The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1908-09-24

Branch farm since colony times. and
no fancy had ever cheated a man OF a
dollar. They lent no money. and
they borrowed none; they never sat
at any mans table. or asked a guest
to theirs.
The Taney pew-a front one-was
hlled every Sunday. come rain or
SHINE. Mrs. Taney, a middle-aged
woman. with her gray hair in a tight
little knot behind, and wearing the
same rusty black gown and bonnet
1or dozen years. was always. like
the others, present. But sometimes
she was asleep. For this was the one
hour or the whole week when she
could sit down on a cushion and fold
her hands. The air was warm. the
music soft and sweet; no wonder she
slept. Sometimes the words that
were read stirred her soul: IL seemad
as II her childhood woke, as IL the
tears must come to her long dry eyes.
but they never did. BY the time that
she had walked home with her son
william, the strange story of BethIe-
hem. or of the heavenly glory m
come, had faded in a doubtfuI drean,
ana all that was real was the Soutb
Drancn farm. the price OF pork, or the
tan In potatoes. After church dinner
must be ready Dipping hot. too. on
account OF the boarder) in hair =,
hour; then she had the shean 20 49,
al'er' and the poultry to feed: then
supper; then milking. The Tanevs
never had any help" Mrs. Tanev
hao brought up six children. been sole
COOK. seamstress. tailor and dairy.
maid; yet her husband, old Ben al
ways had said, "Sarah's not a canabIa
woman. No Taney blood In her
ben mad been dead five years. but
MS wife went on. carrying a growing
load on the back which lacked boro
Wlillam was harder task-master
'nah MS father had been; the very
oxen felt the lash oftener. and their
corn fell OF one-half He sat in the
kltchen now. with book before him
whlIe MS mother and youngest sis
Ter. Lefty. were cooking the sumner
rake that butter of the table " he
said' suddenly. "Molasses will do
What are you cooking meat for? It's
not necessary. Put it back in the cell
lar" '"e 1ei-
Yes. William. " replied his mother
SuolliSsiFely' Only I thought the
boarder-"
We can't AFFORD to feed him like =
Iord. You'll have to exercise econ
omy' mother. l can't be always here
10 look after things. How am I ever
10 pay for the meadow lots. II MONEY
is flung about in this way?"
I'm what way. William?" Mrs
Ianey's scared eyes wandered over
the bare kitchen. the smo,derine
Goals in corner of the CRATE. the
naIt-starved face of her little siri
II try to save. I'm sure. What wav
do you mean?" "'
oh, every way" closing his book
with slam. There's a leak at everv
corner. Why. 1 toll and slave the
year round. But with such a LOT q,
mouths to feed"
After supper his mother followed
him out. u
William" she said, desperately
now many years Will It be before
you can buy the lots?"
Years! The lots!" in unfeJgned
amazement. "I-how on earth can
you understand business?"
1t was the first time she had ever
spoken in this way.
don't know. But am afraid
Will not live to see it. 1t is so LANG
She went back to the kitchen. The
dishes stood untouched upon the
table. and little Lefty was seated
upon the steps, a basket of red
peaches beside her. which the boarder
had brought down from his room.
he was young man, a teacher I'm
virginia country school, who had
come up to these hills, geologizipg in
his summer vacation.
brought them from the Mcbride
farm, Mrs. Taney." he said. They
are a very common kind in the Shen-
andoah Valley" handing them to her.
Mrs. Taney's thin features grew
warm.
II remember a tree just like these
at home" she said. "by the old mill.
My old nurse used to hold me up to
pull them for myself"
Your little girl tells me Nou came
from FauQuier County. IT'S a fine