Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-07-14
CHAPTER u
In the Cup.

MOreland and the sons of the house
hold, and they were exactly as he had
pictured them. Mrs. Moreland was
quiet, motherly, always smiling, as
straight and real as Der husband. The
sons, Caleb and Luke, we're as much
alike as the fingers on your hands !;
they were tall and broad-shouldered,
grey-eyed and brown-hRired.
Before sundOwn Dale had become
acquainted with the rest of the More
lands, and he liked them, every one.
lie was at the cabin of his hosts gray
old father and mother for long time.
When supper was over John More
land lighted the big glass lamp in the
best room, and the family and their
guest gathered there to spend the eve
ming. Then the lanky moonshiner and
his mother came in.
Granny Heck mad the sharp features
and the stopped, thin figure of a witch.
She wore a faded blue bandana about
her white head, and she carried long
hickory staff; there was a reed.
stemmed clay pipe in her mouth, and
her dark calico skirt had tobacco
pocket in it.
Her son preceded her into the room
He walked to the center table, faced
about, and said with a low and airy
sweep of his right hand:
"Bill, old boy, this here's NAV. Nav
she tells forch1nes"
ssCn thfc horo ornaIo6 Cropnv
Heck, looking over the brass rims OF
her spectacles, "is Mr.. Bill! Well
well jest thought to myself at ID
come up and see ye. Mr.. Bill; and tel
yore forchune."
She dropped into the rocker tina,
Caleb had placed for her.
"Addie," she said to the smiling Mrs
Moreland, will We bring me a cup hall
full o. coffee grounds?"
When the cup came, the fortune
teller took it and shook 1t and patteC
it, all the while muttering mysteriou.
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee Joe which
served her purpose very well.
81 see," she mumbled more or les.
sepulchrally, "a pow'ful good-lookin
gyurl in a caliker dress, with her hai
a-hangin' away down her back. A bare
footed gyurl, with big, purity eyes
She's a-standin' on a low cliff, a-peep
in at you through the laurels, Mr.
Bill. This is in the past. :. .
'Tn the future" she went on slowly
II see this here as plain as dayligh
through knOthole; a awful big man
with curly black hair and curly blacl
beard, and with eyes like a cliff
hawks; and l see you, too, Mr.. Bill
and 4 see a fight, a master fight-Lort
/ a mussy. what fightI But you'll
marry the gyurl after all. Mr.. Bill"
Dale laughed. The old woman ha,
described Babe Littleford. But VIII,
was the -big, dark man.? Some feI
low who had lost his heart to tn,
mountain girl, perhaps.
When. the Hecks had gone job,
Moreland leaned forward and touch :,
his guest on the knee.
THAT thar big man mentioned ii
tellin' yore forchune," he said. "migh
ha' been Black Adam Ball. Black Adam
he lives with his pap and mother
few mile up the river. As big a
a skinned boss. he is and plumb on
godly strong. He's been a-beggin' Bah
Littleford toy marry him fo' a year O
two, and she won't listen to m.
"Ef ever We do haf to fight Blacl
ADAM" John Moreland went on, "y
want to fight him with a two-eye,
shotgun and buckshot. He's the mean
est man on earth; snake-broth an,
pizen vine is religious aside O. hin
But ontel ye begin a-makin' love t
Babe Littleford, reckon the amt n
danger o. you a-havin' trouble wit
Black Adam; and you amt Likely,
take it, to make love to Babe"
"But Babes the best one o. the Lii
ylefords," declared Luke.
John Moreland reached for tn
Ieatherbound old family Bible. ii
opened the Book at random.
Its about time we was a-goin' t
our rest, and We'll go jest as soon a
we've had prayers, Mr.. Dale"
When half a chapter from st. Mai
thew had been laboriously but reve:
emily read. the Morelands kneIt q
| .heir chairs, and so did Bill Dale. Job
Moreland's bedtime prayer was yer
simple, and very earnest. and it ha
in it more of thanksgiving than @
duplication. And part of it certain
" was uncommon
'Bless the stranger with us here t.
night, and all our kinfOlks, AMI a
o our friends, and our inimies. tn
L!ttlefords-'specially the Littleford.
Aymen!"
Dale was deeply impressed. Fl
heard Mrs. MOreland dimly when sh
told him to let her know-she woul
hear him if he called-if there WASH
enough cover for his bed. Then h
found himself alone wssh the stalwar
chief of the MOrelands.
He stepped forward and p hi
nand on the mOuntaineer's shoulder.
"HOw a man can go down on hi
Knees and pray for his enemies,
smiled Dale, sis entirely beyond MI
Do You really mean it?"
Il try hard to-" MOreIand said quicl
ly. "In a-doin' that" he went on.
go Ben LittlefOrd one better. Be
Littleford's the bell sheep O. the PEE
pie who lives acrost the river frOl
us. people we've hated fo' years an
years. Ben. he holds family prayer