The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-01-09

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"'IiS q urdul duv for the like 40 that |
James Phcldn" she S'td.
tnt,d to WIZ Sh the mud from her feet |
I;ut. OF course. she did both and In the
act was brought nearer I" tie practical
sid" of things again.
When She went down stairs, her fa
thrr hal como In from the forge AMI
was sitting. clean and uncomfortnhlc
nrnr tie hearth. Mrs. Coylr sat orpp
site to him: the nine children were
p"rchch OH two wooden benches that
| ran along the WALL They made way
for her with many Signals and sup
pressed uiE:,l,s
"WhiSht! Re shtill. there. Yer uncle
IS not used to tn" like nv that"
| "GnI help him th"n!" said Conn.
| "An' why God help him? Sure. every
man can't marry. an its well they
| DON'T"
"Iiavr Yer way, have yer way" said
Conn. Tin thinkln Frank Powers u
sad man, that's nn.''
"Faith, thin, 'tia tho money does It."
"Yc'll harp nn that shtring TIL It
| nrcnkS.'
"Arrnh, Conn, yc'vc nivcr n good
word iur the man. nm him me own
lTuthrr."
"Surc, ones enough to talk nv i'm
If n blessed saint were comm, w,
couldn't have hcrrd moro noise nv It."
y silence fell upon the party. which
was unexpectedly broken 10y shocl
headed. frrcklc faced boy called Bar
rry. lie hnl been gazing for Il lon.
time at MnyGi"'s pretty feet. and tn,
words were ont before he rrmcmhrrr,
the Solclnnity Of the occasion.
Maggie, show us thr thrIck wild ycl
to,s"' 1t was about ;hr only accom-
pliSlmcnt that Maggie possessed anC
consisted In a curious feasibility of tn,
toes which enabled her to fold them
| under almost as though they were fin.
gers and pick up any small object from
the ground This trick was Il source
| Of endless delight to the children, who
| prnct!crd It themselves with IN nssdu
tty which promised great future re.
| suits
"N"t now, prt.' said Maggie, running
her fingers through ltnrncy'a hair.
"WhlSt! There's wheels comln'."
Mrs. toylr was ut the door In Il mo.
mrnt prrring out into the autumn twi
light with hands on hips and IN anx
ious trrmor ut the heart. 1t was Uncle
Frank Power Mt last
He was not II prcpoSscssing man. The
littlc likeness To his sister that he haL
was. nH II were, hidden away I'm ode
corners of his face, which only now
and then revealed It ns by complslon
He WAS small and spare OF figure; neat
nS became his position; dryly concilia
tory In manner, rs n person who has tr
DlrnSr to live. His face was hard, save
for the mouth. which had an rnexprct.
rd looScn"Ss Of lips. Ills eyes were fur.
tive. shooting n sudden glance and then
turning aside rs though to muse on the
| impression they had taken. He was q
| man who hnbitually masked himself
| though with SO little art that close
observer saw his small soul bare under
the Disguise
The much debated meal was hardly
social success. To hcgln with, Power
had no great appetite, nor did he pour
forth the congratulations which Mrs
Coll" had confidently expected
Maggie poor girl was rs quiet as n
by Powers presence and the thought
that for the first time she had II secret
from her parents. Yet under the op.
preston there was n singing current Of
JOY that made music to her heart, n
music hardly to be listened TO without
| bringing the hot blood To her checks.
After the meal was over and the two
| men had their pipes lit Maggie and her
mother pulled one of the benches to the
HEARTH and the four sat round the fire
with folded hands. each waiting for
| some one else to begin. 1t was then
that Uncle Frank Power made a start.
"'Iis long since I've seen We, Ellen,
an ye might think I'd forgotten yc, but
twnsn't so, faith"
cav coorse not, Frank" Shc shot
triumphant glance at Conn.
eve been n busy man, Ellen, an I
knew ye were well placed with Conn
here"
"Minds change rs we'll rs times" said
Conn. "Ic were black ng'in me vance
| Frank"
Power waved his pipe dcprccatlngly.
"Ayc," he said. "I'd Il fancy for El-
len to marry Tom Blake"
Nh"'s In Jail. this two years for as
nlngyard thrick as ivcr man play
cd" said Conn.
Ahrue for yc, thruc for ye. Ellen
old weil' an fine family too. Yell be
proud nv thin. Conn"
| Il am, an not wan nv THIN more
throuDlc than bird In cage"
Il sometimes wish," said Power,
"that Ia some nv mo own, for It's we'll