The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-18
PART III.

tension on the audience being relieved.
they moved, looked into each others
faces and, smiling, exchanged com
ments. A breath of spring seemed TO
have invaded the autumn.
Wouldn't believe he was guilty ef he
swore hit" said voice somewhere, an
there was applause which was prompt
ly suppressed. Hiram did not hear the
comment. He was lost in his dream.
"Then the baby come; but before he
come saw Cooney begin TO change.
She'd sit an droop an brighten up an
droop ergin. lookin' away off; an her
step got slow. Then one day hit come
10 me; she was homesick for her ma.
Well. gentlemen, / reck'n twas natchul
at that time. She never had said moth
in but the way her ma had done an
the way she had talked about me was
the grief of her life. She couldn't see
how she was goin' TO meet the new
trouble alone. fixed hit for her. i
took her out on the po'ch where she
could break down without my seemin'
10 know hit, an tole her as how hit
did look like hit was a shame for her
ma to have to live off at her sisters an
her own chile keepin' house, with a
comp'ny room; an / believed I'd drive
over an tell her to let bygones be by
cones an come an live with us; that |
didn' set no store by the hard things
she'd said, an we would do our best for
her. We'll, that got Cooney. She
dropped her head down in my lap an
knowed I'd done hit the nail on the
head. Natchully was happy along
with her.
"Well, / went an made my best talk,
an when 1 got done, gentlemen, what
YOU reck'n Cooney's ma said-what do
YOU reck'n? She said: 'How's Cooney%
"Po'ly,"saysI. 81 thoughtso," "sesshe, 'er
YOU wouldn't er come. I'll get my things
an 60" But Cooney was so happy when
she did come / caught the fever too an
thought me an the old lady would get
on all right at last. But we didn't.
Seemed like pretty soon ma begin to
look for things to meddle in, and she got
er new name for me ev'y time l come
eroun'. / didn't answer back because
she was Cooney's ma. 1 grit my teeth
and went on. But she'd come out an
lean on the fence, even, when ] was
plowin'. an talk. Look like any fool
she said one day, look like any fool
would know better'n ter lay off land
with er twister. Whyn't yer git er
roun' pinted shovel? My Ian was new,
gentleman, an full of roots, that's why.
AN she'd look at my hogs an say,
Il allus did despise Berkshires. Never
saw er SOW that wouldn't eat pigs after
erwhile. Whyn't you cross EN- on the
big Guinea?' An then the chickens.
'Thars them Wyandottes! Never knew
one TO raise brood yet; an one rooster
takes more pasture than a mule An
] paid ten dollars for three, gentlemen.
An then Cooney's mornin' glories made
her sick. An she didn' like sewin' ma.
chimes, they made folks want more
clothes than they ought 10 have, an
made the wash too big An what she
call jimcracks' was Cooney's pretties
in the sittin'-room.
"But i stood 1t; she was Cooney's Ma:
only when the mockin' birds cage door
was found opened an he gone, like TO
have turned my mind loose. for had my
suspicious an have yet. He was a little
bird when / found him. ] was clearin'
my Ian an one of these new niggers
come along with single-barrel gun
and shot both the old birds right before
my eyes with one load was that mad
] took up loose root an fs,iled hin,
tell he couldn't walk straight an bent
tie gun round er tree an flung hit after
him. Then went TO the nest in the haw
bush an started out 20 raise the four
young ones. ] couldn't find n bug TO
save me. though IL looked easy for the
old birds, so | took them home and
tried eggs an potato. Well. one by one
they died until but one was left. When
Cooney come he was grown an with the
dash Of white on his wings all singers
have. But he never would sing-l think
he was lonesome. The first night she
come, / woke TO bear the little feller
eingin' away like l,s heart was too full
10 hold IL all. i turned over TO wake
Cooney that she might hear him too an
what do you recl'n? The moonlight
had found way in through the half
open blinds and had fell across her face
IL shown out there in the darkness like
an angels. and that little lsncsome
bird had seen il for the first time. Hit
started the song in him just like IL had
in ne. an God knows" his voice quiy-
cred a moment and he looked away. q
slight gesture supplying n conclusion
"Then the baby como, az wher
Cooncy said wei. name hit Jessy. after
ma / said good enough Cooney. Hit,
natchul.'
"Lools like that ought 10 have made
A. easier all Ground. but ~ didn't. II
eli got worse; an to keep the peace
] got not 70 comm into The house I'll