floor.
His eyes were fixed on the boy.
THAT mans dead" He spoke rough
ly, but he had not spoken to her before
for weeks. ''Shot in battle"
Mandy started; her face quivered, as
If she were about to explain-protest.
But her husband was not looking at
her. Mandy understood the motive;
he was sorry for her-and for that! If
he had insulted her it would have been
easier to bear. Her face hardened
again, and she answered sullenly
What do it matter? Nothing mat
ters Hush, hush
For the child had begun to speak.
His mind wandered and he fancied
himself again on the ridge His
mother, bending over him, could hear
him feebly initiate the guns ''boom,
boom.' The land was so full of war
that even to this poor baby the wind
Of death blew across old battlefelds
Nathan's kin came to the funeral.
Mandy's people lived further Off
cross the mountiEg"-an it was hard
to send message through the federal
outposts. The men talked of crops and
Of the late fights, of Hartman and
Bragg. They treated Nathan with
respect; William was the ''best off, of
the brothers, but Nathan was the old
est. "Nathan's wife" with her still
ness and reserve, impressed them with
awe. William watched her closely and
took Nathan aside for a talk as the
horses We're being hitched to the big
wagon.
81 don't like Mandy's looks, he said.
'Taint natural fur woman to be SO
still She oughter hev change
Nathan waited.
Send her back with us" he urged,
"Norgan's men hev fairly tored up the
bridge, but there's good ferry, and
Aancyl be proper glad ter see her
Let her stay a spell; it'll do her good,
an she'll come back spry ez ever"
Nathan turned away. ''She kin go
eff she pleases,' he said, but when the
plan was broached to Mandy herself,
she would not hear of it.
The other women clied when thev
left; Mandys eyes were still dry and
hard
Pears like she couldn't forgive
providence, no how" said Aunt Jane
after they were out of sight.
why, sister," said William cheer
fuliy-he had done all he could and
was inclined to shake off any further
responsibility-''she's young enough
ter hev dozen mo- children"
Aunt Jane shook her head. Neither
she nor any Of the others had seen |
signs of what they would have called |
a falling out" but the whole atmos-
phere had been unnatural.
1t would have seemed still more so.
could she have seen Mandy after she
was left alone. With feverish energy
she cleaned the cabin, and mended
Nathan's Sunday coat and vest, and
various pairs of half-worn socks Then
she cooked supper, though it was an
hour Or SO before sundown. Nathan.
coming in for an old bucket of tar
that stood in corner of the shed, was
She took up her sunbonnet.
md as if by a flash, he OWNED he"
meaning.
'Yo' amt got no call ter GO"
Once more she hesitated
4 AC t4lllI dOu IeCO me now, she
She was starving for a
word of himself.
Il Dunno he answered, slowly, "ef
:e knowed-it'd be kind O. lonesome
ur the little feller"-he paused.
For the first time Mandy put her
lands before her face and wept.
Things were not very different in
he next three or four years Nathan
lid not talk; he had fallen into a
abit of silence. but he watched her:
e was restless if, by any chance, she
Tcre away-a new thing: he even {
ried to save her from rough work or
Xposure to rough weather {
She needed care, though she did not !
ay So A pain often came in her left
ide, her breath was short, she had a
ough. She was, however. not unhap-
y, for she began to suspect that Ma
IAN was fond of her. Had he come
} think her innocent or-had he for
lven her guilt? He gave no sign
ther way. I
One day she tried to lift heavy log
nd tainted. She was slowly regain
lg consciousness when Nathan found
er, but her eyelids did not culver or
er lips move as he carried her in and =
1t her OF the bed. He stopped down 7