The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-01-28
THE CALL OF THE
CUMBERLANDS
lContinued from page 81

capable"
She shook her head Il hain't got
no eddication,D she answered. Hits
a-gofn ter make him too good fer me,
reckon hits a-goin ter jest about
kill me. - Her lips twisted
themselves into pathetic smile again,
and her chin came stiffly up. But.
she added. determinedly, tibet don't
make no difference. nohow."
Yet, when Samson that evening gave
his whippoorwill call at the Widow
Miller's cabin, he found detected and
miserable girl sitting on the stile, with
her chin propped Ia her two hands and
her eyes full OF somberness and fore
boding.
toned he, anxiously. Hes that low
down Tamarack spicer been round
here tellin' ye some more stories ter
poster yer"
She shook her head In silence.
Usually, she bore the brunt OF their
conversations, Samson merely agree
ing with, or overruling, her In lordly
-brevities. The boy climbed up and sat
beside her.
"Thar's a-goln' ter be a dancin'
party over ter VILE McCager's mill
come Saturday" he insinuatingly sug-
gested. 81 reckon yen go over thar
with me, won't We, Sally7"
He waited for her usual delighted
assent. but Sally only told him absent
ly ard without enthusiasm that she
would study about IT," At last, how
ever, her restraint broke. and, looking
up. she abruptly demanded:
Air ye a-goln' away. SamsonY"
who's been a-talkin' ter yer" de-
manded the boy. angrily.
For a moment, the girl sat silent.
Finally, she spoke in grave voice.
"Hlt haint nothin' ter git mad about.
Samson. The artist man lowed as how
ye had right ter go down thar an
git an eddlcation." She made weary
gesture toward the great beyond
"IIe hadn't ought TO of told ye,
Sally II I'd been plumb sartin in my
mind, I'd a.told We myself-not but
what knows" he hastily amended.
tibet he meant hit friendly"
Air ye a-goin?"
I'm studyin' about hit
He awaited objection. but none
came. Then, with piquing of his
masculine vanity he demanded
'iain't ye a-keerin'. Sally. whether
4 goes, or not?"
The girl grew rigid Her fingers on
the crumbllng plank OF the stiles top
heightened and gripped hard. Her face
did not betray her. nor her voice,
though she had to gulp down a rising
lump IN her throat before she could
answer calmly
y think ye had ought to 60 Sam
son"
The boy was astonlshed He had
avoided the subject for fear Of her OPP
position-and tears.
Then, slowly. she went on:
There haint nothin In these here
hills fer we, Samson. Down thar. ven
see lots OF things thets new-an' civil
lied an beautiful Yen see lots of
gals thet kin read an write, gals
dressed up in all kinds of fancy fix
ms" Her GLIB words ran out and
ended in sort of inward gasp,
Compliment came hardly and awk
wardly 10 Samsons lips He reached
TOR the girls hand, and whispered
II reckon won't see no gals thet's
as purity as you be. Sally. reckon ye
knows. whether goes or stays, we're
l.goin' ter sit married"
She drew her hand away, and
laughed, little bitterly. In the last
lay, she had ceased TO be a child, and
become a woman with all the soul-ach.
ng possibilities OF woman's intui-
ions
Samson" she said, Il hain't askin
le ter make me no promises. When
fe sees them other gals gals thet kin
'ead an wrlte--l reckon mebby yen
hink diifrent. ! can't hardly spell
,ut printin in the fust reader
Her lovers voice was scorntul Of the
imagined dangers, as "A recruit may be
4 the battle terrors-before he has /
,een under fire. He slipped his arm I
bout her and drew her over TO him, c
Honey" he said, we needn't fret I
bout thet Readin' an writin can't /
make no difference fer woman. /
Hts mighty important fer man. but 4
'ou're a GAL I
You're a-goin' ter think diffrent at q
er awhile" she insisted when We O
,oes. hain't a-goin' ter be expectin' e
e ter come back But'--the a
esclution In her voice FOR a moment c
as she added-"but God o
inows I'm a-goin ter be hopinl" S
"Saliy!" The boy rose. and paced h
- and down in the road AIR We a
DIN ter be aginst me, too? Don't We 4
ee that | wants ter have a ehanstl d
ant ye trust me? I'm Jest a-tryin' e
o amount TO something. I'm plumb c
ired Of bein ornery an no count" Il
She nodded, c
I've done told We" she said, YEARLY, il
tibet thinks We ought ter do hit d
+,
Lescott and Samson discussed the S
natter frequently. At times the boy
vas obstinate in his determination TO +
emain; at other times he gave way Il
0 the yearnings for change and oppor-