The log cabin Democrat., 1909-10-28


 had been Drowned to turn. the cor fee clear and the eggs boiled to a proper consistency. So good was everything. in fact, that Mrs. Lane forgot for the moment that the l4- year-old girl had so strong an aver sion to shoes and stockings that she | occasionally ushered in guests with out wearing these toilet accessories.
 Now, as Mrs Lane watched the girl leap over the fence and dart towarc the post office, she could not but ad- mire the grace and beauty of the un- l conventional little creature. She thought of the wonderful change the 1 past two months had made in her, 1 how tractable and quick to learn she was, how inherently refined, poetical i in thought and soft in speech. A i half-formed plan to take her to the north in the spring, give her an edu- cation and make a companion of her crystalliZed in Mrs. Lanes mind She l determined to go 10 see the girl 5 mother that afternoon and talk it over with her
 Then came doubt and dsmay. Re turning slowly. Mandy walked with a lank youth who bent toward her Bits | of village gossip recurred to Mrs. Lanes mind But no, Mandy was too much of child to think of beaux However. if she had any such tender sentiments, they would stand in the way of her going north So as the girl came In at the side gate Mrs Lane called to her
 Il saw you walking down the street with Bud Johnson. Mandy" began Mrs. Lane. kindly, when the girl ap- preached. Is it true that you and he are sweethearts, as they say?"
 The girls eyes flashed and her slight figure became tense, as she an- swered Him? No, ma am. I jes let him walk piece-a-way with me to tell him not to be hangin' roun' no noah No Johnson ken come sweet hearth 'roun' me none, Doan you-all know they is the othah side of the feud?"
 Mrs. Lanes heart jumped. She had read southern stories full of feuds and now she had come in contact with one
 "You-all sure know bout that" queried Mandy again. They aint no moab men left on our side, so they an't no noah shootin, but theys been times when they's been blood a-plenty between we-all an that John son tribe, an none ken come roun memo. ma'am, They killed my daddy, an my gran daddy. an daddy killed two fore they popped him. an they's been shootin' a-plenty afore that. They ain't no men left on our side. now; so reckon the feud s broke But the feelin's there-yes, ma am. I'd be a poor thing to marry a Johnson
 Well, you should not marry for some years, at least, Mandy" hastily interposed Mrs. Lane. You are not old enough to think of such things yet
 Yes. ma am" answered Mandy, in her gentle voice as she went into the house
 That night the girl had permission to go to cousins in the woods to a cabin dance with the stipulation that she would return at noon the next day When the next night came and no Mandy appeared and the next morning found her still absent, Mrs. Lane was filled with forebodings of what might have happened to the girl So she rode out to Mandy 8 mothers house near the bayou. She had never seen Mandys family and looked about curiously as she neared the house. Children of all sizes were rioting in the hot sunlight with chick ems, dogs, and litter of young pigs. A faded, tired woman who might have been 50 came to the gate
 I'm looking for Msndy's mother, " began Mrs. Lane.
 II reckon I'm her" said the woman. Then have you seen or eeard any thing from her? She should have been back from her cousins at noon yesterday, but she hasn't been heard from and l am so worried" 'I reckon you-all needn't worry bout Mandy" responded her mother, lstlessly She won't come back to you-all this year, anyway They say as how her an Bud Johnson lit out las night an was married she ex- plained, impersonally
 Mandy married It can't be. She's hardly more than baby!" Il reckon she's married. Bud John sons daddy drove up here this noon an says as how the preacher down in l Curlew neighborhood says he married | them"
 But cant we do something7 That | poor child,'
 The woman looked at her visitor for the first time with a gleam of in terest. No. they's gone to the east coast to the tomato pickin an won't be back till July"
 1 General Inst Now