The Falls City tribune., 1909-08-06

l33 Al'Ai III Ah1 3bbo III ~ q
proper consistency. So good was
everything. in fact. that Mrs. Lane
forgot for the moment that the IA
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 toward
the post office, she could not but ad-
mire the grace and beauty of the un
conventional little creature. She
thought of the wonderful change the
past two months had made In her,
how tractable and quick to learn she
was, how inherently refined, poetical
In thought and soft in speech, A
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
determined to go to see the girls
mother that afternoon and talk it
oyer with her.
Then came doubt and dismay. Re-
turning slowly, Mandy walked with a
lank youth who bent toward her. Bits
OF village gossip REQUIRED to Mrs.
Lanes mind, But no, Mandy was too
much of a child to think of beaux!
However. il 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.
II saw you walking down the street
with Bud Johnson. Mandy began
Mrs. Lane, kindly, when the girl APP
preached. rs it true hat 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. | jes'
let him walk a piece-a-way with me
to tell him not to be hangin' 'roun' no
noah! No Johnson ken come sweet
heartin' '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 amt no
noah men left on our side, so they
amt no noah shootin'. but tbey's
been times when they's been blood
a-plenty between VEAL an that John
son tribe. IN lone ken come 'roun'
me-no, 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 amt 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"
We'll, you should not marry for
some years. Mt least. Mandy" hastily
i%nterposed 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 a cousins in the woods to a
cabin dance, with the stipulation hat
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 f~orebodings of
what might have happened to the
girl. So she rode out to Mandy's
mothers house near the bayou. She
had never e Mandy's family and
looked about c~uriously as she neared
the house. Children of all sizes were
rioting In the hot sunlight with chick
ems, dogs, and a litter of young pigs.
A faded, tired woma who might have
been 60 came to the gate.
I'm looking for Mandy's mother"
began Mrs. Lane.
Il reckon I'm her." said the m
Then have you seen or heard 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"
Il reckon you-all needn't worry
bout Mandy" responded her mother,
listlessly. "She won't come back to
OuoA AhAo yVoi ohy way thSy say
as how her an Bud Johnson lit out
las night an was married" she ex-
planned. impersonally.
Mandy married. 1t can't be. She's
hardly more than a baby!"
II reckon she's married. Bud John
sons daddy drove up here this noon
an says as how the preacher down in
Curlew neighborhood says he married
them"
But can't we do something? That
poor childl"
The woman looked at her visitor
for the first time with a CLEAN of in
terest. NO, they's gone to the east
coast to the tomato pickin an won't
be back till July"