The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-04-13

@M - glE surveying it. 1t was plain
a@8sg from the way she looked,
that she was determined to speak.
Ma" she asked of the woman who
was sitting before the little round
stove, what were those papers Dave
put in his pocket as came in?''
"Some things he was showin' me-"
"Ma," she asked, quiveringly, you
didn't sign anything, did you?"
'I didn't sign your name to any
thing" And the needles clashed again.
She knew her mother too we'll to
press further.
"I just couldn't understand Dave
coming here this time of year." she
ventured; land / thought he acted
queer"
The old woman was folding her knit
ting.
"I'm going to bed, and you'd better
come along, too," was her reply.
A week went by, and although Libby
had twice forgotten to feed the chick
ems, and had several times let the ket-
tie burn dry, she was beginning to feel
more settled in her mind.
She did up her work one morning and
went to town.
Her first call was at the solicitors.
and there she heard the worst. Ma
had assigned their home to Dave. She
did not make any fuss: she was too
old-fashioned for hystericS.
1t was not until the cid place came
in sight that she broke down.
Its not fair" she cried out, when
I've stayed here and worked-it's not
fairw And, for the first time in many
years, she was crying-passionately
crying.
1t was a feeling of outraged justice
that,made her speak, for she was just
a woman-the daughter Of pa.
"Ma," she said, do you think pa
would like to think Of your assigning
the place to Dave, when I've stayed
here and kept it up the best I could
for twenty years?'
The old woman put down her knit
ting.
La, now, Libby she said, not un-
kindly, don't take on. You'll never
want for nothin'~
Libby stood there looking at her.
"I think you don't realize what
you've done," she said; and turned to
the bedroom to take off her things.
1t was not until the next month, the
clustering month of March, that all
was made clear. 1t was early in the
afternoon when Libby looked from the
window and saw a man coming in at
the big gate.
"That friend of Dawes from the city
Is coming, ma," she said.
"Graciousr' exclaimed Mrs. Ander-
son, "and such day as 'tis!'
The stranger warmed his hands, and
disbursed a number of pleasantries.
"Well, Mrs. Anderson" he said fin
ally, your son wants me to make a
little proposition to YOU
Mrs. Anderson looked pleasantly ex-
pectant.
Dawes always maxim propositions,
she chuckled.
Hes been a good deal worried about
you this winter-afraid you were not
just comfortable out here-you two, all
alone"
Dawes always thinkin' Of his moth
er's comfort" she asserted; and looked
triumphantly over to Libby.
"Well," he resumed, turning back to
the older woman, "it worries Dave to
think of your being out here alone now
that you're getting along in years, so
he's rented nice little place in town,
and he feels sure it would be better
all around if you'd just so in and take
it."
'If that amt for all the world like
Dave:-always some new idea in his
lead. But you just tell him, Mr.. Muir
ray, not to be bothering. We don't
want to move to town-do we, Libby:"
"Not if we can help it," she replied.
Dawes been away from the place so
long that he don't see just how it's"
ma explained. Libby and me
wouldn't feel at home no place else"
Its too bad you feel that way" he
went on persuasively, ''for Dave was
so sure you'd like the idea that he's
gone ahead and made all arrangements,
and I'm afraid there might be little
trouble about unmaking them"
He turned to Libby.
How soon do you think you could
move? By the 1st of May?"
Il suppose So" she answered, in
dull voice.
April came, and for the fiftieth time
the old woman watched the white give
way to the green on the hills that
curved in and out around her old home.
AS long as she could, Libby let her
have her dream. Her heart was not
hard toward ma now. Ma had not un-
derstood. And Libby was glad she
coSld have those few spring days be-
foN she was torn from the old home.
MA" she began one morning, 81
think will have to be packing up this
week"
PAGING up what:"
"Why, don't you remember, ma, we're
going to town the list of May?"
"Oh, la, Libby, I've give that up long
agoi I'm going to die on the old
place."