The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-10
BY ELLSWORTH e. KELLEY.

yer Htu ldiheu OF renting out the low
| er eighty next year. if
"Now, jim Ben. you toddle along
| out o here. How you s'pose I'm ever
| goin' to get my work done up. an
you all the time foolin' round in the
way"
Not being able to answer this yerv
pointed question, he slouched out and
went to mend the fence around the
hog pasture. He was in such high
humor that he never swore once. not
even when q strand of the barb wire
broke, much to the decentralization OF
his "overhalls."
Wnen milking time came Jim Ben
sucked the calves, as he was accus-
toned to do. and then-which he was
not accustomed to do-gallantly offeY.
ed to milk the Holstein COW, a noto-
flous hard mixer. He sat on a stool
under the Holstein and MIXED with
Doth hands while Randy was milking
the Jersey. They kept a running fire
of sayin' smart things" in
the Vernacular. They were having
quite an enjoyable time, until jim Ben,
somewhat deficient in finesSe, made
the pretended error of miStaking her
auburn treSseS for the setting sun A
stream of milk shot across the inter-
vening space. 1t took him fairly in
the face, and he fed in sheer terror.
low. For two days he was in disgrace,
and then came the singing school.
When the supper was done and the
dishes washed that evening, Jim Ben
made his appearance in the Kitchen,
clean shaved and clad in Sunday raj
ment. AS Randy looked at him she
could not help thinking he was a
really manly looking fellow, though
his mouth was too large to permit of
hi hot, lI%><l -
not tell him so. She only remarked
Land alive! What's the little boy
goin' to do now?"
'NOthin' much. Nothin' but take
the hired girl to the singin' school!
Run along, sissy, an git on yer things
an don't keen me Waitin''
Strange to say, the hired girl
obeyed.
Singing school was over, and they
had reached the front gate on their
way home. The stars were abashed
and pale in the presence of the re-
splendent full moon. The couple stood
by the gate in silence for a moment,
paying involuntary tribute to the glory
OF the night. They sat down on the
horse block by the gate. Randy took
off her broad hat and her glossy
hair reflected the moonlight in shad-
ow way, until something very like
IL.
and he thought OF the halo about the
head of the Madonna that hung on
the wall of the best room. He pom
dered for a moment and then said:
Randy, I'll take back what / said
tother night-about your hair you
know. It's mighty purity hair, if it is
red"
She gave him a grateful little
glance.
1--WE never went with a gal afore"
he went on. "Never keered to. some
way. None of 'em come up TO what
mother used to be. She's dead, you
know Mother was an awful good
cook, though sometimes she'd get a
leetle too much sody in the biscuits
She was neat as a pin about her house
keepin', too. l tell you. she used to
make me walk chalk when | come in
the kitchen with mud on my boots!
You put me in mind o. her in lots o.
ways That's why I brought the water
and got the kindlin's and sort o. wait
on you, like. And her butter and
your'n tastes adzactly alike
"Tain't everybody that knows how
to make good butter shyly admitted
Randy.
"You bet it ANTI" fervently re-
said, when / did get married, / was
goin' to hev a wife that could come
UP with her at butter maxim and
housekeeHin'.
Randy's hat slipped from her lap
to the ground. Both reached for it,
and, as they stopped they bumped
heads.
"Shore sign We'll be together this
time mex year, observed Randy. For
answer jim Ben's big hand closed
gently on her slender, unresisting fin
gers.
''Randy"-his heart was humping
so loud he felt sure she must hear
it" Randy-I-that is-I've got six
hundred dollars laid up. Next spring
I'm thinking of buying a span o
bosses and rentin' the lower eighty.
I'll do it-and Wen go into business
fer ourselves-if you just say the
word! Will you?"
The red-headed girl turned her face
to his with a happy smile. and said,
as he kissed the patch of freckIes on
her cheek:
'Um-huh! but I bet 1 make you
think OF yer ma more'n once, Jim
Bent