The Press., 1899-05-25
HIS SEVEN. SONS.


 man. said Mir. Teakwood refectively as he shaved keener edge on the wooden sword he was making and sighted along the blade with discern ing eye.
 Old man Bolivar tilted his chair back at a more reassuring angle and clasped his hands about his knees in an easy attitude for listening. George Smith ceased the soft drawl which he had been droning into the ears of the store keeper. and Pendarvis brought in his buggy cusbions and made himself com fortable on a cracker box.
 "Well. what about ole man Free man?" asked George Smith at last i'll an exasperated way
 "Ole man Freeman. he's back on the ole place. the story teller finally be- gan, ''an that boy O n, that Jim. he's in the little cabin on the Hi Wat ters place, that cabin where the gal 'ry's done fell in.
 "What made i'm mover asked George Smith, whose weakness it was to try to help along with fatuous ques- tions.
 "I been a-knowin old man Freeman for nigh on to 8 real long time, " pur- sued Mir Teakwood meditatively, Ian it lookt to me like he could do mighty good job now if he could go back an bring up his boys over again. It's 8 powerful pity, it seems like to me. that man can't have but one chance to raise his children, an if they don seem to pan out right that time there ain t no more show for him. I reckon it was mighty bad year when ole man Free man boys begin to grow up.
 ''They was a-plenty of 'em. sech as they was, remarked old man Bolivar with. quite unusual and unexpected candor. ::
 "The ole man had seven boys" MT Teakwood went on. with dry inward chuckle at some memory. ''an if the ole folks hadsa raised 'em right he could set back in his easy cheer an never done no more work as long as he lived. He did try the easy cheer game. but ii was everlastin'ly 'ly too late. Them boys had grew up to think that the airth | was pretty much made SOS they could have good time an nothin to do.
 "They ain't one O them seven boys that's worth killin today. an the ole mans workin harder today than he die 25 year ago.
 ! But I reckon he thought Jim wal goin to be somethin, Long last winter Jim began to shine up to one O then Forstall girls-the one with the turn III nose-an it would a made any body plum sick to have saw the way the ole man took on.
 | {" I tell you, they's outcome to that boy O. mine, that Jim, he says to me- rubbin his hands together, pleased al pie You wouldn't "a thought they was that much spunk in Jim, would you An there he is, sparkin up to that girl an her gran pa was member O tho legislater! An shore as yer Twin Jim l be id the legislator himeslf some day, fur he's got the nerve to try it.
 'Itsipears like come to know al about this Freeman business kinder ac cidental like. You see. long middliI airly las spring I got ole Nance ont | day an rode over to ole Freeman fol to berrer his harrer. I was a-gittin my garden ready. an it was that grassy ii was plum boun for to be harrered
 "When got over there. Squire Diggt an some more men was jes' ridin away, an the ole man met me in the gal'ry lookin like he'd been a-cryin an says he
 I'm a-fixin for change. Lie. says he. 'Jim's a-goin to get married Sun. day, an me an the old woman is jes deeded this place, an him an his wife is a-goin to take keer O us the balance O our days. You don't know how happy it makes me feel. I'm a-goin to have me big cheer an set out here in the gal 'ry where l kin watch the cows goil to paster. an Jim plowin in the flu, field. an where the ole woman kin lister to Jim's wife potterin round the house you know. an kin kinder oversee ar tell him how to do things. fur Jim don know so pesky much about armin.
 You better hol' on to that deed til you die. says in 8 warnin voice. 'ani let the takin keer come first. an. gra