The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-24
air, "ifyu'd just as love tell how much


Mrs. Willis lifted her eyes and
looked hard at her neighbOr. Her
thin lips unclOsed. She spoke slowly
and firmly. She was not to be propi-
tiated. 1t we're seven cents. Your
chick'ns av been 10 my strawberry
patch ag'n an ruined it,"
"Oh, my" sad Mrs. Arnspiker,
weakly. Mrs. Willis regarded her
steadfastly and pitileesly. I" Pm oful
sorry"
Pm oIful sorry. too, Mis- Arnspikor.
I'm sorry just about ten dollars wo'th.
Bein' sorry don't seem to keep them
chick MS"
"It's that old speckled hens fault :"
exclaimed Mrs. Arnspiker, Frightening
as with u sudden inspiration. "She
coaNes the other'n's up there. Inl
have to drive 'em down towards"
"Brigg's," said Mrs. Willis, dryly.
" Yuh've ben doin' that fer u month
past" She got up slowly. 81 reckon
Mis- Arnspiker. Ive had just about
all Of 'em | want. ! can't afford to set
out berries for chick'ns. How'd yuh
like to have a nice place like our'n
an git ev'ry thing ruined by chick'ns?"
"It seems to me-" said Mrs. Arm
spiker. with sigh, eff had nice
place like you'n I'd be so happy |
w'udn't worry over little things like
straw berries"
She did not mean to be impertinent.
1t did not occur to her that she was.
She simply gave utteranco to the
thought as it came 10 her.
Mrs. Willis's face grew scarlet. She
has been longing for something at
which she might take offence. 1t is
not possible to give q piece of ones
mind to meek person. Now, this
sounded like a challenge.
"Oh, you wu'd'n't aigh? Well,
I'll give yuh to know that I've shaved
fer all got, Mis- Arnspil1cr -
"Well, so've l." said Mrs. Arnspiker,
with IL simplicity that was pathetic.
" But, somehow, Mis- Willis, some peo-
pie slave an git rich, an other'n's
slave an git poor"
This was a truth that had never
presented itself to Mrs. Willis. For Il
full minute she was silent Then she
drew in her thin, hard lips, and said,
"Wcll, this ain't got anything to do
with the chick'ns There's Il law
ag'in' 'em, an reckon yuh'll have to
other git red OF 'om or keep 'em shot
up"
They won't lay # keep IN shet up, :"
said Mrs. Arnspiker, helplessly.
cunt keep 'em shot up. l'vo got to have
my eggs"
"Woll, n I've got to have my straw
Dcrrics. l got the law on my side.
Yuh CAPT git around that, can yuh ?
1T aln't many as 'u'd come an argue
with yuh's havc.'
There was q doep silence. A brown
hen came strutting around Mrs. Arm
spikcr's feet. She had pert and
haunting air that betrayed that she
| was accustomed to imposing on that
lady's aifectionate regard for her.
Mrs. Arnspikor looked vt her. Her
eyes allied suddenly with tears. :" |
don't b'lievc c'u'd part with that
brown hon" she said, brokcnly.
Shes the wo'st o the hull Of 'cm :"
said all I'm goin' TO. Yuh can do just
rs yuh want, Mis- Arnspiker. But If
them hens git into my yard ag'in, yuhll
have to stand the damage. | got tho
law ~
She turned and went out of the yard
She held ono shoulder higher thar
the other, and walked with loug, firm
, strides. swinging her arms.
IL was II week later that Mrs. Worste
brought her knitting to spond the after
noon with Mrs. Willis. They sat or
the back porch, because it was shaded
: by Il hUp-sinc. The salt brucza from
: Puget Sound swept through, rustling
. tho harsh hop leaves and swinging
tho scarlet clusters of bloom on the
' wild hOneysuclle-vino over the win
dow
1t WAS June. The "yurd" was in
its faircst beauty. The rose-bushes
were bending beneath their wealth OF
bloom. One bed was II long flame OF
ruddy gold with California poppics
Anotncr was bOrdered with large
purplc-und- d-yclow-pansics. Some tardy
gladi0li were thrusting their pale
; green swords up through tho rich
earth. Velvet wull-lowors sweetencd
the air. Lazy bees wadcd through
them, and lavender butterflies came
from the hillside to find them. Great
drifts of "Summor snow" still made
the terraces white.
J "My!" said Mrs. Worstcl, laying
her knitting in her lap. "How sweet
it il -
at is So" said Mrs. Willis, with
u look OF pride. There amt many
yards furder along I'm mine, Y | dt
say it,
Mrs. Worstcl began to knit again.
IL stopped in at Mis- Arnspiker's, =
she said. shes feelin' turrAblc bad"
Mrs. willis looked up coldly. What
she feelin' bad about"
"Why. she's had to sell all her
chick'n They was botherin' some
o hcr eighbors-that Mis- Briggs,
reckon! She never does have a speck
o mercy on poor people Mis- Arms
pikcr didn't say t was her, but don't
h'lcvc anybody else 'u'd be 80 ALFRED
mean
There WAS a scarlet spot on each Of
MIR. Willis's high cheek bones. She
was hcmming towel, and she did not
lift her eyes. When the silence bc-
came oppressive, she said grimly, " Is
Mis- Arnspiker SO oiful poor :"
My, yaas. That's all she had to
make a livin' of of--them CHICKENS O.
hern. | don't see what she'll do. She
talkin about takin' in wash, but
know sho ain't able-littlo sickly thing!
feel otful sorry fer her. The way
she did set store by them chiek'ns !!
| I've 500 hor call 'en up in hor lap, one
ut time, to eat out O her hand. She
loved 'eni. The tears just run down
her cheeks when she tell me about
sellin' 'em."
Hunh " said Mrs. Willis, dryly.