Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26

of itself What he shouted was vastly
more startling. A scraping and upsetting
of chairs on the Veranda was followed by
the wild leaping of their late occupants
to the ground, only Powhatan and the two
Birdsongs holding their places. The boys
playing ball in the road raced up to learn the
cause of the excitement. A stream of flushed
and floury handed women from the kitchen
surged round the corner of the house.
"Ca'm yourselves-ca'm yourselves
everybody" shouted Powhatan; though his
own black eyes were swapping. "You act
like passel O. chickens under the shadder
of henhawk. The Saddleback is mile
away, and they won't reach hyar fer spell
O time. Poyth, you sure Fabe Shrimp air
a drivin' of 'em?"
Looked like him, Pap" answered Poyth
ress, rather abashed by the Juror he had
kicked up. "They dipped down out O sight
now"
"I1l bet bar1 of moonshine you're
wrong" grumbled his father, "and like
enough spilled good dinner besides, tollin'
all of them women away from their pots and
kittles at the last minute. Perilee-Olivette
all on you! Skeedaddle fer the kitchen
and make ready to dish up your truck.
Steptoe and his bride air comm, whether
Fabe's drivin' 'em or not. And eft he IS
drivin' 'em, all got to say is that the day of
meracles is by no means past"
FADE was driving them. More than that,
his wizened cocoanut face was crlnkled
in fixed smile, and after carefully making
landing at the horse block outside the
fence he 1eaped down from the surrey with a
flourish of his whip.
"Hyer we air, Neighbors A little sur
prised to see me, / swow, bant you? It's
me, though, by juice! all right. Step and
me, the law case ag'in' him is dismissed, and
I've brung him and his Teddy good thutty
mile, safe and sound"
The gathered company stood motlonless.
A young man dressed in modest blue suit
and straw hat emerged from behind the cur
tain that screened the rear seat. No one
stirred; for no one recognized him. A start
ling change had indeed been wrought in
Steptoe He was neither the mountain dare
devil of former days, nor the gawky youth
of the photographs. The day of horse
blanket plaids had passed with him forever.
Manhood had Strengthened and refined his
lips.
Yet in a sense he was still boy, and his
faultless teeth shone in a grin as he surveyed
his gathered kin. He saw his old mothers
lips twitch as she mechanically wiped her
hands on the kitchen apron she had forgot
ten to lay off. But she did not come for
ward yet; for man shall leave his mother
and cleave to his wife, and the wife had not
yet appeared. Granny wanted to see her
before making move.
The young woman lost no time, and after
stepping down stood still moment, as if
abashed. Her clothes were quite as modest
as her husbands. Only one garment, a
heavy veil, struck discordant note in the
onlookers, and this she Immediately began
to unpin.
At about the same instant Squirrel Dead
mount, who was leaning against the fence,
emitted startled "Good Lord A'mighty!'
Steptoe laughed, and the bride, still FUN
bling at the stubborn pin, parted her red
lips in a smile. Then down came the veil,
revealing to the gaping throng the pretty,
flushed face of Spicy Birdsong; more ex-
actly, Spicy Birdsong Pentecost!
GONE, Friends, and meet my wife!" called
out Steptoe gaily, as he ushered Spicy
through the gate.
Granny Pentecost, dazed, doubling her
senses, moved slowly forward. Then, with