The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-03-27
EmeIiue's Emancipation.

Eme1iue's Emancipation.
Emeline stood at the huttery win
dow, looking vaguely out. but for only
moment. She cotinued moulding
the butter and packing it for market.
The day was hot she had q persistent
little pain in the back of her neck
which annoyed her her back ached
from STOPPING, and the consciousness
that there were other tasks waiting
loomed over her like q dark shadow.
Pm tired out" said she; that's
what, tired out"
She thought of her childhood, and
saw herself, a mite of four or five
years, learning to knit. This acquir-
ed, she had learned to sew, and ac-
complished the usual tale of patch
work quilts. Then the mems clothing
was all made on the farm, and
she must assist as she grew
older. Outside there were bees and
honey, chickens and eggs, with their
recurring demands, and the milk and
the butter-Emellne's heart tainted
within her at the remembrance of the
multifarous pats of butter which had
been passed through her hands.
II bet I've made bricks of butter
enough to build house" said Eme-
line grimly.
She once gained a prize for her
cheese at cattle show, and after that
she always had to make the cheese.
Jest for that little half-dollar
priza !"
Emeline married at eighteen, and
her tall sons and bouncing daughters
had not left the farm, but Emeline
worked as hard as ever, since as the
children grew up their wants increased.
Besides, they enviced no such con-
scientious devotion to labor as did
Emeline; true, they worked many
hours, but they likewise rested when
they chose.
Here they've all gone to the county
fair. I'd like to have gone to that fair
myself :"
Two or three hired men tramped in
to the kitchen at noon for their dinner;
it was ready, as u-ual, hearty and
appetizing. They did not noticeiEme.
lines silence. AS they went out, one of
them, the youngest, said, little bash
fully, II shan't be here tomorrow.
Pm going to mothers. It's my birth
day. She will expect me, and have a
little something to eat" He laughed as
he spoke, and then followed the others.
But Emeline stood staring after him.
It was her birthday, too, she recollect-
ed. Suppose she also laid Oft work.
Why not? She would be fifty years
old in the morning. She turned it
over and over in her mind through the
long, still summer afternoon, and
gradually great resolution was born,
strengthening as the hours went by.
The next morning, Emeline, as
usual, was up at down. Her daugh-
ters came down to find the usual
routine passing under their mothers
skillful, unresting hands. The morn
ing meal was cooked and eat en- the
milk strained and set and away. But
presently Sally said to Polly: Where
on earth is mother? The milk things
amt scalded yet"
"I'll scald 'em,n replied competent
Polly. Soon it was her turn to cry to
Sally, Where do you suppose mother
is : Them peas ought to be picked
right off"
ficient Sally, and set about it. Then
both the girls sat on the. back porch
and shelled the peas, ever and anon
saying, why, where can mother be "'
An hour went by Emeline had
not been seen. Finally Polly found
Sally crying. -,
"What is the matter, you silly
thing ?"
"Oh, isn't it queer for mother to 60
off like this? Let's 60 and look for
her."
"Where ?"
"Why-out in the barn-and down
cellar"
"I've looked in both those places,'
con fessed Polly.
"Then let us go down the road a
short distance"
81 have" said Polly, solemnly.
"Oh, Polly could she have fallen
down the we'll 4?
"I looked there, too," said Polly, be
traying the anxiety which she had
been feeling.
"Well," said Sally, firmly, "rm 60
ing out in the orchard. If she amt
there-she said yesterday she wanted
some greenin's for pies-pm going to
blow the horn and call up father and
the boys to look for her.
"But first let's look all through the
house." urged Polly. "Father'd be so
mad to be called up hereafor nothing.
The cook-room, the milk-room, the
summer kitchen, disclosed 10 one /;
the inner kitchen was vacant; by separ-
ate doors Polly and Sally hastily enter
ed the sitting-room, and there saw
Emeline.
She sat at a shady window her cali
CO dress was discarded in favor of her
second best alpaca she wore a white
apron, and she occupied comfortable
rocker with farm journal in her
hand. EmeIine in this guise at
this hour of the forenoon was
an unprecedented and preten-
tious sight. Her daughters burst
into a duet of inquiries:
"Why, are you sick "'
"Are you going away, mother ::
"Do you expect company ,"
"HaVe you been anywhere ?"
Emeline sat upright, and silently
looked at them. and they returned
er glance. 1t was sombre, but vivid;
and her voice, when she spoke, had a