The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-30
:iscence Of certain not remote ancestors

: ;iscence OF certain not remote ancestors
TO whom clothes were an impediment
He was warming his hands and placidlJ
ignoring his gaunt arms in their thinly
clad hickory" sleeves, when a young
girl Of eighteen sauntered, half perfume.
torily. half inquisitively, into the room
1t was his only remaining daughter. Al
ready elected by circumstances to dry
household virginity, her somewhat large
features, sallow complexion, and taste
less, unattractive dress did not obvi.
ously suggest a sacrifice. Since he1
sisters departure she had taken sole
charge Of her fathers domestic affairs
and the few rude servants he employed,
with a certain Inherited following Of his
own moods and methods. To the neigh.
bors she was known as Miss Hays q
dubious respect THAT in a community oi
familiar -Sallies, "Mamies," ""Pussies,
was grimly prophetic. Yet she rejoiced
in the Oriental appellation Of @ZuleiEi.
To this it is needless to add that it was
impossible to conceive anyone who look
led more decidedly Western.
.Ye can put some things in my carpet
bag agin the time the sled comes round,
said her father. meditatively, without
looking up.
Then you're not coming back to-
hight?" asked the girl curiously. What s
going on at the Summit, father?"
Il am," he said grimly. You dom
reckon I kalkilate to stop thar! I'm
going on as far as Horseley's to close
up that contract afore the weather
changes"
Il kinder allowed it was funny you'd
30 to the hotel tonight. There's a
dance there; those two Wetherbee girls
and Mamie Harris passed up the road
an hour ago on wood sled, nigh blown
to pieces, and sittin up in the snow like
skeert white rabbits.
Hays brow darkened heavily.
Let 'em co." he said, in harsh voice
that the fire had not yet softened. Let
'em 60 for all the good their fool parents
will ever get outer 'em, or the herd Of
wayside cattle they've let them loose
among
Il reckon they haven't much to do at
home, or are hard put for company, to
travel Six. miles in the snow to show of
their prinkin' to lot OF idle louts shiny
with bears grease and scented up with
doctors stuff" added the girl, Struggling
her shoulders with q touch or her
fathers mood and manner.
Perhaps it struck Hays at that mo-
ment that her attitude was somewhat
monstrous and unnatural for one still
young and presumably like other girls,
for, after glancing at her under his
heavy brows, he said, in gentler tone:
Never you mind, Zuly. When your
brother Jack comes home, he'll know
what's. what, and have all the proper
New York ways and style. It's nigh
on three years now that he's had the
best training Doctor Dawson's Academy
could give, sayin' nothing Of the pow full
Christian example Of one OF the best
preachers in the States. They maynt
have worldly, ungodly fsndangoes
where he is, and riotous livin, and scar,
let abomin ations, but I've been told that
they've tea circles and assemblies
and harmony concerts Of young folks
and dancin'-yes, fine square dancin'
under control. No, amt stinted him
in anythin'. You can remember that,
iZuleika, when you hear any more gos-
sip and backbitin' about your father'e
meanness. I amt spared no money for
him..
!: Il reckon not" said the girl, little
SHARPLY. why, there is that draft fof
two hundred and fifty dollars that KEN
only last week from the Doctors fof
;extras."
! yes" replied Hays, with slight
knitting of the brows, the Doctor mout
'hev writ more particklers, but parsons
amt allus business men. I reckon
these here extries were to push Jack
along in the term, as the Doctor knew l
wanted him back here in the spring,
now that his brother has got to be too
stiff-neched and self lf-opinionated to do
his fathers work" 1t seemed from
this that there had been quarrel be-
tween Hays and his eldest son, who
conducted his branch Of business at
Sacramento, and who had in passion
threatened to set up a rival establish
.ment to his fathers. And it was also
evident from the manner o. the girl
that she was by no means a strong par
tisan of her father in the quarrel.
You'd better find out first how all
the schoolin' and trainin' OF Jacks is
goin' to jibe with the ranch, and II ne
amt been dedicated out Of all knowledge
of station business or keer for it. New
York amt Hays Ranch, and these yer
Assemblies and Harmony doin's and
their airs and graces may put him out
of conceit with our plain ways. reckon
We didn't take that to mind when you've
been bustlin' round payin' two hundred
and fifty dollar drafts for Jack and
and quo'llin' with Bijah! I amt sayin'
nothin', father, only mebbe If Bijah had
had drafts and extrys hourished around
him a little more, mebbe he'd have
been more polite and not so tough
spoken. Mebbe. she continued with a
little laugh, even I'd be a little more
In style to suit Master Jack when he
comes ef had three hundred dollars
worth Of convent schoolin' like Mamie
Harris"
Yes. And you'd have only made
yourself fair game for ev'ry schemin',
lazy sport or counter-jumper along the
road from this to Sacramento, respond
ed Hays, savagely.
Zuleika laughed again constrainedly,
but in way that might have suggested
that this dreadful contingency was still
bne that it was possible to contemplate
without entire CONSERVATION. Az she
tnoved slowly toward the door she
stopped with hand on the lock and said
tentatively: