The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-11-17

good deal Of an undertakin', come to
think it all over. dunno's l care
about goin'.'
Why, father. After you've thought
about it so many years, an Sereno's
got the tents strapped up, an all! You
must be crazy"
We'll, said the farmer, gently, as
he arose and went to carry the milk
pals into the pantry, calling coaxing-
ly, as he did so: kitty, kitty. You
had Your milk. Don't You joggle. now
Mrs. Pike came pouderouSly TO her
feet and followed, with a heavy, swar-
ing motion Of one grown heshy and
rheumatic. She was not in the least
concerned about Els change of mood.
lie was gentle soul, and She had al
ways been able to guide him in paths
OF her own choosing. Moreover, the
present undertaking was one invOlv-
ing his own good fortune, and She
meant to tolerate no foolish scruples
which might interfere with its result.
For Eli though he had lived all his
life within easy driving distance Of the
ocean. had never seen it, and evec
since his bovhood he had cherished one
darling plan-some day he would go
to the shore and camp out there for a
week This, in his starved magma
ton. was like dream Of the Acropolis
10 an artist stricken blind, or as noun
tain outlines to the dweller in lone
ly plain. But the years had fitted
past, and the dream never seemed
nearer completion. There was always
planting, haying and harvesting to be
considered: and though he was fairly
prosperous excursions We're foreign to
his simple habit Of life. But at last
his wife had stepped into the van and
organized an expedition with all the
valor Of Francis Drake.
Now, don't say one word, father
she had said We're goin' down to
the beach, Sereuo. an Hattie, an you
an me. an we're goin' to camp out"
For days before the date Of the ex-
cursion Eli had been solemn and trem-
ulous. as with joy; but now. on the
eve of the great event, he shrank back
from it. with an underlined notion that
il was like death. and that he was not
prepared. Next morning, however,
when they all rose and took their early
breakfast, preparatory to starting at
FIVE. lie showed no sign Of indecision,
and even went about his outdoor tasks
with an alacrity calculated, as his wife
aDprovingly remarked, to 'for'ard the
H. l,S+ +n
his way clear, and he looked well sat
istied when his daughter Hattie and
Serene, her husband, drove into the
yard in wagon cheerfully suggestive
OF d wandering life. The tents and a
small hair trunk We're stored in the
back, and the horses pail swung be-
low.
A. length the two teams were ready,
and Iii mounted to his place, where ne
looked very slender beside his tower
ing mate. The nired man stood lean
ing on the pump, chewing bit OF
straw, and the cats rubbed against his
legs. with tails like banners.
We'll. good-by, Luke" Mrs. Pike
called ove:. her shoulder; and Eli gave
the man 4 solemn nod, gathered up the
rcins and drove out of the yard. Just
outside Of the gate he pulled up.
whoa" he called, and Luke
louuged forward. Don't you forsit
them eats. Git up, DOLE" And this
tine they were gone.
For the Grst ten miles OF the way.
familiar il being the road to market,
Eli was pIaciGly cheerful. The sense
that Ike was going TO do some strange
deed. 20 step into an unknown country,
dropped away from him, ard he chat
ted. IN his intermittent, serious fash
ion, OF the crops and the lay OF the
land.
The roadside was parched under an
August sun: tansy was dust-covercd,
ana ferns had grown ragged and gray.
The jogging horses let behind their
lazy feet u suticcating cloud.
My land cried Mrs. Pike, If that
amt goiden-rod. DO b'lievc II comes
earlier every year, or else the seasons
are changin'. See them elderberries.
Amt they purple. You jestrcmcmDe.'
that bush, an when we go back, Well
fiji some pals l dunno when I've
made clderberry wine
Like her husband, she was vaguely
eyr;,cd: She began to ;eel IS if lie
,von1i I've ALI HOLIDAYS At noon thev
s,onn.I under the shadow of an elm
tree which, from its tootholG ina field,
completely archeI the road: and there
they ATE 4 lunch of pic and dourhnuts.
while the horses, freed from their
headstalls. pIacidlv murched q gen
srous feed Of oats, near by.
A. +he lunch EIi o-n soarinn,v and
with = n-cocuD:eI and solemn look.
~ ord fo.tar,, e~cIo:r,nd his wife
Won AIM, cat no n,ore.a q Bird"
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