Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-09-16

expression in the blue eyes that atlooked
ny at her occasionally the weary ut
titude he had taken, with his elbows
rested on his knees, and his chin
plunged into two scrawny hands,
seemed to nerve Sary Ann into greater
activity.
The sun crept higher and higher,
and brazen yellowish glare seemed
to overspread the blue sky. Still Sary
Ann worked on, and Uncle Jerry
ploddod patiently along behind the
red oxen. It was only when the
cheerful sound of tho dinner-bell
came over the fields, that she set the
empty basket down beside one of the
half-flled sacks, and went over to the
stone where Andy sat.
She dropped down on little clump
of sod in front of him, and picked up
his ragged hat to fan her warm face.
"My, it's hot" she murmurel, as
she united her sun-bonnet, and
brushed back the locks of rough brown
hair that hung Imply about her fnce.
"But it's cool an breezy 'noush in
this shaddcr though. Be ye gettln'
rested?" she asked. anxionsly, look
ing up quizzically into the boys face.
"Yes," answered Andy, in slow.
melitatiyc way. "I've been think
in'-say I'm an awful bother to you,
amt J,sary Ann? You're allus a-spell-i
in me of. an doin' my work. Say,
don't you git tired o workin', sary
Ann?"
"Now, don't you go to frettin' bout
tibet, Andy, I'm stouter'n you he (;
sides I'm lots older. I'm most fif-.
teen, jest think O. tibet, An'lyl When
you get as old as I am, mebby you
won't need no spellin'," and she
reached out and laid her arm caress-l
ingly on the little scrawny arm.
"When I get big" said Andy
eagerly. "I'll take care O. you, sarys
Ann. Do ynu think Pll be stout an
big, like Uncle Jerry, when I'm ffzs
tecn?"
eyes, when you're fifteen you'll be-
lots robustsr'n ye b, now, I reckon.S
said sary Am, hopefallg - - ~
another tater be you goin 70 drap.
Andy Smith; do you hear?"
"But Aunt Msrthy--" protested
Andy.
"T don't keer nothin' bout Aunt
Marthy!" interrupted Sary Ann. 81
reckon all the Aunt Marthys an Uncle
Jerrys there be won't git no more
drappin' out O. you, beip' ms kin
helpit," she added, Indignantly.
"Uncle Jerry counted on gettin'
this patch il lore dark" said Andy,
doubtfully.
"Well, 'twon't be much of stint
fur me to drap 'em, 'thout any help
frum you. You kin stay an help
Aunt Marthy bout the house-draw
the water, an split the wood, an sech
like. You hain't got to come out here
ag'in."
"Tain't no fittin' work fur gall"
said Aunt Marthy, when Sary Ann
proposed taking Audy's place in the
potato field. "When is a gal, gals
were s'posed to stay in the house an
learn to bake an to sew. Now, there's
that snail-shell quilt fur yoar SO tim
out; 'tain't more'n half DONE, an
you've b,en at it most year.
'Setsin-outs kin wait, I reckon!"
muttered Slry Ann, rs she piled the
dinner dishes into the pan of steam.
ing water.
"Pretty housekeeper you'll malel'
grumbled Aunt Marthy. "Sides he's
n nigh onto twelve years old. Time
he's a-gettin' hardened to It if he ever
intends to mount to anything. Now
when Jerry wus his age, he could do
most all kinds o farm work--plough-
in' an holm an dggin'; an he didn't
go to peakia' up an gettin' wally-eyed
over it nuthcr. There hain't no sense
int, say. I'm plum out O. patience
with ye fur pamperin' of i'm up sol"
Sary Aun did not answer, only bent
her head lower over the dishpan and
worked on in silence and then when
the last dish was 'washed and turned
over in its customary place on the
clean-papered shelves, she slipped her
sun-bonnet q1ietly down from its peg
behind the kitchen door, and sped
away over the fields.
81 reckon | kin stan it better'n
him." she musel, as she picked up the
heavy basket, and began again her
wearisomc journey, up and down the
long field.
The sun was Just creeping down
amongst the leafy tops of the tall
naples in the woodland stretch when
she reached the last row. She stopped
and looked about her. The dragging
was almost finished. She could hear
the red oxen as they clanked their
heavy yokcs, and Uncle Jerry's coarse
voice as he guided the clumsy fellows
over the brown field.
Ch, +urna1 bar f,oo toward hnme