The Newark journal., 1908-08-07
The Huge Fist of the Farmer.


lie places-and all men. He was no
bodybuilding. He fell rapidly into
that kind of disrepute which is COM
mon to persons with failing reputa-
lions. 1t was to his discredit that he
did not leave town, but this his father
prevented. Again he took to the cot
ton woods and the Poison springs,
with. perhaps, the dim hope that Sally
might again find him there, and that
the peeping moon might again inter-
fere on his behalf
But the moon went through all her
phases and then slowly turned her
back on him-and Sally never came.
In their casual meetings she was ice.
Once they passed on the road to the
store. She was in precisely the dear
garments he remembered SO well-of
that first day-and as gay as then. He
trembled, and then looked up like
MORALLY wounded animal. She was
looking calmly over his head To the
rest of the world she was gayer than
ever, though that Sunday night laugh
still echoed In her head-kept her
maddened. After all, it wasn't worth
while to care for even Seffy with such
little spirit. Why didn't he fight
kill Sam or somebody? And the cum
ming Sam set the story more widely
going that for revenge Seffy had de-
serted her at the church door and that
he had first laughed-Seffy. This was
too piquant to be passed over, and it
was heard far and wide.
To Seffy's father, who, even in this
dire strait, stroye for happiness for
them both-and, of course. the pasture
field-she said with more abandoned
disrespect than she had ever ad
dressed to any one:
You ought to be glad that | do not
take revenge on him! If he wasn't SO
little | would. But he's not worth
bothering about. Sacked me, did he?
I'll show him."
Why Sally! What would you do?"
Put him over my knee and spank
him and then pen him in the cellari"
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 it 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 1t
that she was known to be drunk with
him sometimes!
Sally" said Seffy timorously, one
day. Che had waited to tell her this)
you don't think--you don't believe
that I-said-"
Il know" said Sally in voice that
froze him, that you are fool-and
am not fond of fools. Go away, Be
glad don't lick you!"
And then rumor had ii 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 Seffy's
father, whose sufferings were nearing
agony Nothing could be done with
Seffy. And course of the love between
them, which had never been ruffied
since Seffy was born, was often ruftied
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 says. Don't you know it's
dare? Air you going TO take dareZ
baby, When you year that burned
new laugh of Sally's cant you see that
somesings wrong? She's drinking
That's what! You think she'd laugh
so and drink If she wass happy? You
was fool-yas, durn fool. It's your
fault. Go right up to her like a man
and say So
Il did" said Seffy.
''Hah, you did, An what she sayss
'She said she knowed it,"
"Well-begoshens. She's worse
fool. Gather her in and make fool
of 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-feld-
made himself her legal guardian!
"Tll gife II up-the guardeen. Vas
sir. She ken take keer herself. Fool
of course. Bose fools! You wait
tell she marries that durn molasses-
Taper II you want to see fun"
/ There was such real agony In the
old mans voice that Seffy suffered,