The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-12-17
ODE
Blue Moon
"a Tale of the Flatwoods


There came the guarded scrape OF
a match. A suffering, tardy flame
was laid to the wick of a candle on a
small stand in the corner under mir
ror- The wick caught; smoldered
flared to full strength. The wonder
of her hair and throat and arms
sprang out OF the night. She laid the
burnt match upon the candlestick and
turned. A gasp broke from her at the
sight of him-tattered. hatless
bruised and bloody.
Forgive me that 1 come before you
like-this." he stammered.
An impulsive step brought her to
his side
Forgive mer' she repeated. her
voice still a-quiver; her face pity-ten-
dered. You must let me dress your
hurts"
He shaded the candle with his body
while she raised the curtain over the
door and slipped out to the kitchen.
She was back before he could have
believed 1t, carrying a basin of cold
water and some strips of muslin, all
of which she had managed to get to-
gether in the deep dark.
Drawing a chair near the candle.
she made him sit down-a quite obvi-
Gus necessity, if she was to reach his
head. But she didn't stop with wash
ing the clots out of his hair and bind
ing up the scalp wound. The cuts and
bruises on his face and chest came in
for their share. When her ministra-
lions were over he was another man.
All unsuspecting, the girl did other
things for him that night besides
washing his wounds. Nothing can so
refine man as the ministry of a good
wOman's hands. 1t never leaves him
quite as 1T found him. He can never
again be quite the same His life out
he will be a grain the finer for 1T. So
great is the grace of nature that no
man is denied that touch. Once to
every man 1t comes-to recreate: TO
make him new; to call him up to his
higher self. 1t came that night to the
'Pearlhunter.
The girl seemed to lose all fear of
him; to forget that he was in her bed
room in the secret night. She even
smiled cOntented smile of satisfac-
ton as he rose and stretched himself.
He fumbled in his tattered blouse and
drew forth the draft.
Have you q pen and ink?" he asked.
his voice, his manner, again the voice
and manner of the alert, keen woods
man.
Wondering. she opened the drawer
and placed pen and ink before him.
He picked up the pen. awkwardly-a
fish spear, an oar, or a six-gun fitted
his hand better-dipped 1t in the ink
laid the draft upon the stand; squared
and after no small pains sue
ceeded in writing the word ''Pearlhunt-
err across the back. 1t was quite evil
IDENTIFY a relief when the unaccustomed
task was over. He laid the pen down
as if glad to be quit of 1t and handed
the draft TO the girl
1T means that / have five thousand
dollars in the bank" he said, land any
body that takes this draft there With
my''-he hesitated-"name across the |
back can get the money. The banker
said So"
Her face showed how little she
guessed what his words were leading
up TO. 1t was some time before he went |
on. I'm askin' you to keep it, he
said. "And If anything should happen
TO me. I'm askin' you to keep the mon
ey. too
The girl caught his tattered sleeve.
mol mol" she said. Don't say
fhatr'
He looked down at the hand on his
sleeve; picked it up; held it an in
slant; suffered her to take it away.
Il know who killed Louie Solomon"
ne said slowly. II know who has the
Blue Moon-absolute knowledge, bur