The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-24

The farmers tone did not deceive
his son. he knew that be was facing
an angry man, but be faced him reso-
lutely. his own anger dying as bis
fathers increased.
81 don't have to go till the thrash
ings done. father" be began.
The farmer interrupted him shortly.
'If you go at all you never come back.
Newfangled methods are agin sense
and agin God. and no son of mine has
four years to waste"
"You always do the winter plowing
without me. father. and there's very
little corn this year could CO.
The old man brought his clinched
fist down upon the rail fence. Go"
he cried-"go and be hanged"
A black cloud came from behind the
windbreak and spread itself out thick
", darkening the sky The light breeze
had become q wind and now tossed
and whipped down the tall grain. The
first drops Of rain fell on the boys
white upturned face.
"The drought is broken. father. just
in time" he said Let us start home"
But the old man turned from him
without a word.
.
Four years dragged themselves SLOW
ly over the Whitcomb farm. and Mat
thew's prophecy began to be fulfilled.
The grain came up titfully under the
warm. terminating rays Of the April
sun; it grew half heartedly through
the early summer days and in July
and August yielded but an ominous
handful The corn. harder and still
promising. was beaten down and bro
ken by September rains. The harvest
had failed.
Zephaniah Whitcomb and his wife
talked little over the blazing hickory
logs that burned cheerfully during the
long evenings Of the following winter.
Abigail knitted by the freight silent
ly and industriously. signing now and
then. possibly over dropped stitch.
while the farmer smoked his corncob
pipe aud watched the pictures that
etched themselves tirelessly in the
dancing flames.
The day before Christmas Abigail
watched for Zephaniah's return from
the Corners store with uncontrolled
impatience and, despite the drifting
snow and the Geld wind blowing out
of the north. hurried forth to meet
him. He handed her a bundle and
then felt in the pockets Of his great
coat while his wife waited expect
antly.
Here's a letter for you." he said.
producing a fat envelope.
Abigail flushed happily. II thought
maybe there'd be-" she said. holding
out her hand. 81 haven't had one
since last June. when be graduated |
want to answer this one, ZephaDiah.
please" she added in burst Of te-
merity.
"It's not from-him." The farmer hes.
itated over the pronoun. Its some ad'
vertisements from the Corners store"
He leaned forward and gathered up
the reins that he might appear not to
see the bitter disappointment on the
old face.
In the spring the Whitcomb farm
went under the yoke Of mortgage.
The old dilapidated barns had to be
rebuilt, and fire had partially destroy
ed the summer Kitchen. The bald. cold
eyed investor from the neighborine
town who advanced money proved to
be a friend Of the judge.
Eyes. indeed: yes. indeed" he re-
marked sententiously while Zephaniah
was laboriously signing the paper.
Judge Graham took me down to
Monteith with him last June to see
his daughter graduate. But 1t was
your son. Mr. Whitcomb. who bore of
all the honors. Yes. indeed-yeS in
deed; really a remarkable boy. sup
pose you are quite inordinately proud
Of him. Mr. Whitcomb?"
Zephaniah was shading the 'b' on
the downward stroke and did not see
fit to interrupt so delicate proceed,
ing to answer. but later over his cup
Of tea be repeated the conversation Of
the pompous country gentleman verba-
tim. Abigail's heart warmed within
her as she heard. but she knew better
than to comment on Matthew's sue
cess.
sally Marks says the judges
daughters real pleasant spoken and
friendly" she said. now with brimming
eyes, reaching across the table. Hand
me your cup, Zephaniah. Your teas
got cold"
So a sympathy and an understand
ing far deeper and sweeter than those
of their earlier. untried love welled
up between this lonely. disappointed
man and woman. for the most part
silently. but sometimes, at the touch
Of the others pain. spilhng over In
little homely acts and words Of half
embarrassed tenderness and care
They began to be even more constant
e together than their isolated life re-
quired, Abigail following her husband
nightly when be was doing up his
chores" saying that the house looked
80 big and skeery" to her when the
sun commenced going down. and Zeph-
aniah caring less and less often to
take the long drive to the Corners
store. This close companionship and
devotion worked a subtle. slo'rly per-