Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-08-25

y
Moreland Strengthened.
You mean WELL" he said slowly. 81
think you're one o. the very best men
In the world. Bill Dale. You often
make me think o. pore David himself.
But I'm afeared ye don't quite onder-
stand, Bill. I've seed my own son die
from a Littleford's bullet. To go and
offer to be friends with a man who
might be the same one at killed my
boy is a pow'ful hard thing to do. I'm
afeard We don't quite understand"
1T was a terrible thing, | know"
said Dale. But 1t was the fortunes
of war. The Littlefords have endured
the fortunes of war in exactly the
same way. Come with me; let's go. I
need your help; can do very little
without your help. Come, John More
land !"
The hillman replied slowly: swell.
I'll go with ye over thar But Ben
he'll hat to make the fust break al
a-bein' friends, cause I'm purity shore
l never will. AS soon as l git my
hat, Bill"
He went to the front porch and
took from a chairpost his broad
trimmed headgear. Then the two set
out
They crossed an ox-wagon road, a
weet-scented meadow, the river by
means of the downtown sycamore,
another sweet-scented meadow and
another OX-wagon road. and entered
the cabin yard of the Littleford chief
Here, too, many Old-fashoDed flowers
were in bloom; cane fsnlngpole,
slender and white, leaned against the
porch; it made Dale think Of
BABE.
"You wait out here" whispered
Dale, with a hand on his companions
arm. "Tll go in and see if can per-
suade Littleford to make the advance.
I'm pretty sure / can"
He started forward when a hound
rose from the stone step and growled
warningly. At that Dale halted and
sang out:
"Hello, Benz!
The front door swung open, creak-
ing on wooden hinges, and Eabe's IA
Their. bareheaded and with Il lamp in
his hand, appeared in the doorway.
He knew the voice that had summoned
him.
Come right in, Mr.. Dale" he in
yited with the utmost cordiality.
Come right in"
He scolded the dog away, and Dale
entered the primitive home. He was
shown into the best room. where he
dropped easily into roomy old rock-
err that was lined with an Unframed
sheepskin. Ben Littlef'rd put the
lamp on a crude table drew up an
other chair, and sat down facing his
visitor.
II hope We amt jest happened over
fo' a minute or two on Business ne
drawled; II hope we've come to spend
the night wi me, anyway"
"I'm here in the interests ST peace"
Dale began, looking at the hillman
squarely. II want you Littlefords to
be on good terms with your neigh
bors, the Morelands. John is out
there at your gate now he Is waiting
for you to ask him in and say to him;
Let's begin anew; let's be friends.
your people and my people, you and
me- You want that, don't you, Ben?
Babe did, I'm sure"
Littleford frowned, laced his big FIN
gers together and twirled his big
thumbs. Now that he was once more
at home, with assurance that his
daughter would entirely recover. he
was no longer weak; he had all his
old courage and all his old, stubborn
hill pride back.
"Tll ak John in" he finally de-
cided, "but he'll hat to make the fust
break at a-bein' friends. Me akin
him into my house Is a purity burned
good start toward friendship, aint
it,"
He arose, took up the lamp, walked
to the front door and opened 1t. and
called into the night:
"Won't We come in, John?
81 reckon will, Ben" was the lazy
answer. "Fo' minute, anyhow. But
| reckon l CANT stay long"
Moreland followed Littleford into
the best room. Littleford put the mp
beside the worn leather-bound Bible
on the table, and they sat down. They
looked steadily at each other, ana
Dale saw plainly that both were Ill
at ease. Surely, thought Moreland. ne
had done a great deal when he hao
come into his old enemys house.
Surely, thought Littleford, ne haa
done great deal when he had asked
John Moreland into his home.