Morris tribune., 1908-01-11

down your wicked pride if can't You
know Molly had right to marry Rich
ard. You know you're as wild to see
your only grandson as l am too. I'm
goin' over there after this just when l
please. I'm goin' to take this pie over
when it's baked. I've sent it on the sly
too long, I'm tired of sneakin'., I've
knuckled under to your whim as long
as ever I intend to. You're too old to
be so hard. =, You better just stop
temptin' Providence with the hard
ness of your heart and go and fetch
home Molly and Richard and Jimmy.
I'm cookin' the best in the land like |
always do. You do what say and see
how good it feels to be decent once,
This will be New Years eve and
good time to begin. This is the last
word I'm goin' to say about it." She
closed her mouth and slammed the
oven door on the pie.
Pa stood in the middle of the room,
holding his gun, too dumfounded to
speak or move. At last he started for
the door, and she called him in her
usual voice:
tits most II, and dinner III be ready
at II. What you want with the gun,
pa?" He answered DULY: u. ...-.
Saw some fat rabbits over in the
cornstalks. Thought I'd like to taste
one. We amt had any this winter"
He marched out of the house, and
from the window ma watched him
pillow through the snow and cornstalks
till he passed out of sight behind some
old sheds and haystacks back of Mol
ly's barn.
She put dinner Oh the table at II and
called loudly to the barn. She waited
awhile, then put things in the oven to
keep warm. In the pantry the pies
stood in delicious brown crispness be-
side the fruit cake and cranberry jelly
and all the delicacies the farm af
forded.
At 1 o'clock he had not yet come,
and she grew impatient. She had
heard the gun once or twice, but that
was some time back. At 2 she went
out to search the barn.
Then she thought he might have
been asked in to dinner at a neigh
boris, and she ate little herself and
cleared the things away. 1t grew
dusk, and still he did not come home.
She flung her shawl over her head and,
taking the little pie, started for Mol
ly's, forgetting everything except that
she must find Richard and get him to
look for pa! She was sure something
must be done. AS she went down the
road she saw little Jimmy run wildly
up from the barn and rush into the
house, leaving the door open. He ran
out again with Richard and Molly,
who followed him to the barn.
They disappeared back of the old
sheds behind the barn. Mas limbs al
most failed her. She seemed to be
making no progress, though she was
not twenty rods from the gate. Then
Molly ran back to the house and re-
emerged with blanket on her arm.
Mas heart was oppressed with a
vague fear, but at last she managed to
reach the porch and sink upon the
steps, She rested there. moment till
LllC COlA VI tAC OOl II SeAAAS "a
sight that made her sick and dizzy
pa, limp and seemingly lifeless, in the
blanket, with Richard carrying his
head and Molly his feet and the little
boy crying. Ma toppled over and fell
senseless in the snow.
When she opened her eyes she was
on the sofa in her own room. The
lights were bright. and little Jimmy
stood beside her, patting her cheek.
Molly stood over her, smiling, and
across the room she saw pa propped
up in bed. Old DR.. Smith was just go
ing from the room. She tried to get
up to go to pa, but he called out to
her to stay where she was. Richard
was standing near him, and he looked
kindly up at the tall young fellow I
"Tell ma I'm all right, Richard.
only fell and hurt my leg, and the
rheumatism was so bad that tainted.
and when l come to couldn't get up.
If Jimmy hadn't come chasin out there
and found me I'd "a froze to death, |
though. amt to say hurt at all I'll |
be up in a day or two. Amt nothin' !
broke, ma. but my hard old heart, and !
twas high time it was! l had over |
four hours out there in the snow fight |
in off freezin' to death and tryin' to |
make some one hear. | had plenty of |
time to think, and / was afraid I'd die |
and you'd never know wasn't as mean |
as I acted" Ma began to cry softly. |
but Molly soothed and petted her.
Never mind. ma: it's all right now, +
and Richard and Jimmy and I'll come |
over every day and look after you"
But pa had another word to say. jim |
my was sitting in dark corner very |
busy at something. He rose and came |
to his grandmother with his blue apron
gathered in his two hands.
you'll all come right over here"
pa was saying. That house amt over |
an ma an me have room I
here for dozen. Amt we. mar She
and Jimmy put up his hands
to pat her face again.
SakpS - Sho calculated 'EYnI'rp l