The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-04-07

had not seen ma reused before.
"John Davis" she finished after she
had talked awhile. the Lord can take
down your wicked pride II l can't. You
know Molly had a right to marry Rich.
ard. You know you're as wild to see
your only grandson as l am too! I'm
goin' owe there after this just when |
please. I'm soin' to take this pie over
when It's baked. I've sent It on the sly
too long. I'm tired Of sneakin'. I've
knuckied under to your within as long
AS eve intend to. You're too old to
be 90 hard. You better just stop
temptin' Providence with the hard
ness Of your heart and 60 and fetch
home Molly and Richard and Jimmy.
I'm cookin' the best in the land. like I
always do. You do what I say and zee
how good II feels to be decent once
This will be New Years eve and q
good time to begin. This IL the last
word I'm goin' to say about It," She
closed her mouth and slammed the
oven door on the pie.
Pa stood In the middle Of the room,
holding his gum too dumfounded to
speak Or move. At Last be started for
the door. and she called him in her
usual voice:
IT'S most II. and dinner II Be ready
at II. What you want with the gun.
PAT" He answered duly:
saw some fat rabbits over In the
cornstalks. Thought r'd like to taste
one. We amt had any this winter"
He marched out Of the house, and
from the window ma watched him
pillow through the and cornstalks
till he passed out of sight behind some
old sheds and haystacks back Of Mol
ly's barn.
She put dinner on the table at II and
called loudly to the barn. She waited
awhile. then put things in the oven to
keep warm. In the pantry the pies
stood In delicious brown crispness BE-
side the fruit cake and cranberry Jelly
and all the delicacies the farm AZ
forded.
At l O'Clock he had not yet come,
and she grew impatient. She had
heard the gun once or twice. but that
some time back. At 2 she went
out to search the barn.
Then she thought he might have
been asked in to dinner at a neigh
boris, and she ate a little herself and
cleared the things away. 1t grew
dusk, and still he did not come home.
She flung her shawl over her head and,
taking the little pie, started for Mol
ly's, forgetting everything except that
she must find Richard and get him to-
look for pa. She was sure something
must be done. As she went down the
road she saw little Jimmy run wildly |
up from the barn and rush into the
house, leaving the door open. He ran
out again with Richard and Molly,
who followed him to the barn.
They disappeared back of the old
sheds behind the barn. Mas limbs al
failed her. She seemed to be
making no progress. though she was
not twenty rods from the gate. Then
Molly ran back to the house and re-
emerged with a blanket on her arm.
Mas heart wal oppressed with al
vague fear. but at last she managed to
reach the porch and sink upon the
steps. She rested. there a moment till
the corner Of the barn came q
sight that made her sick and dixzy-l
pa, limp and seemingly lifeless. In the
blanket. with Richard carrying his
head and Molly his feet and the little
boy crying. Ma toppled over and fell
genseless in the snow.
When she opened her eyes she was
on the sofa in her own room. The
lights were bright. and little Jimmy
stood beside her. patting her cheek.
Molly stood over her. smiling. and
across the room she saw pa propped
up in bed. Old DR.. Smith was Just 60
Ing from the room. She tried to get
up to 60 to pa. but he called out to
her to stay where she Richard
was standing near him. and he looked
up at the tall young fellow.
Tell ma I'm all right. Richard. 81
only fell and hurt my leg. and the
was 70 bad that I tainted
and when ! come to I couldn't get uk
II Jimmy hadn't come chasin' out there
and found me I'd "a frozs to death,
amt to say hurt at all. I'll
be up In . day OF two. Amt nothin'
broke. M. but my hard old heart, and
twas high time 1t was! had over
FOUR hours out there in the snow light
In OF freezin' to death and tryin' to
make some one hear. ! had plenty Of
lime to think. and I was afraid I'd die
and you'd never know I wasn't ~ mean
- I acted" Ma began to cry softly,
but Molly soothed and petted her.
"Never mind. ma; it's all right now,
and Richard and Jimmy and IN come
every day and look after you"
But pa had another word to say. Jim-
my vas sitting In q dark corner very
busy at something. He . and came
10 his grandmother with his blue apron
gathered In his two hands. |
You'll all come right over here"
pa wal saying. THAT house amt over.
an ma an me have room
here for Z dozen Amt We, mai" She
lssented. and Jimmy put up his hands
10 pat her face again. |