Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-10-08
PED'S RETURN.

Silas Bugford sat in the shade of the
big oak that grew by the kitchen door.
He was in his shirt sleeves, and his
coarse straw hat lay ON the grass at his
side.
He was leaning forward, his chin
resting on his hands, his elbows upon
his knees, calmly putting a short cob
pipe. Near by sat his wife, busily en-
gagged in stringing beans for dinner.
It's bin most ten years since Ped went
away" observed Mr. Bugford, blowing
cloud of smoke over a vagrant bum
blebee that was buzzing about holly
hook.
"Ten years come this fall" " remarked
his wife without looking up.
"Come this corn cuttin time" cor
rected Bugford. II reckerlect it we'll.
He went off jist when l war busiest
cuttin corn all had ter hire Sug John
son in his place. Sug warn't worth his
salt, an it war clear loss NV s5 ter
me.'
"But you can't blame Ped for that, "
said his wife.
"He might "a stayed till the corn was
cut"
"He lowed you wasn't treatin him
jist right--ttcn Ped was our only
child'
81 war an only child myself" COM
planned Bngford can | reckon I warn t
treated any better IAN Ped, but l didn t
go runnin away You remember my
daddy wouldn't hear ter our bein mar
ried in hi2y time. Sez he ter me:
'Silas, l amt goin ter have weddin
goin on right i'll plowin time. Wait till
the corn's laid by, an then thar'll be
plenty NV time fer fixin fer the we'd
din '"
YES" said Mrs. Bugford, "an we
had ter wait too. My mother was sot
ag in our bein married right in gardenin
time. She seZ ter me, sez she: Mandy,
it amt no use in talkin Nv yer bcin
married this spring. Sayin nothin Nv
the work that's got ter be done, it
would be a waste ter kill them chickens
till harvest, an then thar's nothin in
the garden ter make pies but pieplant
an gooseberrics an they never did agree
| NltH w diJ lllI ulltl IItil NCSl,
dy, sez she, IAN the black berries will
all be ripe Mother was powerful sot
ag in extravaganza an believed in
young folks mindin their parents. "
$50 she did, an so did my daddy"
said Bugford, "but things are different
now, an mebby war a little hard on
Ped"
"Ped was good boy"
eyes, but he kept goin with them
Wykoff boys when he knowed that ole
Wykotf had treated me meaner than
dirt, then he war forever workin with
that fool machine idee Nv his when he
ort ter bin at work on the farm. -
"He said the machine might make us
all rich if he got it fixed up right"
suggested Mrs. Bugford.
"But sich fool things don't ever git
fixed right, declared Silas, 'an reck-
on he's found it out by this time. Ped
war a good hand ter work, though,
when he did work, an mebby ort ter
lowed him ter have his way about
them fool idees Nv his"
'It would have been the best thing
boys will be boys
$50 they will, an Ped was only 10
jist when boy knows the least an
thinks he knows the most"
Silas arose and stood leaning against
the big oak. His wife got up and went
into the kitchen. Presently Bud White
came along the road, carrying a corn
knife, and, stopping, he leaned against
the fence.
He was a young man of spare build,
with a half inch of downy beard upon
his freckled face.
Pap lowed ye might want some un
ter help ye cnt corn" he said, after ex-
changing greetings with Silas.
Il dunno jist yit, the farmer re-
piled. "I'm intendin ter commence ter
morrer mornin, though the fodder is a
little green yit. My corn is later 'an
yourn.
"Yes, bout two weeks. Pap sed if
ye needed any help he'd come in the
mornin."
"Waal, I'm goin ter want a couple
NV hans fer few days, an l reckon ye
an yer daddy might both come"
"Pap'll come but I've got ter see ter
strippin the sorghum cane"
81 reckon l might git another hand.
Tell yer daddy ter bring one if he can. p"
"All right. Heard anything from
Ped lately?"
Not fer good spell"
"How's he gittin along?"
"He don't never say. Jist sez he's
well an workin every day.
Don't talk NV comm homer"
"Noap. Reckon he'll SOW his wild
oats first
81 low he will. Pap never lowed
me ter sow no wild oats. Waal, l must
] be travelin. Good day."