The midland journal., 1915-11-26
MANDY ALL OVER
sy izoLA FORESTER.

He had been dweller in Tula for
three weeks. and the silence of the
mountains almost hurt. So far he
had seen just four human beings-old
Jed Morse and his daughter, Mandy;
the traveler-preacher. Harley Robert
son, and young Gabe Williams, who
ran the cider mill.
Gabe and he were friends at least
It was Gabe who found out he was
interested in geology.
Thought you was perfesser or
something OF the sort when saw you
snoopin' round like. Mandy said you
was IN artist count of the way you
look. and the old man suspicioned you
was from the government. We don't
notice him. He used ter get into all
kinds of trouble with the government
back in the old days, but that's done
away with now, since the railroad
come through. Mandy went to school
three winters
"Like her, don't you Gabe?" Tay-
lor had asked, by way of conversation.
But Gabe's face had darkened, He
threw stick at an unoffending hound
pup that wandered within range.
Eyes, like her, but I don't stand
no sort Of show. Ought to see the
look in her eyes when the preacher
comes around"
The preacher came riding down the
mountain the next week and stopped
to speak to Taylor, working along a
ledge Of rock.
Won't find any gold or silver there,
young man." he called up genially.
Taylor turned and saw a youthful
prophet type, hair that hung short
cropped below his ears. eyes wide and
dark. face thin and fine featured, the
face of the enthusiast and dreamer.
Later on the preacher would drop
in at his cabin if it was late and talk
awhile with him over the fire. He
was university man from Tennes-
see, eager to hear of the North and
of life in the great centers.
I'm going there some day." he said,
staring into the open fire. Fishers of
men. 1t is a promise. / am going
some day. Here the seed falls on
stony soil.Y
Taylor went to one of his meetings
at night down in the valley. Mandy
stood on a soapbox and sang in a
timid. high mezzo, slip of girlhood,
with the torchlight Pickering on her
pretty face and blue eyes that sought
the face Of the young preacher. while
Gabe hung around the shadows and
glowered.
Then came the last week in Tula.
Taylor never forgot it all his life, the
place where he had complained of
ennui and loneliness. With Gabe's
help he struck lead and followed it
up through the ledge. Gabe told of
caves farther up in the mountains,
caves that glistened inside, and not
with stalactites, either. Taylor went
with him and found mica, tracts of
mica that lay in great, unbroken
sheets, and he knew fortune lay
close to Gabe's door, When he told
the big mountaineer, he put back his
head and laughed.
"Guess that1l get her, won't it?
Womenfolks like money and pretty
things, don't they? You go ahead and
fix up the deal and get yours out of
it. I'm going courtin'."
And the next night Harley stopped
on the way down toward Jed's, and
said he was going away. God had
heard his prayers and listened to the
cry of his soul. He was going north
to preach the word in the great
cities. While he talked Mandy came
up with Taylor,s milk and bread and
stood listening with wide eyes that
held fear and woman's secret in
their depths. But Harley rambled on
enthusiastically, and Taylor wanted to
grip him and make him turn and see
the gift that lay for him in the girls
tender eyes,
Gabe came back along the road late
that night and he pounded on the
cabin door.
Has the preacher gone up by here
YETI" he called. Taylor said no, he
had not seen him.
I'm going ter get him." said Gabe
grimly, and passed on
Taylor rose and opened the door A
full moon rode high above the dark
mountains. He dressed and went out
side, listening And nearly an hour
later he heard Harley coming up the
road, singing in his full baritone one
of the hymns he loved He had meant
to warn him. but the singing stopped;
and. after while, he judged he had
taken another road around the lower
bend. But he could not sleep. and
went down to meet Mandy at five on
her way up with the milk and fresh
eggs for his breakfast. She looked
radiant and shy Standing in her little
pink cotton dress, barefooted and
tanned, she looked like some Wild
flower OF her own mountain land, he
thought.
Pops awful mad" she said softly
He's going to turn me away. Count
of Gabe. Gabe asked him for me and
Il<.w.