Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-16
CHAPTER II
In the CUP.

IN the ONp.
Dale found the humble home Of his
mounta neer host a home in the fullest
sense of the word
At the MONDAY meal, he met Mrs.
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 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.
lie was at the cabin of his hosts gray
old father and mother for a 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 had the sharp features
and the stopped, thin figure of witch.
She wore a faded blue bandana about
her white head ANA she carried long
hickory STAFF; there was reed
stemmed clay pipe in her mouth, and
her dark calico skirt had II tobacco
pocket in it.
Her son preceded her into the room.
He walked 10 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 forchunes."
$50 this here" creaked Granny
Heck, looking over the brass rims of
her spectacles, "is Mr.. Bill! Well
well / jest thought 10 myself at I'd
come up and see ye, Mr.. Bill, and tell
yore forchune.'
She dropped into the rocker that
Caleb had placed for her
"Addie," she said to the smiling Mrs.
Moreland. "will We bring me a cup half
full O coffee grounds?'
When the cup came, the fortune
teller took it and shook il and patted
II, all the while muttering mysterious
words that she had learned from the
old Indian, Cherokee Joe which
served her purpose very well.
II see" she mumbled more or less
sepulchrally, "a powful good-lookn'
gyuri in caiiker 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
81 see this here as plain as daylight
through a knothole; awful big man,
with curly black hair and curly black
beard, and with eyes like cliff
hawks; and l see you, too Mr.. Bill ;
and l see "A fight, n master fight-Lord
Ia mussy, what a fight But you'll
marry the gyurl after all, Mr. Bill"
Dale laughed. The old woman had
described Babe Iittleford. But who
was the big. dark man.? Some fell
low who had lost his heart to the
mountain girl, perhaps.
When the Hecks had gone, JOIN
Moreland leaned forward and touched
Ills EutNl VIZ Allt hlltts
"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 8
few mile up the river. As big a,
skinned boss. he is, and plumb on
godly strong. He's been a-beggin' Bah,
Littleford 10 marry him TO year OF
two, and she won't listen TO HIM.
'Ef ever We do haf TO fight Blacl
Adam" John Moreland went on, "y,
want TO fight him with 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 IL, to make love 10 Babe"
but Babes the best one o. the Lit
tlefords," declared Luke.
John Moreland reached for IN
Battle-Ground old family Bible. Ill
opened the Book at random.
Its about time we was a-goin' {
our rest, and We'll 20 Jest as soon a
we've had prayers. Mr.. Dale"
When half a chapter from ST. Ma
thew had been laboriously but reve
emily read, the Morelands knelt q
their chairs, and so did Bill Dale. job
Moreand's bedtime prayer was Yer
simple, and very earnest, and it ha
in IL more .of thanksgiving than {
supplication. And a part Of il certaii
ly was uncommon
"Bless the stranger with us here {
night, and all o. our kinfolks, aud q