The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-05
GOOD FRIENDS AND TRUE.

chllrning SHor dress was ncatiy tuck-
ed aWat tfr0in the contact OF splashin%
buttegn;lk, aud her eyes rested on the
blue 8ifaoks OF, sky, showing through
the lcaves OF Virginia crecpcr which
: covered tho lattice but thoughts were
remote enough from ilocks of sky,
green leaves, Or splashing huttermilk.
Inside the dim sitting-room her
mother nodded to tho musical rhythm
OF tho churn, and the bu2ziug of two
Hios, high on the window pane. The
needle, stuck half way through the
cross stitches In tho heel OF Mary
'Aun's stocking, was held pcrilously
close to tho gray hcai bending over 1t
ana. bobbing up and down at regular
day courted sleep, tho thurn daShcr
outside roe and fell monotonously, and
It's cadence mingled with Mrs. Smith
. ers dreams.
Presently thero came a rap of bony
vknuckles at the front door. Mrs. Smith
s,s' head gavo final jerk upward aud
or eyes blinked open. Sho roso and
tened 10 the door, tho stocking still
hand.
is it you, Liza p" she said.
right it. | was hHlf asleep
knocked-thes0i long summer
ono so GrOwsy."
her skirts q altc.
u har0 for people TO kcop
Kansas" she complained,
(, wind blowin' the dust al
.ition." She seated herself aud
smiling about hOr. It's
nAv\ here, thought she added, "&Dd
| an mighty GLAD found you at home,
neeHhso+ ca,nc on special business"
VI hope,y you didn't como bcggin' for
the caurcn,' saiA Mt,. Smi,hcrs.
"There ain't red cont III the house,
and won't be until Mary Ann flashes
the e'cburhin' and sells tho butter"
Il" That's herchurnin, nov, isn't it -
Esked I iza. ~
.s"Yes. Why?'
i've got something to say don't
~aEt her to hear, that's all" Sn0 took
OIL her items and smoOtAuN tlcm out
across her lnp.
"Sarah," sho began solcmnly, after
an awkward pause. "u'vc always boCn
good friend to you, haven't 20
= ''I3uut 10 good as Guy friend I've
got" answered. Mrs. SmjthUrS, with Y
curious intOuation which was lost on
Liza, so intent WAS sho upon Tho sub.
jcct in hand.
"Wcll, I've como 10 10 youa frioud'5
turn now" uGro sho paused again,
and Mrs. Smithcrs, draw ing her needle
through held it suspended, waiting 20
.,
"peOplc's own kinstulk: il The vcYy las.
ones TO hear things that's goiug OH
talk, | mcan--and that tin't right. #
there's talk gOin' ON, the ones nearest
OF Kin ought TO be the iitsL TO hear it.
Leasvwi.ys, thHt'S iny opinion Airs
IT yours, Sarah ?"
"lt depends" said Sarah, Gryly.
Liza rolled tho mitton8 together mul
turned tho hem OF one OF them over
both.
New yupposin'," aho said, vi a
slight loss OF words for Que, "thNt
had Il girl like Mary Ann"
Mrs. Smlthors invUiuntarily started.
For Il scconl, sn0 shook rs il with 4
chill.
And people was goin' round talkfo'
about nor? Wouldn't It be your do,
TO como and tell me :"
Mrs. Smithcrs id not reply. llor
wrlnkled face hHd turnaI IL rAliah
yellow undor the tan OF tho k~usus
winds. Tnc stockiOE had fallen iulO
he" lap.
"Of courao it would," continued
Liza. land So I'm going To tell you
this, bGcauool think you ought 10 know
it,"
She coughcd twico behind her hand
before she bcguN again.
" AS ncar aS / can mako out she
said, " IL WAS this wU%: jake 55AUNIGr5
WAS COmlth' GlCNH tho NUHd frCm Mu,-
vane Saturday night think it y ~
yes, Pm sure it WAS Saturday night
and he Saw tWO Young people Griviu'
toward him IN bU@Ey In lhG shadow
of the trees. II WAS bright moonlight.
you Know, aNd when they come uuo
from un0Gr the shadow tho young icl-
low threw his ARMS around The giri'S
neck aud kissed her Kissed hcr
right there in the moonlight where
Jake Saunders could sCC, whcrc any
body cOuld'cr seen what had miAd To
look ! Why il the naWc OF common
scncc,' didu't he kiss lur when they
wero in the shadow Ct the Trees ?
That's what pa like 20 know. Sulah
that young fellow WAS CuarliC SulijvUU.
and tho girl-"cil, tnc girl waS~MAry
Auu -
Mrs. SlnttGors had mechanically
takon up her work, and WM0 slowly
running thc long needle ,hrouEh MARY
AIMS stCckjug. She pressed Cpr
threads down with her thUrlD nail uaG
nippcd OF a'strav end with Nur scissor
Her jaco Was m0LiCH}CS8 ~ il carved
IN stone, but the fingers that held the
SCISSORS trcmblod y liItlG.
9ou know Jake Sauudlrs." Li%A
went on. ilo cau'L keep nothtn'.
That Was Saturday night, and before
mcrnin' the whole town WAS alive
with it. Everybody knew Il, cvcG the
children. SurO things SO like wiIG.
lire, once they get started, aud the
worst, OF it is they kept addin and
addtn'. You wouldn't or known the
story by Sunday, they'd put so many
frjlls aod (urbCiows on H."
She locked hard at Mra. Smithcrs,
searching her stony features for some
slight cpcou"agom to proceed but,
finding none. sue pro 1CCACd any way.
Now, seein' Pm your best friend,
Sarah, thought IL would bo ~ kind
ness to como and tell YOU what IL o.
were sayin'. 1t seemed sort OF pU"ul
like to hear everybody talHin' about
Mary Ann: aod you snilin' around
unbeknownst-smiiin' maybe aL The
very people what was doin' tho worst
talkiu'."
n