Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-08-27
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 short cob
pipe. Near by sat his wife, busily en-
gagged in stringing beans for dinner.
Its bin most ten years since Ped went
away i" observed Mr.. Bugford, blowing
cloud of smoke over 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 war busiest
cuttin corn, an had ter hire Sug John
son in his place. Sug warn worth his
salt, an it war clear loss NV 50 ter
me. -
but you can't blame Ped for that, ;"
said his wife.
"He might "a stayed till the corn was
cut. "
"He flowed you wasn't treatin him
jist right-then Ped was our only
child. "
II war an only child myself " COM
planned Bugford, ''an | reckon | warn {
treated any better AN Ped, but didn't
go runnin away. You remember my
daddy wouldn't hear ter our bein mar
ried in a bizy time. Sez he ter me;
'Silas, | amt goin ter have a 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, can we
had ter wait too. My mother was sot
ag in our bein married right in gardenin
time. She sez ter me, SEE she: Mandy,
it amt no use in talkin NV yer bein
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 gooseberries, an they never did agree
with me. Wait till after harvest, Man
dy SEE she, an the blackberrjes 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 1 war a little hard on
Ped "
ped was good boy"
Eyes, but he kept goin with them
Wykoff boys when he knowed that ole
Wykoff 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 SIGH fool things don't ever git
fixed right, declared Silas, IAN 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. "
at would have been the best thing
boys will be boys.
80 they will, an Ped was only 10
jist when a 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 corn
knife, and, stopping, he leaned against
the fence.
He was 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 We cut corn, " he said after ex-
changing greetings with Silas
Il dunno jist yit, 80 the farmer re-
piled. "I'm intendin ter commence ter
morrer mornin, though the fodder is a
little green yit. My corn is later IAN
yourn.
Eyes, bout two weeks. Pap sed if
We needed any help he'd come in the
mOrnln,
WAL, I'm goin ter want couple
nv han s fer a few days an 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.
GAN right. Heard anything from
Ped l.tely?"
"Not fer a good spell"
"How's he gitrin along;"
.tHn dom II nnvnr NV LIST sez ha's