Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-04
[From "a New England Nun, and
Other Stories" Copyright, 1891, by
Harper & Brothers.1

What are them men diggin' over
there in the field for?"
There was a sudden dropping and
enlarging Of the lower part Of the old
mans face, as If some heavy weight
had settled therein; he shut his mouth
tight and went on harnessing the great
bay mare. He hustled the collar on
to her neck with jerk.
"Father!"
The old man slapped the saddle upon
the mares back.
Look here, father, / want to know
what them men are diggin' over in the
field for, an Pm goin' to know"
,"I wish you'd go into the house,
mother, an tend to your own affairs,
the old man said then. He ran his
words together, and his speech was
almost as inarticulate as growl.
But the woman understood; II was
her most native tongue. Il amt goin'
into the house till you tell me what
them men are doin over there In the
field" said she.
Then she stood waiting. She was a
small woman, short and straight
waisted like a child In her brown cot
ton gown. Her forehead was mild and
benevolent between the smooth curves
of gray hair; there were meek down
ward lines about her nose and mouth;
but her eyes, fixed upon the old man,
looked as If the meekness had been
the result of her own will, never OF
the will Of another.
They were in the barn, standing
before the wide open doors. The spring
air, full of the smell of growing grass
and unseen blossoms, came in their
faces. The deep yard in front was lit
tered with farm wagons and piles OF
wood; on the edges, close to the fence
and the house, the grass was a vivid
green and there were some dandelions.
The old man glanced doggedly at his
wife as he frightened the last buckles
on the harness She looked as i'm
movable to him as one Of the rocks In
his pasture land. bound to the earth
with generations of blackberry vines.
He slapped the reins over the horse
and started forth from the barn.
"Fatheri" said she.
The old man pulled up. What Is
it?"
II want to know what them men
are diggin' over there in that field
They're diggin' a cellar, s'pose, If
you've got to know
"A cellar for what?"
"A barn."
"A barn? You amt going to build
a barn over there where we was goin'
to have a house, father?"
The old man said not another word.
He hurried the horse into the farm
wagon and clattered out of the yard,
jouncing as sturdily on his seat as a
boy.
The woman stood moment looking
after him, then she went out Of the
barn across a corner Of the yard to
the house. The house, standing at
right angles with the great barn and
long reach of sheds and outbuildings
was infinitesimal compared with them.
1t was scarcely as commodious for
people as the little boxes under the
barn caves were for doves.
A pretty girls face, pink and deli
cate as a flower, was looking out or
one of the house windows. She was
watching three men who were digging
over in the field which bounded the
yard near the road line. She turned
quietly when the woman entered.
what are they digging for, moth
err" said She Did he tell you?"
They're diggin' fora cellar for a
new barn."
"oh, mother, he amt going to build
another barn?"
That's what he says"
A boy stood before the kitchen glass
combing his hair. He combed slowly
and painstakingly, arranging his
brown hair in a smooth hillock over
his forehead. He did not seem to pay
any attention to the conversation.
Sammy, did you know father was
going to build a new barn?' asked the
girl.
The boy combed assiduiously.
Sammy"
He turned and showed a face like
his fathers under his smooth crest OF
hair. Yes, I s'pose / did," he said, re-
luctantly. o,
How long have you known it?''
asked his mother.
"Bout three months. I guess
why didn't you tell Of it?"
Didn't think 'twould do no good"
'T don't see what father wants an
other barn for" said the girl In her
sweet, slow voice. She turned again
to the window and stared out at the
digging men in the field. Her tender,
sweet face was full of gentle distress
Her forehead was as bald and innocent
as a baby's, with the light hair strain
ed back from it in row Of curl pa
pers. She was quite large, but her
soft curves did not look as If they COW
cred muscles.
Her mother looked sternly at the
boy.
us he goin' to buy more cows?" said
she.
The boy did not reply; he was ty-
ing his shoes. r :.
Sammy, / want you to tell me II
he's goin' to buy more cows"
II s'pose he is"
How many?"
-Four, l guess"
His mother said nothing more. she
went into the pantry, and there was
clatter of dishes. The boy got his caE
from a nail behind the door, took an
old arithmetic from the shelf and
started for school. He was lightly
built, but clumsy. He went out OF the
yard with a curious spring in his lips
that made his loose homemade 1acKe'
tilt up in the rear.
The girl went to the sink and began
to wash the dishes that were piled uI
there. Her mother came promptly ou'
of the pantry and showed her aside
You wipe EN-" said she; I'll wash
There's a good many this mornin'."
The mother plunged her hands Wig
orously into the water, the girl wip'
ed the plates slowly and dreamily
Mother" said she. don't you tmnt t
it's too bad fathers going to bullc
that new barn, much as we need
decent house to live in?"
Her mother scrubbed a dish fiercely
You amt found out yet were wo
men folks, Nanny Penn said she
You amt seen enough of men folk'
vet to. One of these days you'll hn'
it out, an then you'll know that W.
know only what men folks think VIZ
do, so far as any use of it goes, an
how we'd ought to reckon men folks
in with 7 evidence, an not complain
of what yney do any more than we az
of the weather"
Il don't care; l don't believe Georg'
Is anything like that, anyhow, saiC
Nanny. Her delicate face flushed pink
her lips pouted softly. as If she wer'
going to cry.
You wait an see. l guess Georg'
Eastman amt no better than othe
men. You hadn't ought to judg'
father, though. He can't help II
cause he don't look at things jest tn
wav we do. An we've been prett!
comfortable here, after all. The roo
don't leak-ain't never but once
that's one thing. Fathers kept /
shingled right up"
II do wish we had parlor."
II guess It won't hurt George East
man any to come to see you in nlc'