Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-20
hain't got no man person to hoip me

I hain't got no man person to holp me
OUT
Suddenly there came across her tor
tured mind vision of the slim young
fellow who. for a few months after her
marriage to Demus had called her
"Mother''-Oreb. for whom she had
begged Tidy to send when his father lay
dying. Her heart bounded with hope.
"Ory-he's twenty-one-he's got a right
to take keer O his little sister, she
thought. He'd make EN- let me have
her an could arm Twin for her!'
That night Sis Jane made her plans
~, had told her just before Demus
death that he had seen Oreb over in
Kentucky. working at the carpenters
trade. She would hunt up Bran and
get him to tell her in what town Dry
lived. She would tell no one, but when
she had harvested her crops she would
go to Dry.
In late November she was ready. her
crops gathered and her COW secretly
sold to Bran Seal. Dusk of the same
little bundle of clothes, a warm dress
and shawl for Ivy Rose, and larger
bundle Of cooked food. in the laurel
thcket above Jeth-o Corey's house.
Until the moon had risen far over the
mountain she lay huddled in the thicket.
Then she strobe across her sister-in-
laws sodden yard. The outer door of
Tildy's sleeping room was aJar Sis
Jane removed her shoes and tipped inside.
Fearfully she looked about her. but Tidy
and Jethro breathed heavily, and in an
other moment she was outside again. run
ming toward the river with warm bun
die in her arms
The river was covered with thick ice
but there had been warm weather for
days and breakup was dangerously
near
Sis Jane craftily hung the child's red
might cap on low weed at the rivers
edge and stepped on the rotting ice. 1t
cracked ominously. but the woman trod
as lightly and swiftly as a fox. Scarcely
had she stepped on the far bank when
there was a thunderous boom: the ice
parted in the middle and the dark waters
leaped over it.
Sis Jane pressed the child to her
pounding heart. Jest in time she
breathed. An tomorrer Tildy'1l wake
and think the little un wandered out in
her sleep and drownded in the river! But
II won't be So She'll be fur from here
safe in her own mammys arms
She wrapped the little sleeper warmly
and pressed on. \ week later sturdy
Young fellow, eating his midday lunch
beside an unfinished house in Statewide.
felt woman's hand on his arm.
Hits me. Dry: your nanny she
said. Your pap is dead and I've brung
YOU your little sister Tidy and Jethro
said l wouldn't be allowed to keep her,
but l knowed you had right to say
puzzled stepson the other sordid details
of the story. The little child smiled up
in his sober face. The mother smiled
through her tears. She's a-lovin' ye
Dry: she's a-lovin We a'ready"'
The young man stopped and lifted the
little one. Lord. amt she the purtiest
little sister, l were comm to see you
in the spring. he went on. II jest
heerd lately about pop. I been cravin'
ever sence 1 heerd he was gone to have
You and her come and live with me-
Sis Jane held up her crippled hand.
They said | wasn't fifteen to raise her.
crippled this away: they lowed / want
fifteen to sbe her nanny no morer'
Oreb's face darkened. The devils in
Tidy same as he wuZ in pap,'' he cried
You're fitten to be anybody's nanny"
And heaven opened to Sis Jane once
more.
(THE ENDo