The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-25
(An Dramatic Rights Reserved
CHAPTER VI.

There was an odor of newly-baked
bread pevading the house "a Fer
man Elwood stepped on to the stoep
and passed into the sitting-room.
Tana shepherd hail already complet-
ed what might have been counted
an ordinary days work, and it was
only just half-past eight in the
morning. and scarcely breakfast
time. The household had been astir
since daylight-whicn was the Gus
tom-all except Mary The chief
work was done in the cool of the
morning, for Africa sleeps through
the midday heat.
This was baking-day, an important
labor on large farm. Tanta Shep-
herd was alive to the importance
of her Office on such occasions, and,
with true Afrikander spirit, she new
er let the Kaffr girls under her
forget that work is no play. She
came into the stting-room from the
kitchen as Ferman entered from the
stoep.
rs Mary UP yet, Tanta?' he in
quired, knocking his pipe out against
the window-casing.
The old woman turned a round,
flushed face upon the man who
was something in the nature of a
son as we'll as master to her. Her
gold-rimmed glasses were lodged
within half an inch of the tip of
a rather long, fleshy nose. She
always looked over the rims, except
when she was reading her Bible
her only literary recreation-and her
eyes were round and blue and gen
tie, and wholly in keeping with
her rotund, amiable person.
Not yet, master. / heard her stir
ring. You see, it isn't her time yet.
ha'nt made the coffee clar.' She
shuffled round the room, noting the
details of the breakfast setting. 1t
was her boast that she knew the
wishes of her master and mistress
in the culinary department, and new
er forgot anything. This was the
third time she had come in to make
a final inspection, an inspection in
spired by the sound of her masters
footstep on the stoep.
While Elwood flung himself into
a low easy-chair she counted the
plates three times and made the
total different at each count. Final
ly she abandoned so elusive a math-
ematical problem.
HAS she calved YETI" she asked
abruptly.
"Eh?" Ferman looked with some
thing like start.
"Why, that Rosie COW. It's nigh
her time. l thought, seeing you've
been up half the night"
NO, not yet. Saturday says to-
morrow"
anu it4upbNN IN
silence. Tanta Shepperd had seen
him out with the Kaffir boys at
daylight, and knew he had been mp
even earlier. She swept an imagi-
nary speck from the white table.
cloth with her fat hand.
1T han't good for ner to be do
/ ing nothing" she said, intent on
following her own train of though,
and quite unconscious of the con
fusing manner in which she switch
ed from one subject to another She
was speaking of Mary now, her a.
fection for whom was hardly less
than her affection for her master,
the one shade of difference being.
perhaps, a slight natural fayoring
of the opposite sex.
You don't approve of idleness,
Tanta?' Ferman smiled. lie was al
all times ready 10 listen to this good
creature.
"No moren you do, master was
her prompt retort. She was not
sure he was no, laughing at her
If it were not she calcI atel to nip
it in the bud.
GO ahead; what is yO I've got on
| your mind?" he asked as she paus-
ed anl gazed out through the open
doorway at the water-carriers string
ing their way mp from the river. 1t
was :. solemn procession of Kaifir
yrouws bearing calabashes on their
| heads. She counted aucibly as they
PASSED up the incline. They were
all present, and she turned to an
sEer her masters question.
"Idleness makes healthy folks
sick; 1t makes fools OF busy folk.
and rogues of lazy folk. Nothing
ever come of idleness but what's
bad. And the Book makes that plain
as the nose on your face. Now you
/ ara l,aonipo that gal idle which iS