Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-04-12

curved III and: out around her old home.
AS long as she could, Libby let her
her dream. Her heart was not
hard toward ma now. Ma had not I'M
derstOod. And Libby was glad she
could have those few spring days be-
fore she was torn from the old home.
Ma she began one morning, 81
think l will have to be packing up this
week"
"Packing up What?'
"Why, don't you remember. ma, we're
going to town the LIST of May?'
"Oh, Ia, Libby. I've give that up long
ago. I'm going to die Oh the old
place"
But you know. ma, the arrange
ments have all been made. I'm afraid
We'll have to go"
She turned to her GROSSLY.
There's 10 S to argue WI me,
Libby Anderson. | amt goin'!!"
But what about Daye:"
"You can jest write Dave. and say
his mother don't want to leave the
place. Dave won't have nothin' further
to say"
She looked off at the neadowland as
if it were all settled. Libby would
have to tell her.
Ma she said. its no Use to write
to Dave
"Why not?" she demanded. in a half
frightened. half-a@@rossive voice.
He's sold the place, ma"
whats that you say? Something
about Dave selling my place? Arc you
gone crazy, Libby?"
You know you decided it to him.
ma. 1t was his after you did that.
And he's sold it, and We'll have to
10Y out"
Hearing no answer, she turned
around, and it was then she coveted
Dawes gift Of saying things smoothly.
The old woman was crouched low in
her chair, and her face was quivering.
and looked sunken and gray.
Il didn't think he'd do that" she fall
tered.
"Never mind, ma" Libby said awk-
wardly. Poor ma"
1t was the nearest to q caress that
had passed between them since Libby
was a little girl.
Nothing more was said until after ma
had gone to bed. Libby supposed she
was asleep. when she called Quaver-
ingly to her.
Libby" she said, you mustn't be
thinkin' hard of Dave. He must have
thought it for the best
Libby was used to caring for ma.
and she needed care now.
Yes, ma" she answered: 'I'm sure
he must"
1t was not until the morning of the
fourth day that the silence between
them was broken. Libby got up to
take down the clock, when she heard
a strange noise behind her, and, turn
ing, she saw that mas head was down
low in her hands, and she was rock
ing passionately back and forward, and
crying as though her old heart had
broken.
She put down the clock. and again
she wished for q little of Dawes sikh
ness Of speech. But she did not have
it, and the best she could dc was to
pull mas chair out from the barron
out into the sunshine of the
porch. The hills, she thought, would
still look like home.
Ma did not get UP at all next day.
Perhaps she was i'll, or perhaps it was
only that she did not want to go out
in the sitting room and see how I'M
like home it looked. But the next day
she did not get up either, and then
Libby went to town for the doctor. He
said the excitement had weakened her.
and did not seem very certain she
would ever get up again. That night
Libby wrote a letter to Dave, asking
him again to let his mother die on the
old place. A week passed, and an an
sWer had not come, and still ma had
not left her bed. The packing was all
done, it was the LIST of May, and she
was just waiting-she did not know
for what.
Her whole soul rose up against NOV
ing ma from the old place now, when
her days We're SO surely numbered;
and so she sent a telegram to Dave,
telling him his mother was ill, and
asking leave to stay a little longer.
There came a reply from his partner,
saying that Dave was away, and would
not be home for two weeks.
That night the old woman raised her
self and sobbed out the truth.
IT'S Dave that's KILN me. It's to
think Dave sold the place, and turned
me out to die"