The Meeker herald., 1919-09-06
The Extra
Feature
Copyright 1913. by the Mcclure News.
paper SyndicAts.)
BY q B. HAcKLEY

had broken the silence In the Comp
ton orchard, where old Tobias and Je
NINA and Minerva. their granddaugh
ter, assorted some mighty mounds Of
fallen winesaps. Then Minerva spoke.
"Zack wants me to run OF and mar
ry him. grandpappy. after fodder
strIppln's over"
Lord. Merry. don't vel" old To
bias faded eyes were piteously be-
seechinR. "Stay by us, honey. No
body feels for US old ones like you do.
Nervyl"
Minerva smiled faIntly. II told
lack, grandpappy. couldn't marry
him II ma wasn't wIllin'. She'd drive
me of and surely mIstreat you and
grandmammy II married against her
will"
"was Zachariah fretted1" the grand.
mother asked anxiously. Minerva
crImsoned. They must not know how
much lack was "frettedl"
"He-he said he'd stay away until
sent for him. there's mai"
In southern Appalachia II is custom
airy for the aged father and mother to
live with the youngest son In the old
home. But old Tobias log dwelling
was an unusually large one-a most
desirable home. and Eliza. the wife OF
the eldest son. by skillful machina.
lions contrIved to get Charley. the
youngest son, and his wife, Phoebe.
away md to get her own family In.
stalled.
Lazy herself, she depended almost
entirely on her young daughter. her
only child. to do the work Of the house.
and to keep her services she had de-
termIned Minerva should not marry
any but some young man she could
take into her house and rule. as she
did Joshua. the girls henpecked IA
Their.
BY her orders, Zachariah Burden.
who wns not the humble sort" she de-
sired for a son-in.law. stayed away
from the Compton house. but lack
was resourceful and managed often
to see the gentle little creature who
was like guardian angel to the old
ones.
-CryIn'. Jemimyf" old Tobias. sitting
smoking on their bedroom hearth that
evening. asked uneasily. Jemima
wiped her eyes
II got to studyin' about Minervy .
waitin' on her happiness on account
of US and II worried me some, Blast"
she confessed.
After Jemima slept, Bias still sat on
the hearth. Minerva was delicate. like
their little Kettle who had died six.
teen yenrs before. three months after
the soldier sweetheart they had not
been willing for her to marry had been
laid under Cuban palma
Little Hettiel Little Hettiei" he
murmured. Lord. II I'd let her had
her way about Jess Duty. she might
not have pIned away! Jess, he wasn't
Q bad boy-l wish hadn't stood In
her way-I do wish II. Lord I"
His pipe clnttercd on the hearth.
His heavy groans awakened Jemimn.
'The pain Doc Higgins said was
from my heart, It's pinchln' a little!"
he labored out. his hand clutching his
chair rungs. his rugged old face
chalky.
JemIma trembled a. she measured
out the drops the young doctor had
left for him. The doctor had warned
her all worry must be kept from To
bias. and he had worried because he
had caught her crying about Minerva |!
"iou reckon you worked too hard
At the apples. Blasi" she asked him
when at last she got him between the
bed covers.
mo. got to thinkin' about our
little Kettle. was wishin' I could
90 back them sixteen years and tell
the little. lovin' thing her and Jess
might marry before he went to the
hghtin'. Then the pain struck me-
She patted his hands In gentle
soothing. "Hettie and Jess wasn't
long separated. Bias, honeyI The
Lord saw to that! Now try to 60 to
Sleep"
But It was long before he closed
his eyes.
They could come and live with u
and things would be all right" Jemima
heard him murmuring over and over
10 his atful sleep. 'If Eliza vas will.
in'!" Then once he cried out:
"She's a.goin' like Hettie. Jemimy-
like Kettle! Can't you see itr'
When he was quiet again. JemImn
arose and dressed herself. II he wor
Red himself much more he might brins
on another attack. and Joel Higgins
had said two attacks close together
might kill him.
Il can ind my way to Aaron Bur
dcn's." she said to herself. some way
dark as II Ia. I'm bound to see lack y
Two hours later she stood breath
less In the Burdens yard on the tor
Of the mountain. The dog slept, bu,
fear Of him set her kneea shaking
With a trembling hand she tapped OF
the window Of lacks bedroom.
Near the dawn, when Tack hetpet