Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-06-30
CHAPTER u

IN Ine Cups
Dale found the humble home of his
mOuntaineer host home In the fullest
sense Of the word.
At the MONDAY meal, he met Mrs.
tMoreland and the sons Of the house
hold, and they were exactly as he had
pietu1ed them. Mrs. Moreland was
quiet, motherly,. always smiling, as
h straight and real as her husband. The
sons, Caleb and Luke, were as much
alike as. the fingers on your hands;
they were tall and broad-shouldered,
grey-eyed and brown-haired.
Before. shutdown Dale had become
acquainted with the rest of the More
lands, and he liked them, every one.
He 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 Id 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 had the sharp features
and the stopped, thin figure Of 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 a tobacco
pocket In it.
Ter son preceded her into the room.
he walked to the. center table, faced
about, and said with q low and airy
sweep of his right hand:
'Bill, Old>boy. this here's nav. Nav,
she tells forchunes."
$50 this here" creaked Granny
Heck, looking over the brass rims of
her spectacles, "is Mr. Bill Well,
WE'LL jest thought to myself at I'd
come up and see We, Mr.. Bill, and tell
yore forchnne."
She dropped into the rocker that
Caleb had placed for her.
.Addie," she said to the smiling Mrs.
Moreland, will We bring me cup half
full o coffee grounds ..ss.,..ss E.
When gtheEcupa came, the fortune
teller took It and shook 1t and patted
It, all the while muttering mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian. Cherokee Joe = which
served her purpose very well.
s4rI see,n she niumbled more or less
sepulchrally, "a pow'ful gopd-lookin'
gsurl in caliker dress, with her, hair
a4hangin' away down her back. A bare
footed gyurl. with big. purity eyes.
She's a-standin' on a low cliff, a-peep-
SIN at you through the laurels, Mr..
Bill. This is In the past. AVE
sin the future" she went on slowly,
"a see this here sas plain as daylight
through q knothole; awful big man,
z With curly black hair and curly black
beard, and with eyes q like, "a cliff
hawks; and I see you, too, Mr.. Bill /;
md ! see fight, a mastersf ght--L ord
ka' mussy, what a fight But you'll
marry the gyurl after an, Mr.. Bill" Il
Dale laughed. The old woman had
Described Babe LittlefOfd. But who
was the big. dark man"7 Some fell
low who had lost his heart to the
mountain girl, perhaps
When the Hecks had gone. John
Moreland leaned forward and touched
ITS guest on. the knee.
sHThat thar big man mentioned III
tellin' yore forchune." he said, t'mlght
h&been Black Adam BAN. Black Adam,
ne lives with his: pap and mother 4
few mile up the river AS big as
4 skinned boss, he Is, and plumb on
Eodly strong. He's been a-beggin' Babe
Littleford to marry him TO- d year or
two, and she won't listen to hsm.
.Ef ever We do hal. to fight Black
Madam. John Moreland went on, we
want to fight him with two-eyed
shotgun and buckshot. He's the mean
est man on earth snake.br and
plzen vine Is religious aside D. him.
But ontel We begin a-makin' love to
Babe LIttleford, reckon the amt no
danger o. yOu a-havln' trouble with
Black Adam; and you aln't likely, /
take It, to make love to Babe.
ABut Babes the best one 3, the Lit
tIefords declared Luke.
John MQreIand reached for the
leatherbound old family Bible NE
opened the Book at random.
ITS about time we was a-goin' to
our rest, and weql 30 Jest as soon as
we've had prayers Mr.. DaIe,t
When half q chapter from st. Mat
thew had been laborlously but rever-
entity read. the Morelands knelt at
thclr chairs. and go did Bill Dale. John