Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-05-03

mp their grievances. ] think heap of
grievances are made mp that way"
Was Seth having his iling at her too!
She flushed under the suspicion, bit
his next words dissipated it. And
then, reckon, Sunday is good day TO
lay over after takin doctors stuff. That
must be it," with triumphant decision.
And here was Saturday rolled rornd
again. aGd with il would come the black
swarm Of real and imaginary sufferers
old Lefty with her scent Of mutton tai.
low and her story Of lambago, old Dan
itl with his crutches and his crotchets,
Anarky with her mysterious inward
miseries that she trrced directly TO the
malign influence Of the "hoOdoo" bag
found in her pillow, and all the rest of
them.
Burrowing in the pillows was not cs-
cape. 1t was mere cowardly putting of
Of the evil hour. She was shirking.
Breakfast was over before she had con-
cluded her verbal self scourRing. She
could hear the subdued jollity about
the open doors of the big smokehouse.
The buzz Of ration giving and receiving
was already begun. The sight Of the
plenteous store revealed by the opening
Of the barnlike doors always had al ex-
hilarating effect on the "hands. "
Breakfasting alone was one Of her
Saturday privileges One Of her com-
pensations, she called it, After awhile
her father and the boys would mount
their horses and ride into Sessumsport
with sense of freedom from all care
ard responsibility for whole day and
half. She could not discover that they
found anything more exciting to do in
Sessumsport than to sit on the store
galleries, whiting fresh notches into
the long enduring benches and 20 ex-
change crop items. But they always
came home with q holiday freshness
about them that was reflected pleasant
ly in the home atmosphere.
And after awhile again she and her
mother would tie big, blue check bib
aporns about their waists Mandy not
inirequently plumb forgot hers) and
would go into the pantry to make the
soft gingerbread and the sweet potato
pies that the men looked for every Sun
day Then careful supervision Of
coarse socks and heavy shirts which
had tendency always to make her
wish herself i'm q nunnery.
And 10 they would go ON, she sup
posed. forever and forever and forever.
She stood in the broad open hallway
after finishing her breakfast. thankful
that no halt nor lame constituent had
hurried her through with IL. She could
see the smokehouse activities without
turning her head How large and hand
some and capable man her father
looked to be ~ ignobly occupied. The
physique Of q Roman gladiator, the
soul Of serf. The familiar sight stirred
her 10 fresh rebellion at the discordance.
She did not move when her mother
came softly up behind her and clasped
caressing hands about her slim waist.
Honey, this bas' fits you like you
was melted into it, And to think you
done it all yourself.
Liza turned clouded, abstracted face
toward her, saying inconsequently:
Mother. why did you ever permit
nv father to 20 into such business rs
this
Mrs. Msrtin removed her caressing
hands and fell hack step or two,
frowning perplexedly.
"Go inter it: Why, chile, he was
born inter it. The Martins have been
oyerseein fer the Strongs, father and
son, a. far lack as the days Of this Gov.
ernor Strong grandpa-andh him in his
seventies. Not Martin, he amt but go
year old. The Martins and the Strongs
JUS seem natcherly to belong to each
other. And when my Eben is gone tmay
/ 60 first), aud the old man up at the big
house is gone, too, reckon my Seth
and my Charlie will be carryin the ole
place on for Adrien same as ever"
This with a note Of pride in her voice
both exasp.rating and inexplicable TO
Liza
"Eut have you never had any am
bition for him or for my trothors to be
som, thing else - something letter -
mother"
Mrs. Martin twisted her aprt d strings
reflectively. She could see Eben and
the boys from where she stocd. There
was nothing in the sight to stir her to
vain regrets or to futile dreaming.
Eben-wi:h pair of heavy steel
bowed glassc5 astride his nose for great.
er accuracy in weighing, his coat on
for freer play OF his muscular arms
was placidly batting the hand scales
with fresh slab of meat, whistling
the while, with cheerful discordance, a
measure from Captain Jinks OF the
Horse Marines. His cheerfulness was
reflected in Mrs. Martins face.
That's n mighty nice, fresh lookin
chunk of pork. Eten better be lookin
out fur my sto'room too"
She stepped to the end of the gallery
and lifted her voice arrcstirgly:
sole man, l know good piece OK
meat when ! see it. Save some orter
that barrel befo' it all gees.
Then she returned to Liza:
"N-o. honey, l can't Just say as l
have. II You suit this sort Ct business
and it suits you, it amt so bad. NoY,
your pa does suit the business, and it
does suit him. He don't know nothin
else. Him and this plantation lave
growed about each other like the lark
about u tree. And then, sick or well,
rain or shine, come hard times, come
easy, he is dead shore Of his 81, 200 q
year, rent free, and as big q garden
patch as We care to tend. 1t amt every
sto keeper nor lawyer nor doctor neither
can say as much.
"But the social ostracism, mother. y
Rebecca's mild blue eyes wandered
wistfully over her girls pretty, cloud
ed face. Dissatisfaction was written
there in language she could under
stand plainly enough. even though Liza
had couched it in one Of those mysteri-
Gus "bcok " words" which were a perpet-
ual stumbling block and ofTense to her.
Her humiliation was complete whenever
she needed to have Lizs's fine phraseol'
ogy translated into her sort of English.
She blushed sLyly.
"The-what, honey!'
"We are nobodies, mother, absolutely
nObodies.
The mother laughed Ileaantly and
shook her head assentingly.
"That's 70, honey. There's no Leny-
| in that the Martins don't count for
much outside Of work. But till ycu