Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-09


and manly Difference he paid her. She
was quite sure that he would at any
moment give his life, if needed, to de-
fend her from injury-and accept the
transaction as a matter of course. Ills
physical endurance was inexhaustible
and his knowledge of prairie and foot
hill seemed to her almost uncanny. de
read every sign of footprint, leaf, wa
ter and sky with unfailing insight. lie
had no knowledge of books, and she
had at first thought him ignorant, but
as the days went by she found in MIN
mine of wisdom which shamed her
ready-made education.
After such ride they one day as
mounted In grassy opening among the
trees that bOrdered mountain canyon
In crevice they found fiat stone that
gave comfortable seating and mere
they rested while the horses browsed
their afternoon meal on the grass
above. Both were conscious OF a grad
ually increasing tension in the at
mosphere. For days the boy had been
moody. 1t was evident ne was harDor-
ing something that was calling through
his nature for expression, and irene
knew that this afternoon he would tax
of more than trees and rocks and foot
prints of the wild things of the forest.
"Your father is getting along well,'
he said, at length.
ayes" she answered. she has had a
good holiday, even with his broken
leg"
"You will be goin' away before long"
he continued.
"Yes." she answered, and waited.
tsThings about here amt goin' to be
the same after you're gone,' he went
on. He wore no coat, and the neck OF
his shirt was open, for the day was
warm. Had he caught her sideiong
glances, even his slow, self-deprecatlng
mind must have read their admiration.
But he kept his eyes fixed on the green
water.
"You see," he said, 'before you came
IT was different. I didn't know what l
was mlssin', an so it didn't matter.
Not but what l was dog-sick of it at
times, but still thought l was Twin
thought this was life, and, of course
now / know 1t amt. At least, it won't
be after you're gone"
.That's strange" she said, not in
direct answer to his remark. but as
sofIIoquy on it as she turned it.over IN
her mind. ''This life, now, seems
empty to you. All my life seems
empty to me. This seems to me the
real life, out here in the foothills WIN
the trees and the mountains, and-ano
our horses, you know"
She might have ended the sentence
in way that would have come much
closer to him, and been much truer'
hut conventiohality had been bred in
to her for generations and she did not
find 1t possible yet freely to speak the
truth.
"Its such a wonderful life" she con-
tinued. zone gets so strong ana nap
py in it."
you'd soon get sick of it," he said.
eve don't see nothin'. We don't learn
nothin'. Reenie, I'm eighteen, an L
bet you could read an write bettern
me when you was six"
"Did you never go to schools! she
asked, in genuine surprise. she knew
his speech was ungrammatlcal, pul
thought that due to careless training
rather than to no training at all.
"Where'd l go to schOol?' he de-
manded, bitterly. "There amt school
within forty miles. Guess | wouldn't
have went if l could" he added, as an
afterthought, wishing to be quite h0n-
est in the matter. "School didn't seem
to cut no figure-until JUS lately"
"But YOU have learned-some" she
continued.
| "Some. When I was a little kid my
! father used to work with me at times.
| He learned me to read a little, an
to write my name, an a little more.
But things didn't go right between MN
an mother, an he got to drinkin'
more an more, an jus making h
of it. We used to have a mighty hne
| herd of steers here, but it's all SHOT
to pieces. When we sell a bunch the
old man III stay in town for month
or more, BLOWN the coin and leavin
the debts go. sneak couple OF
steers away now an then, an with the
money / keep our grocery bills paid
up an have little to rattle in my
leans. My credits good at any store
in town." and Irene thrilled to the note
of pride in his voice as he SAID TINS
The boy had real quality in him. bu'
I'm sick of it all" he continued. "SicR
of il, an wanna get out"
"You think you are not educated
she answered, trying to meet his out
burst as tactfully as possible. FER
hans YOU are not, the way we think OF
it In the city. But | guess you coulc
show the city boys a good many Things
thev don't know. and never will know