Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-02-11
COURSE OF TRUE Love
sy JENNIE n. OLIVER.

II was storm quite notable I'm his
tory. 4 came out OF blur Of angry.
evening red. with wild sheets OF
screaming. white rain from the murky.
boiling river. Under 1t the little cabin
covered like beaten hound-even the
three shadows within looming gro.
tesquely backward from the fireplace.
shrinking and fiaring fitfully as the
eddytng fame sprang upward and
strung itself like rubies on threads of
cobw'sb swaying from the biackened
rafterx
Between crashes of deafening thun-
der two Of the shadows talked dogged-
~ and persistently.
Yes, Steve" said one, lifting his
shreiFd. calculating features In vain
endeavor to suck into life his meg.
lecfed pipe. "yuh ricollict whut / told
| yuh last time yuh asst fer Retta-May.
Conditions is fist tn same now. and
alEus win be.
Gurus, Steve. yuh KANT remember
that old Ike Pedigrew don't say things
fer Ia fun Of hit. Twenty year l ben
wantin' that north forty. Yer daddy
and &C hand tub hand ever hit: hut
he died q year too soon. Lived. an
I'd bad him. Reckon I've got yuh.
Steve. instid-fer hits that north
forty. err no Retta-May"
They amt no jestice in hit, Ike "
cried the young man hotiy. Hits
plum robbery. How'm goin' 10 take
keer q Retta eff give up the only part
o. my land that's with workin'?"
| II hain't astin' yuh to take keer on
her; Jest tuh figger on that land with
me. II thar's my other way tuh do
hit. 50 much the better, fer I've got
other plans for Retta-May Not that
hit haIn't fifteen fer her tub bring me
somethin' fer her raisin'. as her sisters
never done.
They was saller and skinny: but.
land, look at Retta-May; Blue and
peenk and gold-slim and straight;
strong as q young painter. Ef she
hain't with more tub yuh than the
north forty. why. yuh don't hev tuh
take her-that's ALL"
There was a sudden, fierce outburst
| OF the storm, as IL the very prince of
demons had broken loose; and under
It's clutching hand the stanch little
structure shuddered and ratified fear.
| somely. Dark streams OF rain crawled
IN from the sIli1ess door. ard the girl
rose silently to sweep back the food
and block fits further entrance with an
old ragged coat
"'Tain't Jest, Ike" fumed the young
man when at last he could make him
self Heard. "Yuh know there's coal
and Etehhe gas on that paster-ridge,
and that Tn raisin' money tui1~ wor1I
hit. Yuh think I didn't see yuh with
that passed. o. prospectors from Little
Rock, but / did. And hits mine. Ike
Pedigrew, and don't low tub give
hit up. low tub dress Retta like q
queen when l builds her a new house
up under that bunch o. pine!"
We'll. Steve" answered the old man
provokingly, slowly sucking at his re.
lighted pipe, 81 reckon hit1l turn ont
by y'ur buildin' one on stills for her
over on the south forty under them
elms. Reckon yuh1l hev tub raise
rice tub keep her, fer I'm goin' tub hev
that north forty-that, er she marries
Jake Dempsey.
Don't make much difference tub
me. Jake offered me mighty nigh az
good a forty, and a fine Jersey COW
throwed in. Reckon I'd ruther hev
Jake fer relation-he hain't so blamed
obstinate"
Pedigrew laughed disagreeably, and
bent to throw on another log.
Reckon yuh see how hit is, Steve,
he went on, after he had gone to stun
up broken shutter and stop the swirl
OF red embers that enveloped them for
breathless moment. ''Y'ur north
forty and mine bumps heads at a
mighty convenient bend In the river
Now. whin' git busy with them com
modities that natur' has packed In
thar, I kin mighty easy make use o
natures waterway tub pack 'em OF
tub companies that needs 'em. Reck
on old man Pedigrew won't be rich
man then-no. I reckon mott"
"Whut ef Retta and takes things
I'm our own hands, Ike? whut eff"
'TTl tell yuh, Steve, whut eff. Retta
Mayli marry Jake Dempsey In the
mawnin', fist as soon's hit IL good and
light. Asst him and Jestice Potter over
to witress the windin' up-be handy
tub hev 'em anyway the cat jumps
Mother thing. Retta-May hain't heI
own boss by two year and then some
Retta-May hain't ben outen this yard
sense yuh an ! tangled mp I'm this
deal. Guess I hold the whup-hand
Steve"
The young man dropped his face In
his hands and sat for some time In
deep thought. The roaring light
sprang rudely over his dark head
over the old mans hard, shrewd eyes
and the girls beauty. Around then
roared and walled and crashed the
tireless fury OF the storm. FINAL.
Stephen Martin sprang erect, brave
resolve I'm his deep-set gray eyes.
I'm give her up. Ike" he said, husk
lily. aI'd ruther she married some one
as has plenty then tuh go out into the
world empty-handed with me. HEAVIER
knows I'd ruther do without her thar
tuh see her eyes grow hopeless and
her form thin and bent like her moth
er's and mine"
"Stopi" cried the girl suddenly
with blazing eyes. 'Yuh don't nevel
leave hyer 'thout me. Leave him hey
the old north forty. I'd ruther he,
yuh than Jake ef he was made O. gold
A soon as hits light well walk outer
hyar and leave pappy with his money
Yuh'n hev tub do hit. Stephen" shs