Greene County herald., 1919-09-19
CHAPTER xvIi--continued.
By
IRVING BAcHELLER
by irving Bachellerl


load of hay. Aunt Deel stood on the
front steps looking down the road.
Now and then her waving handker-
chief went to her eyes. Uncle Pea
body came down the standard off his
load and walked toward me.
"Say. stranger, have you seen any
thing of a feller by the name O. Bart
Baynes?" he demanded.
slave your" l asked.
mo, sir, l amt. Gosh almighty !
Say what have We done with that boy
of ourn?"
''what have you done to our houseT
asked again.
''Built on an addition"
"Thats what I've done to your boy"
answered.
Thunder an lightnin'l How you've
raised the roof" he exclaimed as no
grabbed my satchel. Dressed like a
statesman an bigger'n bullmoose-
1 can't 'rastle with you no more. But.
say, I'll run ye race. l can beat We
&a' carry the satchel, too"
We ran pell-mell up the lane to the
steps like pair of children.
Aunt Deel did not speak. She Just
put her arms around me and laid her
Dear old head upon my breast. Uncle
Peabody turned away. Then what a
silence! Off in the edge of the wood
land heard the fairy flute of a wood
thrush,
"Purvis, you drive that load on the
floor an put up the hosses," Uncle
Peabody shouted in moment. "If
you don't like it you can hire mother
man. / won't do no more till after
dinner. This slave business is played
out"
"All right" Purvis answered.
"You bet it's all right. I'm fer abo-
Hilton an I've stood your domineerin'
nigger-driver ways long enough fer
lone mornin'. If you don't like it you
can look for another man."
Aunt Deel and began to laugh at
this good-natured. make-believe scott.
ling of Uncle Peabody and the emo.
'tional strain was over. They led me
into the house. where delightful sur
prise awaited me, for the rooms had
been decorated with balsam boughs
and sweet ferns. A glowing mass OF
uoiets, framed In moss, occupied the
center of the table. The house was
filled with the odors of the forest
which. as they knew. were dear to me
4 had written that they might expect
me some time before noon, but ]
begged them not to meet me in Can.
ton, as l wished to walk home after
my long ride. So they were ready for
me.
l remember how they felt the cloth
on my back and how proudly they sur
veyed 1t.
Couldn't buy them goods round
these parts,' said Uncle Peabody
'Nor nothin' like 'em-no, SIR"
''Feels leetle bit like the butternut
trousers" said Aunt Deel as she felt
my coat
Ayes but them butternut trousers
iain't what they used to be when they
was young and limber," Uncle Peabody
remarked. Seems so they was get.
tin kind O. wrinkied an baldheaded-
like, specially where set down."
"Ayesl Wal guess a man can't
grow old without his pants CROWN
old, too-ayes r. said Aunt Deel.
f'If yer legs are in 'em ey'ry Sunday
they ketcl 1t of ye," my uncle an
'swered. Long sermons are hard OF
pants, seems to me-"
"An' the longer the legs the harder
the sermons--in them little seats over
I the ch0olhouse-ayesr Aunt Dee
added by way of justifying his com
piaint. There wouldn't be 50 much
wear In teR-mile walk-nop'
The chickeA pie was baking and the
Strawberries were ready for the short
cake.
"Ive been wallerin' since the dew
was off gittin'r them berries an W.
Iets-ayes!" |" said Aunt Deel, now busy
with her work at the stove.
Aunt, you look as young as ever.
remarked.
She slapped my arm and said witt
mock severity:
-stop thatl W'yi Aou know bette
ayes r.
How vigorously she stirred the fir
then.
II can't return the compIiment-m,
soul ! how you've changed-ayes r. sh'
remarked $4f Et2x - - J
Il hope you ain't fit no more, Bart
| can't bear to think O. you fiyin' a
folks an poundin' of 'em. Don't seen
right-no. IL don'tip
"Why. Aunt Deel, what in>the worl'
do you meanT / asked.
ITS Purvis' brain that does tn
pcundin', ! guess said my uncle
-It's kind o. got the habit. It's q reg
lar beetle. brain. To hear l,fme tal
ye'd think he an you could clean ou
the hull Mexican natioa-barrin' ace
dents. Why. anybody would suppos
fhaf yer enemies 70 to clfmbfn' tree