Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08


on top Of them and the drop-leaf table snug
against the tailboard. Bedsteads. chairs,
new cradle. a candlestand and many bags
and bundles. built upon this foundation a
miscellaneous superstructure, crazy look
ing. yet held in place with all the ploW
lines Jimmy Dawson could muster.
Mrs Dawson sat on the trunk, her atten-
ton equally and fearfully divided between
the rens in her hand. the baby upon her
knees and the broody hen with her clutch
OF eggs in the basket at her feet
The hen had belonged to Little Jim. the boy
who had died the summer before. She had
stolen her nest but Mrs. Dawson could not
bear to leave her, any more than to send
her. robbed of her eggs. along with the
other fowls which went the day before.
Jimmy gulped hard he turned the key
in the lock. The house was old and ram
shackle. but he had been born in 1t, and
had thought to live and die there. A tor
toise shell cat came to rub against his legs,
mewing plaintively and looking up In his
face. He stopped and stroked the creature
until 1t purred loudly and made though
1t would spring into his arms. He drew
back hastily. saying No. no, Mittens!
You can't go. 1t does look mean to leave
cats and walnuts. The good Lord knows
my luck is bad enough Already"
"Superstitious-eh. Jimmy? I'm rather
glad Of 1t. l shall take Mttens straight up
to the house-we need another mouSer,
Mr.. Abshre said. coming around the corner
of the house. then. with a laugh, slightly
forced: Maybe you won't sell Mlttens-
that may be bad luck. too-but you'll give
this to Mrs. Dawson, with my compliments
for the baby
He held out a silver dollar. Dawson made
no motion TO take 1t. He looked down at
Abshire with smoldering eyes until the
N a. hob irn uhnr 1tn nHy-
rudy. with close-clipped reddish hair and
beard Dawson lean. dark. muscular, tow
cred head above him. and had lank. sun
bleached locks blowing all over the collar
of his rusty coat.
Keep your money-now you've got It,
Mr.. Abshire." he said slowly at last. TT
won't ever be named betweenst US again.
now I've got my quittance in full. But re-
member this-1 owe ye a day in harvest.
III pay 1t some time-a long day at that"
Abshire laughed insolently. You disap-
point me- lawson" he said. Il had
thought you too much a man to sulk or
whine over paying an honest debt"
You thought right amt whinin'."
Jimmy said. clambering up beside his wife
You know / didn't know 1t was your
money / borrowed-and you wantin' my
place
Certainly! The house obstructs our
view. Abshire said.
Dawson's eyes b,azed The first o US
Dawsons got the land from the Injuns,"
he said. Il wanted to pass it on to chill
dren o. mine-Jest 1t come to me
Mrs. Dawson laid silencing hand his
arm He shook 1t of. but just then the baby
began to cry, as though pinched with cold,
for all the mothers cuddling Poor little
mite" he muttered, touching the clumsy
hooded head. ITO think | must take you
five miles in the teeth o this wind, and then
into cold house,
He started UP the mules and soon had
them trotting at a rate which threatened
10 wreck the towering load. The baby
cried fitfully, though his wife did her best
TO hush il. II had been ailing al week. He
almost wished he had pocketed his pride.
and begged Abshire to let him wait his
moving until the weather was milder But
mild days are not plenty in mldwinter-
least OF ali when the cold has strengthened
10 freezing new year He had stayed over
the day itself-if he moved then he would
be moving until the next Christmas-and
moving once was. to his mind, sufficient
for a lifetime.
Il wish you'd got US place in the fall"
his wife said at last. not reproachfuly, but
with soft plaintiveness Infinitely harder
70 bear. Jimmy sighed deeply. he could
bot tell the truth-that he had humpied
himself before Abshire. hoping against nope
10 stay on in his home, and in the end re-
deem it, Ellen would never have done that
She was fiery proud, for all her SOFT ways;
Hadn't we better turn IN mere az tle
doctor'so'' he asked as the wagon came OPP
posite a big gate standing generously VIDE.
Mrs Dawson shook her head DO you
think there's time?' she asked Its past
IL now, and everything to do when we get
there. Baby's asleep-stii' l wish the uoc-
tor
The words ended in a scream. she had
uncovered the tiny face cautiously TO mo II
binched and blue, the little lips Sasplhs-
Dawson understood her inarttculate cry.
turn OF the wrist sent the mules through
The gate a cut Of the whip set them INTO a
dead run up the ragged drive. But II was
a limp and lifeless little body that Mrs.
VI ~ ,-tn &c a ryna
'1-be Lord gave the Lord hath taken
sway." the kind doctor said reverentiy;
grading the dead baby on one arm, anu
with the other pushing It's distracted molh-
ar into q seat at the fireS!de. Mrs. Whar-
ton bent over her and put her arms about
her. sobbing In silent sympathy She had
lost a baby Just the year before, ana kne"
better than to mock this grief with spoken
comfort.
Dawson covered miserably at the other
side OF the fire, through leaden haI-nour.
Then he got UP and took his dead chlio IN
his arms saying as he pressed MS rough
check TO it's waxen face: And | have got
TO bury you. little one, all by yourself ADJ
shire owns the graveyard-he says ne don
want any more Dawson on his LAND. alive
or dead. ,o.h ;.
DR.. Wharton began. but stopped snort,
staring al Mrs. Dawson. She had risen her
she said in a high. harsh voice. Give me
the baby. II is so sound asleep 1t must be
we'll Something might catch the hen. II
vas little Jim's you know" this apologet-
fcally 10 the Whartons lists the most
we have got left OF him. Always. when he
fell asleep on the floor. his pullet would go
and perch on his shoulder. and stay quiet
till he walked.
Jim took his wife In his arms, needless of
other eyes 'Ellen!' he said: Ellen wife!
you-you better stay here with Mrs Whar-
ton I'll go on-and see about things.
You must stay" DIR. Wharton said. He
Jaw that the poor creature was quite out Of
her mind. Rest and quiet might bring back
her reason With infinite sympathetic pains
sha was coaxed TO swallow sleeping
draught and sit easily in the chimney cor
nAr hugging the dead child close to her
breast To humor and soothe her the hen
was brought in and set where she could
touch the basket with her foot Jimmy
stood back Of her, his big hands fondling
mar hair with clumsy tenderness. Presently
her head fell back, her arms relaxed. the
little white face dropped 50 the waning day
Night touched It.
Ellen did not stir as Mrs. Wharton took 1t
away: ou'll let us bury II beside our lit
Tia one she said TO Jimmy. In a hushed
whisper He nodded alphabetically His one
thought now was Ellen. He was Of slow.
fond. devoted nature. He loved his wife
much as he had loved his home. He had
never loved anybody else. He had chosen
her In the cradle himself a stout fellow five
years old He could not conceive Of life
apart from her yet in the face Of this awful
fear he almost prayed that she might