Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1921-06-24
PAGE THREE

Moreland "will ye bring me cup half
full o coffee grounds"
When the cup came, the fortune
teller took 1t and shook 1t and patted
1t, all the while muttering mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee Joe - which
served her purpose very well.
Il see," she mumbled more or less
sepulchrally, "a pow'ful good-lookin'
gyurl In caliker dress, with her hair
a-hangin' away down her back. A bare
footed gyurl, with big, purity eyes.
She's a-standin' on low cliff, a-peep-
In at you through the laurels, Mr..
Bill. This is in the past.
In the future" she went on slowly.
Il see this here as plain as daylight
through a knothole; a awful big man,
with curly black hair and curly black
beard, and with eyes like cliff
hawks; and see you, too, Mr.. Bill;
and see fight, master fght-Lord
fa' mussy, what fight But you'll
marry the gyurl after all, Mr.. BILL"
Dale laughed. The old woman had
described Babe Littleford. But who
was the 'big, dark man"P Some fell
low who had lost his heart to the
mountain girl, perhaps.
When the Hecks had gone John
Moreland leaned forward and touched
his guest on the knee.
THAT thar big man mentioned in
tellin' yore fOrchune," he said, might
ha' been Black Adam Ball. Black Adam.
he lives with his pap and mother a
few mile up the river. AS big as
a skinned boss, he is, and plumb on
godly strong. He's been a-beggln' Babe
Littleford to marry him fo' a year or
two, and she won't listen to hun.
EFF ever ye do haf to fight Black
ADAM" John Moreland went on, "ye
want to fight him with a two-eyed
shotgun and buckshot. He's the mean
est man on earth; snake-broth and
pizen vine is religious aside o. him.
But ontel We begin a-makin' love to
Babe Ltttleford, reckon the amt no
danger o. you a-havin' trouble with
Black Adam; and you amt likely,
take it, to make love to Babe"
But Babes the best one O. the Lit
tlefords," declared Luke.
John Moreland reached for the
leatherbound old family Bible. He
opened the Book at random.
TITS about time we was a-goin' to
our rest, and we'll go Jest as soon as
we've had prayers, Mr. Dale"
When half a chapter from st. Mat
thew had been laboriously but rever-
emily read, the Morelands knelt at
their chairs, and so did Bill Dale. John
Moreland's bedtime prayer was very
simple, and very earnest, and 1t had
In 1t more Of thanksgiving than of
supplication. And part Of it certain
ly was uncommon
BLESS the stranger with US here to-
night, and all O our kinfolks, and all
O. our friends, and our inimies, the
Littlefords-'speciany the Littlefords.
Aymen!" |"
Dale was deeply impressed. He
heard Mrs. Moreland dimly when she
told him to let her know-she would
hear him If he called-if there wasn't
enough cover for his bed. Then he
found himself alone with the stalwart
chief Of the Morelands
He stepped forward and put his
hand on the mOuntaineer's shoulder.
How man can go down on his
knees and pray for his enemies"
smiled Dale, 'ts entirely beyond me.
Do you really mean itf"
II try hard to-" Moreland said quick
ly. "In a-doin' that" he went on, II
go Ben Littleford one better. Ben
Ltttleford's the bell sheep O. the peo-
pie who lives acrost the river from
US, people we've hated fo' years and
years. Ben, he holds family prayers,
too, every night. He'd ak the bIessin
o the Lord on the stranger onder his
roof, but not on his inimies, the More
lands. Yes, try hard to mean it, Bill
Dale"
"And that other enemy" murmured
Dale-and he wondered why that
should bother him so much why he
should feel that vague responsibility
about it-"the man who killed your
brother, David"
Il don't never pray fo' him." inter
rupted the mOuntaineer, going a little
pale. II hain't that nigh juffect. A
man don't git so good at he axes the
Almighty to bless the devil-or the
rattler in the laurels, or the copper
head at waits onder a bush fo' the
passin' o some bare-legged child"
Dale WINGED, but Moreland didn't
notice 1t. Dale let his hand fall from
the others shoulder. Moreland began
to speak again:
II didn't tell ye afore, Bill Dale My
brother David, he was the hope O. his
people. He was better'n the rest of
US. The one big aim O. his life was
to educate US all, the benighted. Yes,
we're benighted, and we know it. He
meant to do 1t with the coal he'd
found. AS I've done told We, we amt
never had the heart to sell the coal.
| hope ye'll have fine rest, Bill
Dale. 1 ain't a-goin' to call ye Mister
no more, Bill DaIep
'Don'tl" smilingly said the younger
man. "'BilI Dale Is right y'knoW.