Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-05-14
CIEn
By Percy T. Griffith.

SSV0NVV/0f0VI3 VI3|VN9/S|SV'ev
It was monday in a little country vii
lage on the banks of the Hudson, vel
termed "the Rhine of America" From
many lowroofed farmhouse came the
welcome sound of the dinner horn
calling the weary toilers in the fields
Sto their midday meal. Relieved from
their irksome studies, a merry stream
$of children trooped forth from the vii
sSlage school, some repairing to their
homes nearby, others flocking together
#in groups, to eat generous luncheon
beneath the shade of the great over,
hanging oaks.
Their joyous laughter, echoing afar,
rippled through the closed shutters of
"a small cottage not far distant whose
evident gloom strangely co1trasted
with Natures gay, spriIg-like splen-
:, dor. 1t reached the ears of group
seated in the best room" of the little
shouse-a group composed of three
persons of varied ages, whose coun.
stenances each expressed j. a. Different
emotion.
- One, a spectacled old gentleman, at
tired in clerical garb,: who listened
with manifest approval to the matter
s5of fact tones of strong minded look
ling woman of perhaps 40, with re-
pressed malice and we'll simulated
charity struggling for mastery on her
brow. The last of,the trio was a slight
figured child, whose ordinary half
girlish, half-boyish face, surrounded by
golden, curly hair, now seemed won
drously mature and almost manly in
Us righteous wrath, while the old cler-
Z gsman spoke.-s : 81. s ~
"My child, what you suggest is
impossible. You could not live in this
cottage all alone, now that your moth
ers and brother are dead You are
barely years Of age, and we. have de-
cided it to be for your best interests to
to stay-with Mrs Anderson.
"You mean, sir, that we are bound
out. You might well say the words
at once. Why should I fall from the
status of free citizen to: that of a
pauper and slave? DID not my poor
mother leave all this property which
you benevolent people have just sold
for over $500? And if went into this
bondage, what opportunity should
have for study and improvement? You
know mother always wanted. me to go
to college and be teacher or mu
sician or an author or something great,
but l don't see what chance l 'v,'-'3 !!
have if followed your plan"
What did tell ye, parse
did tell ye!" cried the shar
woman with uplifted
That's what comes of se.id
to school when it tain't no u:o ,.s.s
five years, old and a-makr . 4 s'a1.
all its life to home. Naa' s,,c4
person What .ns 'cs.- iiLs
hae-=4s-.-.fz.z-- -7--=.s;zlsss-et -.szl.sss
"oh,, Mrs. anderson, !
the minister who pride <himse.,
his knowledge, @education is sures:.-. sure-,
valuable" - q =, - ------ -.
"Yes, / know all that-I allus
thought SO, too. l wuz Civ good eddl-
cashun: myself. but it warn't none Of |
this new.iangled book-larnin' that this
obstinate child's got. My.mother, at
any rate, warn't nc fool, which is more
than you can say Of, some peoples
mothers, even if they be dead an gone
though it tain't for us poor mortais
to say where they're gone. 1 might
give a. mighty sure guess where some
peoples mothers is gone, what never
taught them nothin but book-larnin
but then, we're all poor, frail human
bein's."
Doctor Wesley" here broke in thu
child, eff you think I'm going to stand
: mere and have my mothers spotless
name reviled and desecrated by that
low-livel-"
! "Low-lived, you little pauper in
CRATE, you!"
--"Yes. .low-lived, ill-bred, rude, un-.
couth!" declared the angry young per,
SON. .oh I know all about you, Mrs.
I. Anderson, and I know why you've got
a grudge against her and me. Did you
ever hear the name Of Francis Sum-
(. ner? All! you see. know-Ir read all
the letters" 70 ea $ES ~
"Ye've been spyin, reading a: pack Q O.
3 lies. have ye? Just wait till Ihaye the
' charge of we, and I'll larn We to spy
around things what don't belong to
you"
"I beg. your. pardon. AS l am the
only heir to my mothers S property,
they are now mine And, doctor, let
me tell you what they said. You know
Francis Sumner and my mother were
engaged to be married and broke 1t
off. Do you know why? Because
"Parson, if you don't shet that little
liar up will! -
Gently, gently, Mrs. Anderson
said he old man. "It's only natural for
Glenn to be excited after just losing
two dear relatives, and you must make
allowances. Now, Clem, we'll leave
you to rest after ans this worry and
trouble. Ana tomorrow Emorning
Squire Morgan and l will come over.
and we'll make all the arrangements
for you to stay with Mrs. Anderson"
"I'll never go! I'll die first!' de-
clared his excited young hearer, pas
sionately.
ooh, ye won't, hey? Jest wait. Me
and my Hiram.ll take some O. thet
high spirits out ofSye: Good by, y,sye
little firebrand. Jest wait"
That night little figure stole to the
window and looked out upon the road
below and the sky above. All Nature
was sleeping. -. go
How still" it murmured. "Oh
mother! Can you me now? Am
right in fighting against this woman