The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-12

ain't none"
 The Widow Judd, in brovery of starched muslin and worked collar, awaited her daughter on the front porch the next night A whiff of the best com pany tea fioated through the open door.
 'Is it tea party motrer"
 Ye walk right en ter supper jest ez ye be-" beamed the Widow Judd.
 Why, motherl You're witchp'
 On the flower -decked table was the white and gold platter holding clear. bright lettuce, and the Grandma Speary bowl full of strawberries.
 That was a happy week. The Widow Judd continued to beam on an unworthy world; especially upon her little daugh- ter, and fresh vegetables and strawber- ries continued to adorn the supper table.
 How do you get em. dear?" Saloam asked one night.
 "Widder Cruisers jug O oil," quoting a famous meetin' speech of Cap'n Wis., dom Dicky's, and Saloam was satisfied.
 "Aint 1t an awful close night?" Sa- loam was mounting the stairs to her lit- tie bedroom under the caves My rooms hotter'n election. Do 1et's drag our mat tresses down stairs and sleep on the keeping room foor.'
 The Widow Judd's voice came solemnly from the room across the landing: Sa- loam Augusty, there's been fifteen O yer kin buried from thet foreroom, includin' Greatuncle 'Paphroditas Melvin, thet died on visit here tn year ye wuz born, an I ain,t goin' ter hev ct use common eff we stife."I
 Conscious of having offered Insult to the family names, Saloam crept into bed.
 Deep in the night she woke with start Some one was stealing, inch by inch. down the stairs and across the kitchen floor. Horrid tales of tramps flashed into her memory. She sprang out of bed and darted into her mothers room The big moon showed an empty bed with covers neatly turned back. She hurried back into her own room, which looked out on the garden. Her mother was moving across the moon-patch.
 .Js she going to the well?' murmured the girl.
 The figure passed the old sweep and became part of the shadows under the apple trees Saloam snatched a qulit' thrust her feet into knit slippers and was downstairs and out. Through the gar den toward the barn glided the Widow; and shadowlike followed Saloam, carerui not to startle the sleepwalker. Before them. bright in the moonlight lay the South Piece. Into 1t, climbing the low wall went the widow. Saloam saw she carried basket She began to step apout among the early peas, picking here nod there a handful Her face was to-
 
 wide awake, her eyes peered sharply, ana each time she moved a new spot sne scuffled the earth with her feet. when the "mess' of peas was complete she crossed to the strawberry patch and be- gan to work there
 Saloam twisted her little body under inc bushes, crawled, scratched and torr. through the blackberries beyond, and fled noislessless as deer. 10 tne mousse. At the door she snatched on her dusty slippers and darted up stairs. one Idea filled her whirling brain, her mother must not know she had been dicovered.
 The moon sank the sun peeked over Lyme Hills, and still Saloam lay in n drav fever of misery Her beloved, re- vered mother thief, @ hypocrit, a white sepulchre! She. with her ridiculous complaints for the spring to eat, had dragged her mother into crime against the law and mortal sin against God. Was any one true? Did Deacon Starkey lie. and Elder Watrous murder?
 My landy laws Elf ye don't look meachin'!" The Widow Judd faced at