The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-08-02
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SUBSCRIPTION 81 PER ANNUM
JOB PRINTING A SPECIALITY.
BROWN BESS.

said Susie Ross rinsing the dishes
she had just washed.
"Oh, Susy!" cried her brother.
"What in the world do you want
to sell Brown Bess fo,!' her mother
asked, looking up from the dough
she was kneading.
II could 60 to the academy, mother,
for two more terms, was the answer.
"Then, perhaps, I could-get the
school at the Corners"
''Nonesense, Susy. need you to
help me-" her mother said. Keep
ing school is q thankless business.
Its money" said Susy, land I do
long to help myself, and you, too.
Money will do everything that needs
to be DONE"
Eyes, that's fact" spoke up Tom,
ssand there's lots wants to be done.
I'd like to clear the five acre lot for
potatoes and corn, but I can't do it. 7"
s'And the house wants shingling,"
her mother said plaintively, her care
worn countenance taking on another
shadow.
s'The front doors got crack all
the way across" Tom spoke up again,
and there ought to be fireplace in
granuy's room. Then there's the
tarp; it's all We can do to keep the
hay dry"
Il know all that" said Susy. Il
know the house is getting to be
scarecrow, and the barn is worse, and
that's why I want to be earning. AS
for the shingles, I should think you
could put them on yourself, Tom;
yes, and mend the roof"
where's the shingles, Tom asked,
in his matter-of fact way. 'Where's
the nails7 Where's the hammer?
The old one is broken past mending.
Aud where's the money to get them
with, I should like to know?"
"Sure enough" said Susy, ''unless
I could earn it. That's why I want
to sell Brown Bess.'
'And if you do sell her you won't
get much" Tom said. ''She's so full
of her tricks-the craziest colt ever
saw"
"Tm more and more afraid to have
you ride her," her mother said. ''But
if you should sell her, there's the
mortgage to be paid in October"
'.If I sell her." said Susy, quietly,
it will be to finish my education"
That's always your cry," her
mother went on, in plsintive tones;
no matter what's needed; but s'pose
we must give in. Bad as the roof is,
it shelters us. What would we do
without house over our heads?"
"I'd sell the cow" put in Tom.
"And then grandma would just
about sta1ve," the mother supple
mented.
Susy turned away from the table,
angry and grieved, but she said moth
ing, only ran upstairs to her own
room.
After helping her mother about
the house she donned her sunbonnet
and ran into the barn. Tom was
rubbing down Brown Bess, whose
bright, glossy coat shone like satin.
s'Much as I can do to take care OF
her." said Tom. "She wants regu-
lar groom who would break her OF
her nasty little tricks. See how she
throws her head up, and look at her
eyes flashing fire. Are you going to
the store? Mother wants sugar and
molasses and vinegar-and I've got
to go into the field"
"Yes, I'm going, said Susy ''though b
I dread it, the bill is 80 large. If I
sell Brown Bess that's the first thing
I'll pay"
THAT and the mortgage" said
Tom. "Well, I'll saddle old Dick"
Susy mounted to the back of the
slow old cart horse with gloomy fore
bodings. It was warm September
day. Even in the midst of her anx
iety the beauty of the ride to Hill
stone soothed and delighted her
Every detail of the way was familiar
to her, yet when she came to Silver
Ledge falls and saw the white spray
leaping over granite rocks and dane
ing among tiny islands she stopped
old Dick and sat enjoying the scene
as if she had never beheld it before
"Good morning." a voice said be-
hind her.
80, Charlie" she exclaimed, with
q start, Il didu't hear you coming"
m? The falls are so loud. l saw
YOU at the bend and followed. Going
to town."