The Lamar register., 1919-09-24

For a quarter hour only the crickets
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 Oh and mar
ry him. grandpappy. after fodder
strippin's over"
Lord. Nervy. don't yer old To
bias faded eyes were piteously be-
seeching. "Stay by Us. honey. No
body feels for US old ones like you do.
Nervyi"
Minerva smiled family. Il told
Zack. grandpsppy. couldn't marry
him II ma wasn't wilhn'. Shed drive
me of and surely mistreat you and
grandmammy II married against her
WILL"
WAS Zachariah frettedr the grand
mother asked anIiously. Minerva
crimsoned. They must not know how
much Zack was "frettedr
''He-he said he'd stay away until
/ sent for him. I-thsre's ma !"
In southern Appalachia It is custom
ary 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 most
desirable home. and Eliza. the wife of
the eldest son. by skillful machina.
tions contrived to get Charley. the
youngest son. and his wife. Phoebe.
away and 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
ther.
BY her orders, Zschariah Burden.
who was not the humble sort" she de
sired for a son-in-law. stayed away
from the Compton house. but Zsck
was resourceful and managed often
TO see the gentle little creature who
was like guardian angel to the old
ones
"Cryin'. Jemimyi" 2" old Tobias. sitting
smoking on their bedroom hearth that
evening. asked uneasily. Jemims
wiped her eyes
II got to studyin' about Mlnervy a
waitin' on her happiness on account
of us and 1t worried me some. Bias !"
she confessed.
After Jemima slept. Bias still sat on
~. haa 81 q
their little Hettis who had died siI.
teen years before. three months after
the soldier sweetheart they had not
been willing for her to marry had been
laid under Cuban palms
Little Hettiel Little Hettle,' he
murmured. Lord. If I'd let her had
her way about Jess Duty. she might
not have plned awayl Jess, he wasn't
a bad boy-I wish hadn't stood in
her way-I do wish 1t, Lordr'
His pipe clAttered on the hearth
His heavy groans awakened Jemima.
THE pain Doc Higgins said wa.
from my heart. It's pinchin' n little +
he labored out. his hand clutchlng hi,
chair rungs. his rugged old face
chalky.
Jemima trembled as 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
you reckon you worked too hard
at the apples, Biasf' she asked him
when at last she got him between the
bed covers.
NO. | got to thinkin' about our
little Hettie. was wishin' | could
go back them sixteen years and tel
the siittle, lovin' thing her and jess
might marry before he went to the
fightin'. Then the pain struck me-"
She patted his hands In gentle
soothing. "Hettie and Jess wssn'i
long separated, Bias. honeyl The
Lord saw to that Now try to go tc
sleep"
But 1t was long before he CLOSED
his eyes.
They could come and live with nj
and things would be all right" Jemims
heard him murmuring over and ovel
In his fitful sleep. IF Eliza was will
in'i" Then once he cried out:
"She's a-goin' like Hettie. Jemimy-
like Hettiei Can't you see itr'
When he was quiet again, Jemimf
arose and dressed herself. II he wor