The Washington herald., 1909-07-04

think already. One day she brung a
I stranger some with her. He were young
and all strapped an buckled up I'm leg
. gins an fine clO'es. Bet I couldn't see
him fer lOOlzin' at Mary Frances. Sne'd d
/ changed since mOrnin' from tn chill
I springtirne Of maidenhoOd inter tn warm
summer of beauty. An her sweet face
/ were er white altar with all III candles
/ IL afore IL" Pappy paused and gazed
/ out upon the mist-cOvered valley. The
rlountains herded grimly against the
+ darkening sky and their monstrous shad-
/ ows stretched across the mists over the
/ dcorsin
Mister" he resumed softly, 7 hain't
never pretended ter be nothin' bet er
blamed fool; still, reckon kin tell er
angel from er goose feather, an when 1
seen ner little gal standin' thar all ready
fer her baptism IN love an sorrer
knowed I were in tn presence Of some
thin holy. an could have fell down on
mer face afore her.
90 'Pappy,' SEE she, holdin' ter her dress
prutty with jest two fingers Ike hit were
her wing she were fxtn' ter preen. this
air Mr.. Junius Boyd he air prospectin'
on tn Ridge. 7 met him down tn road er
piece, an he ast me did I reckon yO'd
give him er place ter stay, an 7 telled
him lowed yO' would
Thet were tn fust time set eyes on
Junius Boyd, an I felt trouble comm
plain ez yo' see tn shadder OF Blood
Mountain on tn do sill. He stayed here
till he run of with Mary Frances. an he
never fooled me nary time hain't been
! drivin' er stage an watchin' men 70 an
fro twenty years fer nothin'. I knowed
2 D.
damned good-lookin' jackass goin' round
tryfn ter put his ongodly mark on ev'y
iDnercent thing he seen.
Bet 'twa'n't no use ter talk ter Mary
Frances She knowed no more erbout
savin' herself an a rose do erbout
dOdgin' butterflies. One day we were set
tin out thar on tn bench, an I were
tryin' ter make up mer mind how ter
warn her. when she spoke up the honest
way she alters had:
'Pappy,' sez she, 'ef er man tell you
ne loves yO', hits bound ter be so. hain't
it%
'Thet depends right smart on tn man.
honey seZ I. Sometimes he air In ear
rest then ergin he hain't. When or fel-
Ter begin ter cut up them kind OF shines
30 keep watchin' till you find out which
way his Undertow runs
Bet ef yo air er gal Pappy, how kin
yo' tell sech?'
Well, now, Mary Frances. 7 hev been
er sight things In mer time-er soldier er
ku-klux, er farmer. an er stage driver,
but thet's one priverlige mater denied me
hain't never been a gal: ef I were. meb-
be I'd hev no more sense an yO' hev. YO'
mout recollect this. though sez I. hint
In plain az her an Boyd. No matter
how much er man pertends ter love you.
ef he tries ter draw you ter him agin
yo'r jedgment yo'd better not go
She want even listenin', mister: Jest
strainin' her bright eyes across tn valley
watchin fer him ter come home.
He run OF with her thet same night,
an I were tn only person in the valley
thet he'd nothin' condemnin' ter say err
bout Mary Frances. fer knowed her
eyes were holden Partheny lowed she
alters expected tn gal ter do some sech
trick. Bud complained that God were
again him, an they all charged hit up ter
tn way me an Marthy pampered her.
She left er note fer me- full Of happy
fcoitshness, sayin' they were ter be mar
ried in Blue Ridge. 1coUldi tel she-neyer