The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-12-20

winds. Now the sky was leaden. the
wine was northwest; lower, ragged
clouds scudding before it let fall little
spiteful snow spitS. or dashes Of hail.
The Murray outfit came wabbling up.
There was Il sort Of tremoio even TO
the loud crackings of Sonnq Whlp.
Lassaphine. at Sonny'S elbow, scroWled
and shivered impatiently at the noise.
Such useless noise. The crack Of doom
could not have quickened he patient
amble at which Brandy, the red On. and
jimmy, the pale little donkey, drew their
gathering load.
by gonnys. Must be you We fetched
a feather-bed alive" s~torekeeper Walk
er said, holding out both hands. Lassa-
phine overlooked them. Instead OF get
ting out. she writhed down among the
turkeys. They were fine. big fellows.
white, and copperaS yellow, and glossy
greenish bronze. She had fed and tended
and talked to them since they came out
of the egg. \ lump had come III her
throat as she hoppled them III pairs
and laid them upon the scant straw
at the bottom Of the wagon. The lump
was there still, though Lassaphlne was
very far from Il entlmental person.
She could have sold her flock TO the
turkey drover last week with the light
est heart in the world. 1t was quite
another matter to seize and blnd them
treacherously as they fed from hef
hand, and deliver them thus to make
sport for an idle holiday crowd.
"Sa-ay. Jim Walker. Amt you got q
new frock and stick er red-strip-ed can
dy? They mought tole this yer gal or
mine inside" Sonny said, stamping his
feet hard as he clambered down. She
wants ter Spite our fun-Lassphine doe
been a-beggin' me all the way not to
have the turkey walk-though she
knows | saved them bur-reds jest fer
nothing else i'll the world
Come. now. Miss Lassaphine. That
won't do. Not never in the world
Walker said. "ChriStmaS comes bun
once Il year, YOU know. Come. in! Do.
I've got the very dress for you-told my
wife 50 last night, when the newest
goods come in
Lassaphine shook her head decidedly.
Il don't want no dress you've got. she
said. "Nothin' you've got-until the
money to pay for it is in my hand.
That won't be long," Walker said,
rubbing his hands. Look at all them
fine gobblers. | call it jest a great no
ton Of your pa's-havin' EN- walked foi
stand you in twice whut the drovers
is been pawn, Eff you don't wanter
trade though, lemme take YOU up to the
house.
Il don't leave this wagin till it starts
for home" Lassaphine interrupted. turn
ing to pick up the rope reins her father
had dropped. He had vanished inside
the log store-house. As the team
---1 1.x.1. fu,, A., ,+,,. % ,,.,l IL
room for a smart new buggy. he came
out wiping his mouth with the back Of
his hand. his eyes CLASSY with s~atisfac
ton.
$50 you really did come Jack. Good
boy. Man of his word" he shouted to
the buggy's driver. Lassaphine did not
turn her head. yet a slow blush gath
cred in her olive checks. She had long
dusky eyes with a spark at the bot
tom. heavy night-black hair. and the
poise and stature of a Greek goddess.
Notwithstanding. most women in the
countryside reckoned her ugly. She was
so unlike their standard of pink and
white prettiness. they could not in the
least comprehend why so many men
of SO many minds and fortunes lost
their heads over her.
odCh tIloitlS WI lIISt.tlt1, a ~
CHEESEMAN'S son, rich and fair looking,
though reputed wild: Len Haskell. most
driving and thriving of the young farm
ers round about: Doc Grant. the bach
elor tobacco dealer, Il catch for any
girl, to say nothing of Teeny Walker.
the st~orekeeper's bashful Young brother.
1t was certainly aggravating to good
women with girls of their wv to set
Ito fn hoya Sn many Ganrit 1ftar "a <
saphine, who coquetted with all, and
favored none. The Murray place was
poorer han poverty. the bare and I'M
mer"rantable fragment OF Il wide plan
tat.0n. Its starveling acres were either
gained and quilted or overgrown with
vagrant brierS. and the big weather.
stained house ruinous except in two OF
three south looking rooms.
Still the Murrays managed to live by
it-Lassaphine and Sonny and Grand
pap. Grandpap never forgot, nor al
lowed the other to forget. what wa,
due to Murray blood. I~1assaphine, fol
example. must learn to read. and sigI
her name. must wear shoes upon higl
days and holidays. aud go to church al
least once a month. He was the NOR,
because Lassaphine's mother
had not been Il person of quality, but ;
hill girl. who had. however. been oblig
ing enough to die while LasSaphine Wa:
yet in arms.
Drive round We're a-goin' to wall
i'll the back lot" Sonny called. shakin.
hands right and left as he spoke. Al
L~assaphine's worshippers were III The
crowd on the porch-besides everybody
liked Sonny i'll spite of his weakness
for many glasses when one was too
much for his poor head.
That was the secret of Lassaphine':
presence-she could not afford to hay,
him royster away the price of he
feathered flock. For one thing Their,
were her church dueS. Sonny argue'
that the circuit rider. Il wifeless youn!
fellow, we'll clothed. well a
no expense for living. had much les,
need of the five dollars than them
selves. Lassaphine listened, smiling ob
stinately. She could put in action. no
words, her feeling that it was due her
self to pay, regardless of anything else
A turkey walk. understand. is Il sor
of rural lottery. much affected aroun,
holidays in the middle south. AS a lot
terry it comes under the ban of strirc
church poopla cnrta iuly tnara * - Str,p.