The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-03-16
COURSE OF TRUE Love
BY JENNIE Il. OLIVER.
(Copyright.)

screaming, white rain from the muTky,
boiling river Under it the little cabin
covered like a beaten hound--even tie
three sha lows within looming gro
tesquely baclw ward from the fireplace,
shrinking cd faring fitfully as the
eddying flame sprang upward and
strung itself like rubies on threads Of
cobweb swaying from the blackened
rafters.
Between crashes of deafening thun-
der two of the shadows talked logged
ly and persistently.
Eyes, Steve" said one, lifting his
shrewd, calculating features in vain
endeavor to suck into life his neg
lected pipe, "yuh ricollict whut / told
yuh last time yuh asst fer Retta-May.
Conditions is jist tn same now, and
allus will be.
Gurus, Steve, yuh KANT remember
that old Ike Pedigrew don't say things
fer tn fun of hit. Twenty year / ben
wantin' that north forty. Yer daddy
and fit hand tub hand over hit; but
he died a year too soon. Lived, an
I'd had him. Reckon I've got yuh,
Steve, instid-fer hits that north
forty, er no Retta-May"
They amt no jestice in hit, Ike"
cried the young man holly. Hits
plum robbery. How'm l goin' to take
keer O. Retta eff give up the only part
O. my land that's wuth workin'?"
II hain't astin' yuh to take keer on
her; jest tub figger on that land with
me. Eff thar's my other way tub do
hit, SO 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 young painter. Eff she
hain't wuth more tub yuh than the
north forty, why, yuh don't hev tub
take her-that's all"
There was a sudden, fierce outburst
of the storm, as If the very prince Of
| demons had broken loose; and under
its clutching hand the stanch little
structure shuddered and ratified fear ,
somely. Dark streams of rain crawled
In from the sill-Iess door, and the girl
rose silently to sweep back the flood
and block its further entrance with an
old ragged coat.
"'Tain't jest, Ike fumed the young
man when at last he could make him
| 1Vf1h mol
and mebbe gas on that paster-ridge,
and that I'm raisin' money tub work
hit. Yuh think / didn't see yuh with
that passed. O. prospectors from Little
Rock. but I did. And hits mine, Ike
Pedigrew, and l don't low tub give
hit up. / low tub dress Retta like a
queen when l builds her new house
up under that bunch o. pine!"
well, Steve" answered the old man
provokingly, slowly sucking at his re-
lighted pipe, II reckon hit'n turn out
| 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 as
good forty. and 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 stuff
up broken shutter and stop the swirl
of red embers that enveloped them for
| a 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 EN-. Reck-
on old man Pedigrew won't be a rich
man then-no, reckon mott"
'whut eff Retta and takes things
in our own hands, Ike? Whut ef-"
"Pll tell yuh. Steve, whut eff. Retta-
MayM marry Jake Dempsey in the
mawnin', list as soon's hit is good and
light Asst him and Jestice Potter over
to witness the windin' up-be handy
tub hev 'em anyway the cat jumps.
Mother thing, Retta-May hain't her
own boss by two year and then some
Retta-May hain't ben outen this yard
sense yuh an tangled up in this
deal. Guess 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 them
roared and walled and crashed the
tireless fury of the storm. Finally
Stephen Martin sprang erect, a brave
resolve In his deep-set gray eyes.
''I'll give her up. Ike" he said, husk-
lily. "I'd ruther she married some one
as has plenty then tub go out into the
world empty-handed with me. Heaven
knows I'd ruther do without her than
tub see her eyes grow hopeless and
her form thin and bent like her moth
er's and mine"
"Stop!" cried the girl suddenly,
with blazing eyes. "Yuh don't never
leave hyer 'thout me. Leave him hev
the old north forty. I'd ruther hev
yuh than Jake eff he was made O gold.
AS soon as hits light we'll walk outen
hyar and leave pappy with his money.
Yuhll hev tub do hit, Stephen" she
went on, with her excited eyes on his
troubled face, cause I'll go anyways
--pappy KANT keep me in this prison
no more"
Stephen took the girls coaxing hand
and smoothed it gently. He thought
of it scanned and darkened and rough
ened Still her eyes commanded him,
and he answered hesitatingly:
"The north forty's your'n, Ike, and
Retta's mine"
"Retta-May, yuh're a fool" growled
her father with well-assumed dissatis
faction. "Yuh1l wear rags yit. Reck'
on we'd better put this deal in writin'
right now, Steve. There amt no use
o. waitin'"
Hadn't we better fix this door first
Ike?" said the young man, regarding
with suspicion the black stream seep
ing through Retta's barrier Looks
like we'd be swamped perty soon.'
"Hain't nuthin' we kin do but let the
water run out again. Does that ever
time hit rains. Hain't never ben
swamped yit. Retta-May. climb onto
, that bench and tuck yer feet under
yuh. Now, Steve. write hit in that
gifts y'ur north forty as divided from