The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-10-17
Ely FRANK n. SWEET.


The brown hat had just been sat.
isfactorily adjusted on the mat o.
brown curls, and Christy was turning
away from the glass, when a quaver-
ing voice asked: "Be We goin' to the
village, Christy?"Nf
mo. grandpa; over to Beck's farm
for AIR Martha. I"
"Oh!" There was a sigh of dis
appointment in the long-drawn mon
osyllable. "You amt goin' nowheres
nigh the postoffice, them"
Not tbs time," answered. Christy
mechanically. Grandpa was always
asking about the postoffice whenever
any one stirred from the house, and
she did not give the remark much
thought. He was sitting in his favor
lite place by the window, the soft
summer breeze blowing his thin
white hair about his face, and there
was wistful look In his faded eyes
as they turned from their long watch
ing down the road to the girlish face.
We'll, s'pose faint much matter;
only l thought if you was goin'-"
She ANTI" interposed Aunt Far
tina promptly, and her voice, always
j risk to the verge of sharpness, had
a decided tone of impatience "I
want Mrs. Beck to know about the
currants; and if Christy goes way
round by the postof1ice, there won'r
be time to do anything about 'cm to-
night"
II amt askin' her to go, Martha.
don't want to bother nobody; only
there might be letter from Debby's
folks-if she was a-goin'."
The gentle, deprecating tone struck
Christ, The wish was only one of
grandqa's notions, of course: but it
would be very little thing to crafty
it. So she answered with careless
good nature: Il don't mind the walk;
might so that way
But Aunt Martha was not so COM
plant. mo; you can't, Christine.
It'll Ike you most an hour longer.
and [ can't wait. Besides, there's no
sense in i t1ere won't be no letter
tHSIc IL you 10 go.
Maybe there amt, Marthy. I
don't want to ~other nobody" re-
peated the patient voice. 81 had
kind of feelin' there's be a letter
to-day, but I amt noways sure.
Never mind, Christy."
There was look in Christy's
brown eyes which BODIED rebellion.
and to that the hurried housekeeper
addressed her expostulation: There's
no sense wastin time any such way,
christine. / reckon if that letter
should happen to get to the office. it
would keep overnight; but it's been
hve years a-comin', and hain't got
here yet; and it never will"
sudden white ess swept over the
worn old face. A look of utter hone
lessness for moment blotted out it's
eagerness, and the old man looked
from his daughter-in-law to Christy.
as II questioning tie truth of what he
had heard. A memory mercifully
treacherous had, perhaps, prev. nted
MS realizing how long the waiting
had been, and the sharp fact smote
MIN like blow. Then hope slowly
reasserted itself.
'Tis a long time" he faltered.
But there might ha' been reasons.
ihey> might ha' been h'ndered a spell
what with work and sickness. and
such; but you know Ephrain1 said
Yes, | know" admitted Mistress
Martha hastily, with as near an an
proach . penitence as it was in her
n'-' to feel. But all Ephraim
said didn't mean anything. And I
wish TO goodness he hadn't said it,n
she added the minute she was safely
IN the kitchen again, and out of hear
ing. Its enoug' to poster a.body to
DEATH"
What did he say?" asked Christy.
carefully fitting the lid on the little
basket she was to carry. Thai "letter
from Iebby's folks" had been to her
merely familiar household phrase.
running back into the midst of her
childhood. She had classed it with
grandpas rheumatism, and other in
nrmities of age, and it had never be-
Tore occurred to her to inquire seri-
ously into its origin.
Why, twas when Ephraim was
here-that last visit he made. He
was goin' away, and he had to say
something, you know; so he asks ia
Their how he'd like to come out. and
visit them a spell; and fathers face
chlrks all up, and he says: First
rate 30 Eparaim laughed, and saws
he: SO you'll be all ready, then, when
we send you letter that we're comm
after your And declare for it, he's
been watchin, for that letter ever
since-crazy to see Debby; sure that
Debby wants him, and was gettin'
ready for him.
Il don't s'pose Ephraim ever
thought about it again, and he
wouldn't be likely to lay out money
any such way as comm to him. He
amt so anxious to get an cid father
in-law Ct his hands; though don't
think 'twould be more than fair ii