The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-04-28
JOEL DRAcUTT's INTENTIONS.

d6r GQIl, SdIIOW ldG6 udu
a careworn, fretful look. She had been
called a pretty girl when she had mar
ried Joel Dracutt, but that was long
ago, aud her loss of bloom and spirit
mad been largely due to the way Joel
had turned out"
The cause of her unrealized expecta
tains can be inferred from the burning
words in which she now addressed
Joel.
You've always been intending to do
things, Joel DracuUtl There's things
you intended to do fifteen years ago
that amt done yet! You've intended
to paint and fix up the house; you've
inteuded TO put In a cellar and build q
porch.
You've intended to sod the yard;
you've intended for years to dig a well,
so we wouldn't have to carry all our
water clear across from Summon Hills
we'll
You've intended to fix up our
smokeIng old chImnys, and put III
wIndo wlights and repair this leaky
roof and fix up the fence and build q
COW shed and get me q sewing ma
chine, goodness only knows what else
you've intended TO do. And have you
done any OF these things, joel Dracutt,
nave you2"
Toe shIftiess, good-natured looking
mon r,Tr,r,.r -, Vl> H,-,L-, [----,.- 1890
whiting ou5 q tiny basket cut Of a
peach stone, made no reply.
II Joel felt his guilt it did not disturb
hin overmuch, for there was no re-
sentiment III MS twlnkIlng blue eyes.
There was dead silence for fully a
minute, then he looked up ana said,
gently ana soothingIy,
''Sho, Lefty"
lis thaC ali you've got to say, Joel
Dracuttg"
Yes, It's, Lefty. I amt even in,
Uendin' to say anything more"
YOU'D eve say 1t if 1t came out
like the other things you've been in
tending to do. just let me hear you
say Ina you intend to do a thing, and
[ know 1911 never be done. But now l
intend to do something, Joel!'
She stopped rocking in the creaking
old rocking chair IN which she was
seated and leaned forward, shaking
one finger w~arningly.
Yes, Joel Dracutt, I'm going to do
something, and iJ's this:
I'm going to take the children and
go back to fathers to stay until you've
ZONE everything about this run down
old place hat you've been intending
TO do for fifteen years"
He looked up and said again,
"5ho, Lefty"
4 mean every word Of it, Joel I'm
simply ashamed to live this way any
longer. I'm ashamed TO fetch our
children up in such surroundings.
Father VIII be glad enough to have
me at home again, now thai mothers
dead, and he's no housekeeper but poo
old Aunt Ann. Things are kept up IN
good shape at fathers.
Ny father works, as it's the
Oouaden duty Of ov'ry man to work.
I'm going 10 let him rear NY children,
because their own father amt tG To DO
it"
Her voice choked and she said slow
ly and sadly,
l never thought when we we're mar
ried, Joel, that I'd have to leave you
for very shame; I never thought when
Joey and little Lucy were babies, that
Id have to take them away from their
ownfather because he didn'G provide for
them and because he wasn't fl to rear
them as l intend my children shall be
reared. never thought OF it, Joel"
He tossed the completed peach stone
basket into her lap and said,
There's something for you to re
member me by when you get to your
fathers, Lefty"
He rose from the doorstep, stretched
his arms above his head, yawned and
said,
You want me to go over to the
river and ketch a mess o. fish for sup
per2 They say they're biting fine now"
His wife made no reply, but he took
a long fishing rod from the wooden
pegs on which it rested and went
across the bare and unkept little door
yard and on down the dusty road until
he was lost TO view in the timber.
His wife could hear him whistling
cheerily aztec he was lost to view and
she said sadly,
Ole thinks don't mean It but he'll