The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-10-13
CHAPTER XI.
THE TALE-TELI PITCH-sTAIN


A day or two went by.
The excitement began to lull little.
But there was no danger of its dy-
ing out for long time to come. even
if nothing more of the kind which had
aroused it were to happen, for the rec
ollection of horse-stealing transac-
tion was to the early settlers what our
late war is to those who took part in
it-something to be talked over and
wondered about every time two or
three neighbors get together.
Monday morning Dick happened to
be wanting an iron of some sort to
make repair on his plow. Not find
ing one about Mr.. Boone's house or
barn, he went over to Mr.. Porter's to
see if he could find what he wanted
there.
Samanthy was in the front yard,
giving little vicious dabs at a coat
which was hanging on the clothesline.
She had basin of soapsuds on a
block of wood beside her, and with
this solution, applied with rag, she
was endeavoring to accomplish some
thing with the garment before her.
"Have you taken to cleaning old
clothes?" asked Dick, coming up be-
hind her, unobserved.
Samanthy gave a little piping cry,
that was first cousin to fashionable
young lady's shrek, and nearly
jumped out of her shoes, she was 30
startled.
"Land O. goodness, how you scairt
me-" she cried. 'I didn't know as
there was man anywheres round the
diggin's."'
'"I don't believe you're as much
afraid of the men as you'd like to make
me think you are," laughed Dick.
'I'd like to know what you're doing"
"I'm cleanin' up that feller's coat"
answered Samanthy, with vicious
emphasis on "that feller" and an ac-
companying vicious twitch of the gar
ment belonging to him.
"Can't he clean his own clothes?"
asked Dick, cycling the coat closely.
'Is he so busy he can't find time to do
it himself?"
ct s'pose so," answered Samanthy,
spitefully. ''Ef he had couple more
gals to make fools of, we'd hev to wait
on him the whole endurin' time"
Meaning Mamie and"
can Rhody, said Samanthy, finish
ing the sentence for Dick. "Oh, T
amt blind by no means! Bless ye,
I've seen how things was a-goin' fer a
good spell back, an I jest keep a-put-
tin in my say whenever I git a chance,
an you jest mark my words an see if
that feller don't have fallin' out with
both O. them gals afore long. I've
talked to Nancy, an I've talked to
Rhody, an 'twon't be such o great
while afore I git 'em worked up so't
they'll give Mr.. Singin'teacher to
understand that he can't palaver round
'em both in the way he's doin' now.
Ye see, the way it's now, he's a-mak-
in Rhody b'leeve she's playin' fust
fiddle when he's with her, an when
he's with Nancy, why, she's the one.
Gals don't put up with the idee O.
playin' second fiddle for nobody, SO
there's a-goin' to be the biggest kind
of rumpus afore a great spell, an
amt mite ashamed to own up that
I'm a-doin' all I can to help it along.
Consarn his picter, don't like him,
an never did. He was a-sayin' suthin'
he thought awful sharp about Of
maids, t'other day, but I didn't let on
I heerd him, though knew he was
a-sayin' it fer my special benefit, but
thinks I, jest you wait an see if there
hain't one Of maid that's enough fer
ye, when she gifts chance to do
suthin'."
"I have been considerably worried
on Rhoda's account" said Dick.
Having no mother to advise her, he
has a greater chance to influence her
than Mamie. And I think, too, that
Rhoda cares more for him than Mamie
does"
ITO be continued.