Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-06-05

= O1Hrel OF the Blessed 1olQoW q
Ess1anS Up With Nssis," E&e. Ese. Z
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Copyright, b. Irving Baehellsrl
CHAPTER xvlI-centlnued.
-17-
Ny heart beat fast when I saw the
house and my uncle and Purvis coming
h from the twenty-acre lot with
load Of hay. Aunt Deel stood on the
front steps looking down tie road.
Now and then her waving handker-
chief went to her eyes. Uncle Pea
body came down the standard of his
load and walked toward me.
"say. stranger. have you seen any
thing Of Teller oy the name o. Bart
Baynes?" he demanded.
slave your" I asked.
"No. sir, I amt. Gosh almighty!
6ayi what have 70 done with that boy
Of our'n7''
"whst have you done to our house1'
[ asked again.
"Built on an addition"
"That's what I've done to your boy
Z answered.
Thunder an lightnin'l How you've
raised the roof" he exclaimed as he
grabbed my satchel. Dressed like q
statesman an bigger'n a bullmoose.
I can't 'rastle with you no more. But,
say. ri run ye race. I can beat ye
an 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
Gear old head upon my breast. Uncle
Peabody turned away. Then what q
stleHcel on in the edge Of the wood
land I heard the fairy flute Of wood
thrush,
'.rurvis, you drive that load on the
door an put up the hosses," Uncle
Peabody shouted in q moment. aIf
you don't like 1t you can hire mother
man. won't do no more till after
dinner. This slave business is played
out"
"All right" Purvis answered.
'tYou bet it's all right. I'm fer abo-
1ition an I've stood. your domineerin',
nigger-driver ways long enough fer
one mornin'. II you don't like It you
can look for another man."
Aunt Deel and began to laugh at
this good-natured, make-believe scold-
ing q Uncle Peabody and the emo
tional strain was over. They led me
Unto the house. where delightful sur
prise awaited me, for the rooms had
been decorated with balsam boughs
.ase sweet ferns. A glowing mass Of
'violets, 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.
] had written that they might expect
me some time before noon, but
begged them not to meet me In Can
ton, as I wished to walk home after
my long ride. So they were ready for
me.
I remember how they felt the cloth
on my back and how proudly they sur
.veyed It.
'Couldn't buy them goods round
these parts" said Uncle Peabody.
Nor nothin' like 'em-no. SIR
sFeels leetle bit like the butternut
trousers" said Aunt Deel as she felt
my coat.
.aAyes. but them butternut. trousers
Amt what they used to be when they
was young and Timber" Uncle Peabody
semarked. "Seems so they was get.
tin kind o. wrinkled an baldheaded.
tke. specially where set down.
"Ayesl Wal I guess q man can't
grow old without his pants CROWN
old. too-ayesi" said Aunt Deel.
'tn yer legs are in 'em ey'ry Sunday
&hey ketch It Of ye," my uncle an.
Swered. Long sermons are hard on
pants, seems to me-"
can the longer the legs the harder
the sermons-in them little seats over
4 the schoolhouse- Aunt Deel
added by way Of justifying his com.
@laint. .sThere wouldn't be 90 much
wear in a ten-mile walk-nol"
The chicken pie was baking and the
1krawberries we're ready for the short.
lake.
eve been wallerin' since the dew
-waa. OF gittin' them berries an VI.
Aets-ayesl' 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 with
salbock severity:
.stop thati. WI Ton know'better
-ayes!"
How vigorously shs stirred the are
then.
Il can't return the compliment my
.soall how you've changed-ayesl" shs
see0artt.d.
= hope you amt. at no more. Bart.
4 can't bear to think O. you hyin' at
ifolks an podndin' Of 'em. Don't seem
zEight-no. It don'tl"
why. Aunt Deel, what In the world
10 you meani" ! asked.
It's Purvit' brain that does the
.vosndin', guess" said my uncle.
o3f1n Find ~ s,nk <kn hohkk It's a v.n0S.