The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-04-25
CHAPTER XII.
= RASH THREAT.

dressed IN musty black leave his house
as he approached and walk away in
the opposite direction. Her head was
bent. and her attitude and movement
gave unmistakuble evidence that she
was In deep trouble.
AS Pap entered the yard Mrs. Samp
son appeared In the open front door n
look Of troubled anxiety OH her wrin
klcd. homcly. but kind old face.
"Mirandy," Pap said eagerly, want
that the wddcr Mann that Jest went
outT
Mis-. Sampson nodded.
81 thought 1t was," Pap went on,
though | Want clost enough to soc
her face. Somcthin wrong with her.
aln't they?"
"Ihc pore critters in peck Of trou
blc," Mrs. Sampson answered.
"Pd say't." Pap exclaimed Thought
fully. "llnmph! All along of what
folks arc a-sayin OF her an Sim Banks.
I reckon"
"Waal. it's along of that, Pap. but
not bout that exactly. You know she's
got piece Of wheat down OH her farm.
an It's ripe and needs cuttin."
"Waal:"
AN it pears lack she'd made trade
her on the shccrs."
"Shc did. Mirandy. was Il witness
to the trade an | mind Il we'll"
"Waal. now, bccuS Of all the talk
that's a-gwine bout. Sim he's backed
out an won't tech that wheat"
"Why, | wondcr!
"Becus he says If he did it'd give
more color to what folks are a-sayin."
AN it would, too, Mirandy; it would
shore"
so, not havin no money to live with
an not bcin able to make no trade with
nobody else, Mary Mann is plumb at
the end Of her row, an she don't know
which way to turn"
NATURALLY she would be. AIirandy.
Yes, sir-cc"' Pap paused for quite
awhile, during which time he chewcd
his tobacco vigorously. showing that
he was engaged in earnest thought
Then he added slowly: Eyes. Sir.rc.
Naturally she would be; nut'ra!lv she
would be-
cant you see no way ont for her
PapT' Mrs. Sampson asked
Il was jest a-thinkin, Nirnndy. |
halnt no great admiration for Mary
Mann. an ! guess thar a!n't r.uny ns
has. but for all that she's woman, mn
wldder woman at that. Wonder when
her whcat'll do to cut"
"Tomorry. she said"
"heat go TO waste; 60. rs thar don't
seem to be nothin else for it, guess |
better go out this evenin an gather uD
handful Of men an take 'cm over
thar tomorry an cut it for her."
Mrs. Sampson's face frightened at
once. She was one OF those great soul.
ed plain people who can never bear 10
see any one in trouble without want
ing to move heaven and earth to re.
lievc his distress.
Are you shore you can git the men
to go? she asked.
Lord, yes! Yes, Stree! Thar's ia.
soh KoDerts Jason an me has it uD
All doWn sometimes, an | reckon the
chief enjoyment Of his life is to take
sides ag'in me In everything say; but,
my land, that amt nothin, an when It
comes right down to the pinch Jason
Will sw'ar by me. Yes; Jasonll 60 IN
Sam Morgan an Ebcnezcr Sparks an a
lot Of the Others"
do you reckon they won't want to
char2e hcr FOR their work, thought"
Lord, Mirandy, you don't know
them fcllcrs shorcly! Charge a woman.
an a widder woman at that, for bclpin
her out Of pinch! Land! You lest
let Mary Mann give us good dinner
an we'll have all the pay we want.
Wen even 60 to the length Of furnish.
In our Jug Of liquor If we can git boy
to go to the still after it, an guess we
shorely can"
Zap Sampson was buster that after
noon than he had been for n long time.
lie hunted around till he found six
good men to accompany him to Mrs.
Mahhs farm. Then he hunted up cra-
oles' ana last, but not least, he hunted
Doy TO go after a jug OF whisky.
thought jest rs well try to cit long
without cradles as without n ing NJ
liquor'' he said to himself as he pottcr.
eo ABOUT getting everything in rcadI-
ness. "a gethcrin withont tuo
"ouldnt be no getherln at ALL"
rap was in great spirits the next
morning when he parshaled his forco
into the wheatfield and got the crod;rs
10 gong. He hoped about rs sprv ns
poy and gave orders like n general. Ho
even grasped cradle and prepared to
iead the way with the first swatb. but
Jason took the cradle out Of his hands
and wouldn't let him.
mo. Pap" Jason said, 1--WE can't
have that. Thars plenty Of us younger
men here. You jest set down in the
shade somcwhar an take 1t easy"
Pap harcd up with resentment I'm an
instant.
ME set down IN the shadew no cried. |
"Have you got notion. Jason Roberts.
that I'm so no count an played out as
all that?"
"Why, Lord, Pap, OF course not!" ia.
son replied. 81 didn't say nothin like |
that, did II"
Nor you better not say nothin like !
1t II you don't want me to show you in