Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-02
TCepyrlqht By DoVbIedoY .Po9e 90

on, TO hide her CONFUSION, len Hie
about the rifles"
You must shore keep 1t secret"
she told him.
81 promise"
Better put yore hook in, SOS ef any
body comes along"
Dale threw out. an empty hook.
'I want to tell We some other things
fust, SOS yen understand better when
| come to the part about the rifles,
Babe began, looking thoughtfully
across the water 10 where kingtlSher
sat in watchfu waiting. She contin-
ued slowly. choosing her words care
fully, ~ was brought up to hate them
MorelandS, butt don't think | co. My
people is jest like the MorelandS. The
biggest difference ye can find is that
one side mostly has grey eyes like
YOU and tother side mostly has brown
eyes like me. All but their everlastin'
tightin', they're good people. Bil, Dale.
Each side, we see, is brought up to
hate t'other side. I'm ashamed 10 tell
1t, butt understand the fust plain
words my Uncle Saul Littleford's last
baby said was these here: 'D-n John
Morelandr 1t started a long time ago,
and ii started over nOthin. Grandpap
Littleford and John Moreland's pap
got in q dispute over whether kain-
tucky was in Virginny or Nawth Ca
liner, and went to tightS' about II.
Purity soon my Uncle Saul and Abner
Moreland happened along, and they
went to tightin', too. Thank goodness,
it was on Sunday, and none OF 'em
didn't have their rifles with 'em. What
ever else we are or amt up here, Bill
Dale, we gen'ally respects the Sabbath
day to keep it holy. :"
~ see," Dale muttered sympHthet-
ically.
1--WE seen my own mother set down
in the floor and take her boys head
in her lap-Oh, such big, fine boy he
was while the blood run through her
dress from Moreland's bullet. He
died with mothers arms and mine
around him. 1t was all we could do
fo' him, was to love him. I've seen sis
ters watch their brothers die from
Moreland bullets, and young wimmen
watch their Sweethearts die, and wives
watch their husbands die. &.
81 tell you, Bill Dale, them More
lands never misses when they have
even half fair shot. You'd be puff
fectly safe in a-lettin' any of 'cm shoot
dimes from atween yore finger and
thumb all day. And it's the same way
with the LittlcfordS. They're fighters,
too every one, and they don't give In
any more than the MOrelandS does.
"Addie Moreland knows what it is
to take her dyin' boys head in her lap,
whilst blood run through her dress to
her knees. His name was Charley,
and he was bad he'd drink, and oncet
he shot up CarterSvile. But Addie,
she allus loved him. bctter'n Gale or
Luke. Wimmcn like her 'alluS loves
the worst boys the best; cause they
need Il the most, the worst boys does.
ITS the wimmen that pays, Bill
Dale, when the's tightin'. The vim
men o this valley is right now on
needles: they're afeard the meni! lind
their rifles. You can guess whGr the
guns went to now, CANT ye? The VIM
men hid 'em last night after the men
had gone to sleep! BY good luck, they
had almost a whole night TO it. You
must be shore TO keep it to yourself
but know We will. Addie MOreland
she started the idee. She got Granny
Moreland to spread the word amongst
the wimmen O my people. When the
fghtin' fever sort O dies down the
gunsll all be brought back and put
whar they belong"
She arose and stood there smiling
down upon him. He was staring al
the swirling water without seeing ii
at all.
Her voice brought him to himself.
"Whatra you a-thinkin' about, Bill
Dale?'
Dale went to his feet. lie saw tha,
she was smiling, and he smiled, too.
II was thinking" he said, "o' ire
difference between you and some other
women | know"
Her clear brown eyes widcned
"And | reckon seem purity no count
don't II"
NO, not at all. 1t is-er quite the
opposite, Babe. You make them ap'
pear unreal, artificial"
Babe Littleford's countcnance bright
ened. She did not doubt that he meant
IT. He was not of the sCrt that HAT
tered. She began to like Bill Dale al
that same moment.
And Bill Dale told himself rs h'
went homcward that he was beginning
to like Babe I.ittlcrOrd. He did rot
fight the feeling, because it somrho"
made the world seem q better place
Early the following morning baIe
made ready for his journey to Cinclh
natl. Having learned the evening be-
/ fore that he was going, BY Heck nae
come to accompany him to the HaIt
way switch.
The two set out. The had ,hrce
hours in which to cross David More
lands mountain before the arri"aI OF
f I.In'. train and thrN walked lei