Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-20
Drawings by Robert E. Amick
II ESS LITTLEFORD stood
ID in the cabin doorway.

II -
Her brown eyes rSS
staring absently toward the
cross of her big, bearded
fathers homemade suspendcrs.
He sat the chopping block,
whiting ak handle.
She had been trying for five
long minutes to muster the
courage necessary to approach
him. She knew that he
plain, gruf man, that idle words Hs$V
counted for absolutely nothing ESSsSE
with him. V&&
He must have felt something -
of her stare. He turned, w
her, dropped his piece of young
hickory, and rose, facing her. No.
He pushed his SLOUGH hat back
from his brow "Tell it,
Bess stepped to the yard and
said a little desperately and II
very awkwardly, "Sade Moore
she's got silk dress, and
she's been fvin around, anda
braggin' and shown herself
off until I'm tired to death O
wearin caiker, Pap!7
Another might have
laughed: Napoleon Littleford
did not. The work he had had in his hands for ten
years. that of providing for family of seven with
resources for his rifle and the woods and
clearing dotted with apple trees, had taken most of
the laughter out of him.
Said Napoleon Littleford, while ono hand slowly
tugged at his gray-sreaked black beard, "Sade Moore
she's some'at of fool And if you'll jest turn yore
eyes innard and look at yoresef for minute sech
matter you'll relize that you haint thousand miles
from bein' fool yoresef." Having delivered him
self of this long speech he drew deep BREATH though
it had made him weary.
Jest cheap silk Dress pleaded the girl "Cheap
silk it hain't much spensive than caliker. And
when huckleberres they gifts ripe I'll pick and sell
enough to pay you back, Pap
when huckleberries gifts ripe you'll pick and sell
To me
dress" declared Napoleon Lttleford, he sat down,
and took up his piece Of young hickory, and began to
white again.
Bess knew the conversation ended. She felt
bitter toward her father 1t is the way of youth not
take into consideration such facts that these fighters
of the door-wolf may not toll almost night and day
throughout the years without having some OF the ten
derer human sympathies turned to stone within them
Bess walked slowly the clearing her eyes watch
ing her bare without really seeing them her sen
der sunburned fingers toying nervously with the end
of her long, thick plat of dark hair.
She crossed the low rail fence, and wandered down
through the woodland to where clear, cold spring
ran from beneath gray cliff crowned with snowy
mass of laurel bloom. She sat down the ground,
and threw pebble into the water.
I'D mighty nigh steal for the sake O havin silk
dress" she said aloud to herself, "a pink silk Dress
with ribbon around the wristbands, and around the
waist, and lace in the yoke. Jest maybe wouldn't fly
high! Lutte Rayner he'd shore be proud o me then.
reckon he's proud O me anyhow. Anyhow, he always
said he was-anyhow.'
FROM behind her came the sudden sharp sound of a
dry branch breaking under heavy boot. She
went her feet and turned to strange, youngsh
dressed in dark blue, with broad-rmnled black
hat set the least bit rakishly his head He
smiling little, and his eyes seemed rather shrewd
$50 you want silk DRESS with ribbons it, and a
lace yoke do your he said quite pleasantly-it was
almost as though he fairy godmother who
hold tbe ho,,c oil