The Elbert County tribune., 1908-07-23

disrespect than she had ever ad.
dressed to any one:
You ought to be glad that 1 do not
take revenge on him! II he wasn't so
little / would. But he's not worth
bothering about. Sacked me, did he?
Ill show him."
why, Sally! What would you dor
Put him over my knee and spank
him and then pen him In the ceIlar."
Sally. don't talk like that" pleaded
the old man. '1t sp'iles your voice"
And Sally gave him then and there
a rude specimen of how her voice was
being spoiled-which / may not re-
produce. But 1t was expressed in
anathema. Indeed, others had noticed
that her voice. somehow, had lost its
soft richness. She was particularly
kind to the young storekeeper now,
and he was particularly reckless and
drunken. And rumor presently had IL
that she was known to be drunk with
him sometimes,
Sally" said Seffy timorously, one
day. Che had waited to tell her thisl
you don't think-you don't believe
that I-said-"
Il know" said Sally in voice that
froze him, that you are fooi-and ]
am not fond of fools. Go away! Be
glad don't lick you!"
And then rumor had 1t that she and
Sam were to be married-"for spite"
But, curiously enough, the person
most affected by all this was not Sal
ly, nor Seffy, nor Sam. 1t was Setfy's
father. whose sufferings were nearing
agony. Nothing could be done with
Seffy. And course of the love between
them, which had never been rufied
since Seffy was born, was often rufiled
now. The old man, as their relations
grew strained. became more and more
exasperated at Seffy's lack of initia-
tive
"Gosh-a mighty! You goin' to let
that molasses-tapper set right down on
you and nefer git off? Can't you see
that she wants you? 1t don't matter
what she saysl Don't you know it's
dare? Air you going to take a dare?
Why. you usen't to when you was
baby! When you year that burned
new laugh of Sally's can't you see that
somesing's wrong? She's drinking
That's what. You think she'd laugh
SO and drink II she wass happy? You
was a fool-yas, durn fool. It's your
fault. Go right up to her like a man
and say So
II did," said Seffy.
"Hah, you did? An what she says!"
"She said she krowed it!''
"Well-begoshens She's a worse
fool. Gather her in and make fool
off Of her and git efen! Turning her
back on an oil man that harms no one
and her guardeen yit!"
Alas, this was another thing he had
done to secure the pasture-field-
made himself her legal guardian!
''I'll gife 1t up-the guardeen. Yas-
sir. She ken take keer herself. Fool
of course. Bose fools! Yoa wait
tell she marries that durn molasses-
Taper II you want to see fun!"
There was such real agony inethe
old mans voice that Seffy suffered,
too.
''Pappy, I'm sorry-I amt no good,
expect. l guess I'll go away before
the wedding"
WeuullS- WeuulnS! lou BOlD u
let that wedding go on? And him git
the pasture-field? Put him between
us and the railroad!"
How can 1 stop 1t, pappy?"
by marrying her yourself!"
II got enough, pappy." said sSffy
hopelessly. They'd lynch me II
tried 1t again. 1 guess I'd better go
away"
Quick anger famed in his fathers
face at this invertebrate submission.
And his voice, when he spoke. was
harsher than Seffy had ever heard it.
Got enough-got enough-that's all
you know! And go away! That's all
you ken say, you bull-headed idiot!
Go and apologize and git her back.
Don't run. Then marry her next day.
-Thatll settle the molasses-tapper, l
expect. and show that you got an Inch
or two of backbone! Choke her
chloroform her and carry her OIL"
(TO BE CONTINUED)