Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-11-18
BY GRACE SALINGFR.
S!lG!G

OH d sleeping IdTm-ydru. ne HuSu
of summer afternoon had settled
over the meadows and over the or
! chard. In the garden the incessant
| buzzing of the bees seemed to mingle
with the very stiffness and to become
part of it. Even the COWS, tired or the
daisies and the buttercups, had sought
the shelter of the spreading trees, and
lay chewing their cud, their great eyes
looking into space with almost imbe-
Gle tranquility. Peace, like an invis-
ible, yet eloquent, presence, had set
tied over everything.
That is, over everything save the
slight figure of Aggie May, flung in an
abandon of misery beneath the apple
tree. Her small frame shook convul-
sively with heavy sobs as they follow
ed one another with tumbling rapidlty
Alas! Aggie May was learning the bit
| ter lesson of repentance. She was ex-
periencing her first great emotion
born of a series of enlotions-for in
her grief was mingled remorse, horror,
despair, misery and wide-eyed fear. a
fear of something, she knew not what;
complex element which had never be-
fore entered Aggfe Mays varied ex-
periences of six years.
Aggie May had committed terrible
crime, and now she was reaping the
harvest She knew it, because her
mother has told her so, and whoever
heard of a mother telling a lie. II on
| ly Aunt Mag had said it she thought
there might have been a mistake, but
her mother-neveri
| And how she had said it! Aggle
Mays sobs gained new force as she re-
called her mothers cold face when
she had said, "Aggie May, what have
you been doing?"
And Aggie May could feel again the
sickening horror of detection. She
surreptitiously put forth a small red
| tongue, which swiftly made the circle
about two full rosy lips to gather in
all telltale crumbs. And then, secure
in her belief that she had well covered
her tracks, she had answered unblush-
ingly, Nothing"
Aggie Mays tongue was short, and
sugar has such an unpleasant way OF
sticking to fat baby hands and fat
baby faces.
| Aggie Mays mammals face grew
harder still as she uttered these awful
words "Aggie May, you will never
go to heaven. You are no child of
J mine. You have violated every one
of the Lords commandments. He has
told you not to steal, yet you have done
| it; he has said you must not lie, yet
you are doing it. Do you think he is
going to forgive you? No! He has pun
ished you already. Come here"
In fear and trembling awe Aggie
May stepped to her mothers side. Mrs.
Sangster deliberately traced the out
| line of a word on the child's brow.
Listen she said 'this is what is
written there SUGAR. That spells
sugar Aggie May, you have been
stealing sugar."
| Aggie May stood COMPOUNDED by the
! occult wisdom of her mother and a
| Supreme Deity. Her little childish
soul thrilled with the horror and mys-
terry of something she did not under
stand. Why this suddenly fallen thun-
| derbolt, this swift retribution aimed by
an unseen hand?
She had taken sugar before, but
but-she had never been detected quite
| in the act She thought that must be
it. God hadn't discovered her before.
1t had only been her mother; and her
mother wouldn't do anything so terri
| 81 hor
brow. She remembered Low how her
mother had said she was ashamed to
let God know what a wicked child she
was. Yes, undoubtedly that must have
been it. But this conviction did not
come suddenly to Aggie May. She saw
it all much later through eyes blinded
by tears beneath the apple-tree. Just
then her mothers voice continued:
"All your life you will lave that
word written on your forehead. And
as you grow older it will probably
deepen" she added, sadly. Certainly
Aggie Mays mother realized the fear
full extent of the calamity. Then she
turned and cruelty left the room.
Aggie May stood in a dazed stupor
for moment, then she hastily climbed
on a chair to look into the glass. She
would convince herself of what was
there But her baby eyes could see
nothing. She rubbed her brow
thoughtfully with a fat forefnger, but
the smooth velvet skin felt as usual to
the touch. Then Aggie May admitted
in her own mind that she was puzzled.
1t was at this juncture that unit Mag
came. in, and unconsciously settled
everything. She found Aggie Nay with
a very sugary mouth and fearful eyes
before the mirror. In milute her
own keen eyes had grasped the situa-
ton.
Aunt Mag, said Aggie May, what
do you see on my forehead?"
Aunt Mag looked straight at Aggie's
Mays mouth, and then she said, "Sug-
ar"
Aggie Mays eyes grew dark with
horror us it written in very big and
black letters?' she asked.
Every big and black" answered her
aunt.
Don't you fink it will ever come
Off" queried Aggie May anxiously.
81 should say not" answered her
aunt, 'it's so black"
Aggie May shivered She slowly
climbed down from her chair, her fat
legs hardly bearing the weight of her
trembling body.
ooh, Aunt Mag" she pleaded, tear
fully, ''the dirt on my finger coined off
when l washed it yesterday. Don't you
reckon I can wash this OFF,
81 don't know said her Aunt Mag,
thoughtfully This is not your finger,
you know; it's your soul"
But you said it was my forehead"
said Aggie May, with a CLEAN of hope.
1T shines through" answered he-
Aunt Mag. IF you want to rub it off
you'll have to wash your soul"
Aggie May turned her small face
toward the open door. Here was