The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-24
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Maybry Swamp
THE MAYBRY SWAMP.
(6y ERNEST A, YOuN6.)

10y GhNG9I ~ NOON6.l
Copyright. 1916, by the Mcclure
"a Newspaper Syndicate.)
IRAN MAYBRY'S old eyes wan.
n dered over the broad fields and
Aslopes while he pulled coutented
~ at his clay pipe. In those hills,
there was stability that was lacking
IN their owner. The outcropping
rocks were to him the tables Of stone
upon which his destiny Nas divinely
written.
what is the use of worryin'.
Eliza?" he asked.
II don't call 1t worryin' to stop
once in while to look matters In the
face" his wife protested.
Mr.. Maybry chuckled contentedly.
s"5tuff Is CROWN like smoke all over
the farm" he chirped. Its GROWTH
while we're asleep, Eliza. Then
there's the swamp. You minded what
your father said when he give you the
rEdeed Of the place the day we was mar
ried. That swamp, after it's been
dreencd and the stumps dug out and
the s'ile plowed and harrered,' says
your father. will produce bigger crops
than oil the rest OF the farm put to-
gCther. Nobody says he. has any idea
about the amazin' richness Of the s'ile
In that ere swamp"
Dora Maybry sighed anxiously as
she heard what her father and mother
were saying. for she knew that what
she had SO long dreaded was about to
come to pass-George Carson, who
married her sister Louise. was going
TO fetch q gang OF laborers from the
city and start ditching and draining
the Maybry swamp.
Mr.. Maybry could never see enough
Of George nor hear enough Of his dis
course, which was full OF the worldly
wisdom Of the town.bred man. Then
George flattcrcd the old man by never
seeming to observe how simple and
childish he was growing.
Hiram Maybry, In his day, had been
. ready man when it came to making
new things, but he had neither the
knack nor the patience to mend what
was broken or worn. The house was
Uttered with one-armed and three.
legged chairs and other pieces OF fur.
and crippled, while Mr.. MayDry was
forever whiting out or gluing to.
gether clever knicknacks OF hts own
uS6I6uluk. Al Ouly Ou0 particular WIS
he uncompromisingly saving = he
would come from the most distant field
10 light his pipe with splinter ignited
bt the kitchen fire rather tnan use q
match.
Mr.. Maybry disl!ked farm work, and
Il was his luck to have no boys to
work up and relieve him of the irk.
some chores Dora was helpful. both
Indoors and out, and 1t was owing to
her willingness to do the milking that
he did not sell the last one of his cows.
Pressing bills, q shortage of hay. and
Hiram Maybry's indifference were re-
Bponsible for the disappearance Of all
except Guernsey heifer that Dora
claimed az her own.
Yes, yes, she's your heifer, fast
enough" he told her. "Of course l
wouldn't let her 60. Guess can milk
pne cow"
Dora MIXED the Guernsey that
night and again the next morning. and
then Mr.. Maybry semed to forget that
there was any milking to be done. SO
one by one, the odds and ends OF work
that he had been accustomed to do
were dropped or neglected. to be ST.
lently picked up and done by Dora.
This was harder for the girl than
she confided even to her mother; but
she told John Porter everything, and
perhaps the things at home becoming