The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-29

ance that was drawn-deeds of ninety
nine-year lease instead of sale-she
read a thrifty and careful knowledge
OF land laws and reservation Of min
eral and timber rights which she
Traced to the head Of the clan.
AS summer spent itself there was
opportunity for telling timber, and the
little sawmill down in the valley sent
up its drone and whine in proclama.
ton that her trees were being turned
into squared timbers for her buildings.
Once, when Milt McBriar rode up to
the sawmill, he found the girl sitting
there. her hands clasped on her knees,
gazing dreamily across the sawdust
and confusion Of the place.
"Ye're right smart interested In thet
thar woodpile. hain't ye, ma'am?' he
inquired with slow. benevolent smile.
His kindness OF guise invited conf
dence. and there was no one else with.
in earshot, so the girl looked up, her
eyes little misty and her voice i'm
pulsive.
Mr.. McBriar," she said, every one
OF those timbers means part of a
dream to me, and with every one of
them that is set in place will go hope
and prayer"
He nodded sympathetically. T reck-
on" he said, we kin do right smart
good. too"
"Mr. McBriar," she flashed at him in
point-blank questioning, "since came
here / have tried to be OF use in a
very simple and ineffective fashion. I
have done what little could for the
sick and distressed, yet am constant
ly being warned that I'm not allowed
to carry on my work. Do you know of
any reason why l shouldn't go ahead ?"
He gazea at her for a moment, quiz
zically, then shook his head.
"Oh, pshaw!" he exclaimed, 81
wouldn't let no sich talk es thet fret
me none. Folks round hyar haint got
much ter do except ter gossip round.
Nobody hain't a-goin' ter hinder ye.
We hain't such bad people, after ALL"
After that she felt that from the Nc
Briars she had gained official sanction,
and her resentment against A ase Ha-
yey grew because Of his scor rul un.
graciousness.
The last weeks of the SUNNI er were
weeks of drought and plague. Ordi.
narily, in the hills storms brew swiftly
and frequently and spend themselves
In violent outpourings and cannonad
Ing OF thunder, but that year the
clouds seemed to nave dried up, and
down in the tablelands of the Blue
Grass the crops were burned to worth
less stalk and shrunken ear. Even up
here, in the birthplace or waters, the
corn was brown and sapless, so that
when breeze strayed over the hill
side fields they sent up n thirsty, dying
rasp OF rattling whisper.
1t was not only in the famished
forests and scared fields that the not
breath OF the plague breathed, carry.
inc death in its fetid nostrils. Back in
the cabins of the ''branch.water folks, "
where little springs diminished and be
came polluted. all those who were nc
strong enough to throw off the touch
OF the specter's finger sickened ant
died, and typhoid went in and out o.
Havey shack and McBriar cabin whis
pering, "a pest on both your houses.
The widow McNash had not beer
herself since the death of Fletch. She
who had once been so strong over he,
drudgery, sat day long on the doorstey
OF her brothers. hovel and, In the Ian
grage OF her people. "jest sickened an
pined away"
So, as Juanita Holland and GOOD
Anse Talbot rode sweating mules
about the hills, receiving calls for heir
faster than they could answer them
they were not astonished to hear that
the widow was among the stricken
Though they fought for her life, she
refused to fight herself, and once
again the Eastern girl stood with
Dawn In the brier-choked "buryin'
ground" and once more across an open
grave she met the eyes of the man
who stood for the old order.
But now she had learned to set a
lock on her lips and hold her counsel
So, when she met Anse and Jeb after.
ward. she asked without rancor: MAY
take little Jesse back with me, too 4?
He's too young" she added, with Just
a heartsick trace of her old defiance,
TO be useful to you, Mr.. Havey, AMI
Id like to teach him what can"
Anse and Jeb conferred, and Ii G
elder man came back and nodded hs
head.
Jesse can go back with ye" he said
I'm still aimin' to give we all the rome
we wants. When yeve had enough an
quits. let me know, an I'll take care of
Fletch's children"
And on her farm, as folks called
Juanita's place. that September saw
many changes. Near the original
cabin was springing up a new strrc.