Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-12-12

0Hu III tne DuSy season she WORKED lHe
crop. Then, after an early breakfast,
the family went to the field, the father
In front riding his mule. the women in
stained homespun dresses following,
their faces hidden In honnets, their
hands swathed In bAndages to keep on
sunburn. While the man plowed. the
women hoed, or knocked down cotton
stalks, and the children who were too
small to work brought water from some
nearby spring. Just before noon and
dark Sally fastened home and prepared
the heavy. greasy food that gave the
Robbins family. particularly the chill
dren, yellow, puffy skin.
In country where negroes are the
laboring class, Mr.. Robbins was criti-
cised for making his women folks work
in the field Sally felt this disapproval.
this pity of the landlord class. Like an
ostrich. she hid her face in bonnet
and bent her head while working, and
on returning home she cut through.
avoiding the public road Not that the
neighbors We're unsympathetic. They
offered her clothes, invited her to Sun
day school and TO their entertainments
But Mr.. Robbins refused to let her CO.;
whether from E1eanness, as some
thought, or pride. or ignorance. or be-
cause he resented patronage. no one
knew
Thus as 49, Sally knew none of the
delights which other girls of the neigh
borhood had as their right. She had
never been to a party. or n dance, or
taken a straw ride: she was even de-
MED, for lack OF clothes. the social side
OF going TO church. And Mr.. Robbins
allowed no young man to call on Sally.
True. fruit neddler OF the community
"a man OF 30---mude II a point to pass
the house frequently. and even found
courage when Mr.. Robbins was away.
to leave a basket of fruit and indulge
In rural gallantry. For time Sally
was interested In him-rhe was her first
lover: but the interest gradually dulled
To Sally. 80 was an impossible age. In.
the novels which she and her mother
read together secretly the young lord
was never over 81. Ills skin was ala
baAtcr, his curly. perfumed hair fell In
ringlets over his pellncid brow. Under
the foul accusation of negitimacy, this
proud scion of a noble house held aloof
from sDeiety and stood beside fountains.
signing and rolling his eyes toward
heaven, seldom smiling and then only
IN melancholy fashion, displaying
even. pearly teeth
TWAS one of Snlly's day dreams that
ouch one might appear before her
Whence he should come, what manner
definite conception; but the peddler
was not the man. He was too old.
spoke q dialect. chewed tobacco. and
you heard his laugh Al mile away But
one day In early spring the Robbins
6ot boarder--a travelling salesman
who wished: 10 work that territory.
\ Hts name was Silke and he was agent
Tor picture enlarging house one of
those concerns which execute with such
ndelity tlle breastptns watch chains
earrings and buttons-eyerything but
the expression--of deceased country
people.
. he made an Impression in the Rob-
bins family. for he had that engaging
air OF worthlessness which seemingly
appeals to the urinitiated, and a Ger
ram shtfttess pathos about his eyes sug-
rested that at sGne time or other he
might have bear Ei,ort in his accounts
This. and little tenor voice. in which
ne sang lowiy and sweetly Of forsaken
girls and widowed mothers. went to
was fascinated by his knowledge Of 90
man trades and accomplishments
notably magic and hypnotism. Indeed
before he had been there two DAYS ne
.nad won them over by his glib manner
ana g certain familiar cOndescension
which people In the country like In their
city cousins. He not only told their
fortunes and taught Mr.. Robbins -
lcic1ght OF hand tricks. but showed sally
now 20 milk the cow. shelled the peas
Tor Mra. Robbins, invented q chlirn. ana
put up al stove pipe. They evinced their
appreciation by giving. him for enlarge
ment g tintype Of little Epinetus, their
snaId son VINO at the age of s had
ch0ked 70 death on "a peach stone.
AZ for Sally. she saw ia the picture
eniarger the artstocratic ffinness. the
savior faire, the tone OF voice. the OUT
W0rd elegance. the subtle Ilelicacy 81
an e ldeallzed lover; he came to her. as