Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-07-14

sary evils, like chimneys ana ram
spOuts"
Babe LIttleford blushed. He went
on, to hide her confusion, "Tell me
about the rifles"
"You must shore keep It q secret.
she told him.
Il promise"
Better put yore hook in, SOS ct any
body comes along"
Dale threw out an empty hook.
IT want to tell ye some other things
fust. SOS yen understand better when
come to the part about the rifles"
Babe began, looking thoughtfully
across the water to where a kinghsher
sat in watchful waiting. She contin-
ued slowly, choosing her words care
fully, II was brought up to hate them
Morelands, butt don't think ! do. My
people is Jest like the Morelands. The
biggest difference We can find is that
one side mostly has grey eyes like
you and t'Other side mostly has brown
eyes like me. All but their everlastin'
tightin', they're good people, Bill Dale.
Each side, We see, is brought up to
hate t'Other side. I'm ashamed to tell
1t, butt understand the fust plain
words my Uncle Saul Littlef0rd's last
baby said was these here: On John
Moreland! 1t started a long time ago,
and 1t started over nothin'. Grandpap
Littleford and John Moreland's pap
got In a dispute over whether Kahn
lucky was in Virginny or Nawth Ca
liner, and went to tightln' about 1t.
Purity soon my Uncle Saul and Abner
Moreland happened along and they
went to fightin', too. Thank goodness,
1t was on Sunday, and none Of iem
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 1t holy. ;"
II see," Dale muttered sympathet-
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 a MOreland's bullet. He
died with mothers arms and mine
around him. 1t was all we could do
TO him, was to love him. I've seen SIS
tiers watch their brothers die from
Moreland bullets, and young wimmen
watch their sweethearts die, and wives
watch their husbands die. !.
II tell you, Bill Dale, them More
lands never misses when they have
even half a fair shot. You'd be puff
fectly safe in a-lettin' any Of 'em shoot
dimes from atween yOre finger and
thumb all day. And it's the same way
with the Littlefords. They're fighters,
too, every one, and they don't give In
any more than the Morelands does.
saddle 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 Gainesville. But Addie,
she allus loved him better'n Gale or
Luke. Wimmen like her allus loves
the worst boys the best; cause they
need 1t the most the worst boys does.
Its the wimmen that pays, Bill
Dale, when the's fightin'. The VIM
men o. this valley is right now on
needles; they're afeard the men'll find
their rifles. You can guess whar the
guns went to now, CANT yer The VIM
men hid 'em last night after the men
had gone to sleep! BY good luck, they
had almost whole night TO 1t. You
must be shore to keep 1t to yourself
but l 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
tightin' fever sort o dies down the
guns'll all be brought back and put
whar they belong."D
She arose and stood there smiling
down upon him. He was staring at
the swirling water without seeing it
at all.
Her voice brought him to himself.
"What're you a-thinkIn' about, Bill
DaleF
Dale went to his feet. He saw that
she was smiling, and he smiled, too.
II was thinking" he said, ''of the
difference between you and some other
women / know"
Her clear brown eyes widened.
"And reckon seem purity no count,
don't II"
mo, not at all. 1t is--er. quite the
opposite, Babe. You make them APP
pear unreal, artificial"
Babe Littleford's countenance bright
ened. She did not doubt that he meant
it. He was not Of the sort that fat
tered. She began to like Bill Dale at
that same moment.
And Bill Dale told himself as he
went homeward that he was beginning
to Nike Babe Littleford. He did not
fight the feeling. because 1t somehow
made the world seem a better place.
Early the following morning Dale
made ready for his journey to Cincin-
natl. Having learned the evening be-
fore that he was going, By Heck had
come to accompany him to the Half
way switch.
The two set out. They had three
hours In which to cross David More
lands mountain before the arrival Of
| Yalota train an Ahnu vua1had lnl~