The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-12

rs that all? What girl don't moth
er?''
ut seems to me- she went on hur-
riedly, that your-your marriage to
her would be IA mistake! Think it
over a bit"
"Think it overt he burst out.
Mother, you didn't use to want to
stand in my way! Don't you S'poSe L
have thought it over? Do you think
| I'm goin to be dray horse for all's
here--two of 'em as we'll able to work
as me-all the born days of my huh
| life?"
The hot May sun streamed down on
him. She could see his great chest
rising and falling, and the muscles
Of his arms working under the worn
sleeves of his shirt
You have more than your share of
the work. she admitted. Her voice
failed her again. A stray sunbeam
glinted on her needle-an idle needle
just then. and don't want to
stand in your way, Dan. Only-you'Ve
always seemed like my boy-the only
boy l ever had! Maybe I'm saying
this to you about Tina because-be-
cause 1 want to keep YOU Her hun
cry eyes never left his face. Perhaps
Im--Im just making excuses. Per-
haps-"
The scarlet blotches faded in her
cheeks. She picked up her sewing
again, but the hands trembled over
the coarse cotton cloth. She could not
ply the glittering little implement she
held Suddenly she went deathly pale.
She lay back. drawing her breath in
short soft gasps.
"Mother!" cried the young fellow,
"Mother!'
It's nothing" she painted. Moth
ing
But her lips took on q blush tinge.
and after a faint shiver she lay quite
still. He dashed out to the well for
water, brought it to her. forced her to
swallow it. He watched her anXiously,
all his sullenness gone, as she shud-
dered back to consciousness.
Il didn't mean to rile you, mother,
he said. ''But seem like couldn't
bear TO have you comm between
Chastina an me-
He had dropped on one knee be-
side her chair in bewilderment of
dumb and clumsy penitence.
II know it's hard for you" she
murrpured. You are young-and it's
hard for you
l. The tired tears were slipping down
her cheeks.
at amt dead easy for you, mother"
ooh, don't think of me-"
eve don't. We've got out. of the
way OF thinking or you.
Her little skinny arm lay near him.
| 1t never occurred to him to give ia
semitic touch. They are chary of ca
| resses-the prairie people. Perfume
| tory kisses are given at the marriage
| feast or before the burial-but even
| these are few and far between. He
| stumbled to his feet, ashamed of the
| compassionate impulse which had
| temporarily mastered him. The wo-
man rose, too.
IT'S time to get supper" She said.
They'll be in soon.'
But as she crossed the kitchen to
set her work aside she suddenly put
| her hand to her breast-stood still.
| One stride and Dan was beside her.
| you're not forgittin' what the doc
! tor said?" he questioned. THAT if you
| got scairt---or-or hurt, an had an
| other heart spell you was like-like
| To-
| She flashed around on him. Sud
denly her face was young, yearning,
eager.
| "Oh." she cried breathlessly, ooh,
| / was forgetting! Do you think"
| But as suddenly as it had come the
brllance waned. She shook her
| head. "No-I shall not die-not soon, y
| she said.
She went on filing the little rust-red
|
assist her. The attitude of a young
| Western farmer to his mother is that
| of an Indian to his squaw. All do
| nestle drudgery properly pertains to
| her.
"TIl go out an take a look at the
| young peach trees" he said. They're
comm on fine. This'n be the second
year of bearin' There ought to be
| enough made out'n 'em to pay dad
| e., |, q h. oh crnt
| what you tal<in about rasped a
| dolorous voice "Them peaches?
They'll be some, maybe. But the nur-
sery man fooled me on the settins He
didn't give me the Baltimore beauties
| / bought off'n him-only the common
| kind An the common kind is dread
| full plenty It's the best that fetches
| the price. Every ones again me,
I Every one cheats me. 1 allus had the
worst luck of any one 1 ever knowed.'
He sank into the only comfortable
chair the room afforded, a limp heap
| of inactive humanity He watched
| the woman preparing supper.
"Theres them he announced, pla-
cdly, arousing himself from a trance
Of indolent content.
Them" came tumbling in. riot
Gus, registering, healthy brood. They
laughed. and Knocked, and fought, and
of the house regarded them with bland
interest.
Seems like he remarked, Il ain t
never so happy as when I'm a-sittin,
so to speak, in the bosom of my famb-
ly."
His conciliatory manner was one TO
incite distrust. His wife sent him
swift glance.
"Have you been to town" she
asked.
He declared that he had not been
to town. That even if he had she
knew better than to suppose that he
would go into the Owl-King, or near
the Owl-I<ing, Or
Dick, perfumed, pomaded and in his
Sunday best, came Gathering down the
ladder-like stairway.
Hurry up, mother. I'm goin' in
town to a strawberry festival at the
Methodist Church. Here Dolly, you
got your supper. You let me set
there
Dolly protested with howl. Dick
picked her up and deposited her on
the floor, where she appeared to
shrink together like collapsible
drinking cup.
When Dan came in from his aim
less tramp through the orchard the