Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-20
By OPIE READ.


the news"
So that was settled. Briskly we drove
away, and again upon nearing the
house of the old general. ALI pulled the
mare back into a. walk. This time
though. he did not stop. but as we
slowly passed he swept the house and
the yard with his eager glance. The
sun was down when we reached home
How long the day had been, what a
stretch of time lay between the going
when had shouldered my trunk at the
railroad station!
AS l was getting down in front OF
the door l heard Mr.. Jucklin calling
me. and when answered he came for
ward out of the passage and said that
he wanted to see me a moment. He
led the way and followed him into the
dark shadow of a tree. Il forgot to
tell you not to say anything about
that" said he
About what?" l asked.
About wallowin' him-the old gen.
eral He requested me not to mentions
it, bein' so proud, and l told him that
wouldn't, and 1 don't know what made
me speak of it today, but 1 did"
"Oh. l won't mention it," I spoke up
rather sharply, for l was disappointed
that he had not told me something of
importance.
/ ,srrl,t AID L nh
to you. He is one of the proudest men
IN the world and he don't want any
body to suspect that any feller ever
wallowed him; but l want to tell you
right now that have wallOwed good
many of 'em in my time. Are you go
in to teach the SCHOOL,"
"Yes, the arrangements have been
made and / am to begin work Mon
day morning"
Good enough. Well, We'll go on in
now and eat a snack, for l reckon the
women folks have got it about ready"
| We weat early to bed. The house
was but a story and half high, and
was to room with Alf up close to the
clap-board roof / could not stand
straight, except in the middle of the
apartment, but l was comfortable, fer
had a good bed. and there was plenty
II air coming in through two large
windows. one on each side of the CHM
ney at the end, toward the south. While
| the dawn was drowSiest, just at the
| aime when it seems that one moment
OF dreamy doing is worth a whole
night of soundest sleep, Alf got up to
20 afield to his plow, and as the joints
| # the stairway were creaking under
him as he went down 1 turned over for
another nap, thankful that after all
he teaching of a school was not the
hardest lot in life. And l was deli
ciously dreaming when Guinea called
me to breakfast.
| l spent the most of the day in my
room, getting ready for my coming
work. Against the chimney l built a
shelf and put my books upon it; I
turned a large box into a writing table.
and of a barrel I fashioned an easy
chair. My surroundings were rude, but
| was pleased with them: indeed, l had
never found myself so pleasantly
placed. And when Alf came up at
night he looked about him and with a
smile remarked: You must own that
lamp that we read about. Wish you
would rub it again and get my corn out
| of the grass" He looked tired and ]
wondered why he did not go to bed, but
he strobe up and down the room, smok-
ing his pipe. He was silent and
thoughtful, reflling his pipe as soon as
the tobacco was burned out; but some
times he would talk. though what he
said l felt was aimless.
I've some heavier tobacco than
that" l said.
This will do, though it is pretty
light. Raised on an old hill"
He sat down and continued to pull
at his pipe, though the fire was out.
He leaned with his elbow on the table;
he moved as if his position were un-
comfortable; he got up, went to the
window, looked out, came back, re-
sumed his seat and after looking at the
| floor for a few moments said that he
thought that it must be going to rain.
Perhaps So" I replied, but that's
not what you wanted to say
He gave me a sharp glance looked
down and then asked: How do YOU
knOw?"
l.T naf coz -
cause I'm not a fool"
Anybody ever call you f"ol?" he
asked. with a sad laugh. He leaned
far back and looked up at the clap
boards.
| That has nothing To do with it. Alf
Pardon me. Mr.. Juckln. l should have
said. The truth is. it seems that have
known YOU long time"
And when YOU feel that way about
a man." he quickly spoke up, "you make
no mistake in accepting him as a
friend Call me Alf What's your first
name?" told him, and he added:
And III call you Bill No. the truth
is / didn't care to say that l thought ii
WAS SOlIS " lam, L uNIl SiNN q '7'''' .
for rain, except the rain that is pour
'ng on my heart. You remember that
u girl that came out upon the gallery.
know you do. for no man could forget
her You know that Guinea asked me
! f Milie was at home. Well, that was
j Millie Lundsfcrd, the old generals
daughter We have lived close togeth-
er all our lives. but have never known
her very well. and even now l wouldn't
20 there on dead-set visit She and
4 Guinea went off to school together and
| are good friends. Guinea tries e
n plague me about her at times, moi
knowing that l really love her.
! couldn't go off to school, didn't care
any too much for education. but since
J that girl came home and | got better
| acquainted with her l have felt that
, would give half my life to know books
SO that | could talk to her; and since
| then have been studying with Guinef
> to help me. And you don't know how
glad | was when l heard that you ha(