Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-03-05

him, TO what do You attribute your
good health at your time OF life?"
Abe srinned all over his face and
cleared his throat Importantly. but
before he could answer, Samuel
growled:
Ter me! His health an his life
both. dragged him up out Of death
bed only week ago."
The editor took out his notebook
and began scribbling.
What brought you SO low, Captain
Rosef" he inquired without glancing
up. Again. before Abe could answer.
Samuel trod on his toe.
Thirty mollycoddling women-folks."
Abe found his voice and slammed
the list of one hand against the palm
of the other.
III you go an put that in the pa
per, I1l-I'll-'
Words failed him. He could see the
sisters fairly fighting for the posses
sion Of the Shoreville Herald tomor-
row. evening. as they always scram-
bled, each for the first glance at the
only copy taken at the home, and he
could hear one reading his name aloud
reading of the black ingratitude Of
their brother member.
Jest say" he added eagerly, that
the time fer old folks ter stick home
under the cellar door has passed, an
nobody is tew old ter 60 a-gallivantin'
nowadays. An then yew might men
tion"-the old mans face was shining
now as he imagined Angy's pleasure
that Mis- Rose Is gone deown ter
Twin Coves ter visit Mis- Samuel OAR
by fer a week, an Cap'n Darby an
Cap'n Abraham Rose" his breast
swelling out. SIS a-goin' ter spend a
week at Bleak Hill. Thar, hain't that
Cap'n Eph a-scootin' In naow7
guess them air new runners O. Bill
Green's didn't work He hain't mo-
where in sight. He"
Les be a-gwine. Abe" interrupted
Samuel, and leaving the editor still
scribbling, he led the way down the
bank with a determined trudge, his
market basket In one hand, his grip
in the other, and his lips mutterinG
that "a Teller couldn't dew nuthin' in
Shoreville without gettin' his name
In the paper" But a moment later,
when the two were walking gingerly
over the ice to the spot where Eph
had drawn his scooter to standstill.
Samuel fell into a s-lf-congratulatory
chuckle.
"He didn't find out, though, that l
had my reasons for leavin' home tew.
Women-folks, be 1t only one, hain't
good all the time fer nobody. l come
ter see Blossy twict year afore we
was married. regular; an naow,
cak'late ter leave her twict year
fer spell. A week onct every six
months separate an apart" proceeded
the recently made benedict, "is what
makes man an his wife learn haow
ter put up with one another in be-
tween times"
why, me an Angy," began Abe,
'have lived tergether year in an year
out fer"
"All aboard" interrupted Captain
Eph with a shout. TITS a fair wind.
l bet on making 1t in five minutes and
fifty seconds"
Seven minutes had been the record
time for the five-mile sail over the ice
to Bleak Hill, but Samuel and Abe,
both vowing delightedly that the skip
per couldn't go too fast for them.
stepped into the body of the boat and
squatted down on the hard boards.
They grinned at each other as the
scooter started and Eph jumped
aboard-grinned and waved to the
people on the shore, their proud old
thoughts crying:
II guess folks will see now that
we're as young as we ever was!"
They continued to grin as the boat
spun into full flight and went whizzing
over the ice, whizzing and humping
and bouncing. Both their faces grew
red, their two pairs of eyes began to
water, their teeth began to chatter;
but Samuel shouted at the top of his
voice In defiance of the gale:
ABE, we've cut the apron strings"
"Hy-guy!" Abe shouted in return.
his heart flying as fast as the sail,
back to youth and manhood again,
back to truant days and the vacation
time of boyhood. "Hy-guy, Sam1!
Hain't we a-gwine ter have regular
A No. ! spree!"
(TO nm (,oNrTNITrIT\