Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-03-29

teri"
She faced him, white and trembling,
but firm.
"Obed," she said, "sit down, Din
merrill be ready in a minute. Sit down.
I want toto speak to you about
somethin'."
He sat down, regarding her won
deringly.
ITO speak to mel" he repeated. For
the land sakes. what's happened2 Is
the COW dead2"
mo :. Oh, don't laugh .. 1 don't
feel funny just now. Obed, do you
remember that time when you asked
me to marry your"
'Eh? . Well, say! Do you think
I'd be liable to forget 1t? Luckiest
day in my life that was. Why"
"Hushl Obed, l asked you then If
If you had a past"
"a whichT
"a past. Some secret in your life
you hadn't told me. You said no. Now
l ask you again. Have your"
He stared at her. "Have your" she
repeated.
WHAT Say No, Of course, I
amt"
"Obed-oh, don't lie to mel
couldn't ever forgive your lynn to me"
"Lie-to your Who said I'd ever
lied to your I'll break the swab's ever.
lastin' neckr"
"Hushi Sit right down again In that
chair. Obed, was you ever in the o.
table jail2"
He hesitated. Then he colored.
"Why-why, yes" he admitted. But
/ didn't think"
"Oh, hush! Be still You were
there and-and you never told mel"
"Why-well, no, didn't. You see,
Itwas kind of ashamed, and-it didn't
amount to nothin' much, anyhow
Didn't amount to anything? Oh,
my soul, how can you talk 50? Did
you know man there named-what
was it-Dugan?"
"Dugan? Yes. certain. Tough look
in critter, regular tramp. In there for
bein' drunk and smashin' windows and
raisin' hob generally. Yes, knew
him. He was the only one / had to
look after for one spell. We got to be
kind of-well. chummy, as you might
say. Twas lonesome bein' janitor and
keeper and everything else in a place
like that one-horse Ostable Jail, and q
Teller has to talk to somebody. The
sheriff, he only come around once In @
while, So"
swat! Oh, walt! You were-a keep
er therein the jail?"
Sure suppose likely had ought
to have told you about it, Lurelia
but, you see, was kind Of ashamed
same as 1 said. Twan't much Of a
Job, but took 1t cause mother was
sick-'twas just afore she died--and
the boat shop where I'd been workin
had shut down and I needed money
Then, another thing made me ashamed
Of 1t was on account OF bein' fred
Politics, twas. Jim Leghorn, he was
sheriff, and he give me my walkin' pa.
pers to make room Tor another Demo.
cPat. same as him. Only Job I ever
was discharged from, that jail job
was I'm sorry never ted you, Lu.
relia, but. Eh1 How aid you come
to knew about 1t and-and that Dugan
trampT
She did not answer. Instead, she
hurried out into the kitchen, closing
the door. The kitchen was empty, so
were the plates and the teacup on the
table. So was the chair where her re-
cent visitor had been sitting. So, too,
was the rack on the back Of the stove
where the cranberry pie had been put
to Keep It warm.
A moment later she entered the din.
ing room. She leaned over her husband
and put her arms about his neck.
"Obed," she said. laughing end sob.
bling together, "I-rm awfully sorry
but you won't have any cranberry pie
this noon. L"
Obed interrupted. Cranberry pie y
he repeated. "Who's talkin' abou,
cranberry pieI want to know why
you"
"Yes. yea dear. OF course, yoa do
And I'm goin' to tell you. But first
want to tell You how bad fesL about
that pie I-I'll make tive for supper
and you can eat them both, all Of 'em
If you want to-