Evening star., 1928-04-29
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Pile said: "Tup, meet Molly Worth, >
Molly held out her hand and Tup
/ took It gingerly Most women had
small. thin, breakable hands; but hers
was solid, and her clasp was firm.
I ATER. to Piles dismay Molly pre-
II ferred 10 sit and talk with Tup
/ instead Of dancing. And, two or three
/ iays later. when Pile came TO the
| Worth farm, Tup was there-~JuSt sit
/ ting there, watching. While Molly
| churned. Tup was working for Ed
| Whalen In East Harbor. A few days
after. Molly came to town and chanced
to drive past the wharf where Whalens S
business was centered. Glanced, too,
q PASS that way at moment when
was settling some minor argument
Mn two members OF the crew OF a
tux that had Just finished docking n
barge. She saw the men climb out Of
the harbor and Scuttle TO cover on the
tug; and, when Tlp discovered her,
her eyes were shining.
She thought how strong he was; and
she thought some one ought TO tame
him, harness the force in him, direct
it to more sedate and ordered ends;
and secretly she thought. with shiver
OF faint delight. that he could crush
her with one grasp of his great hand
So. before Pile really knew what was
going on. she had married Tup.
Tup made no comment; he was al
most wholly a passive factor in the
matter. But his eyes were, when he
looked at her. like the eyes Of a fine
dog Nor was he any more articulatc.
And Molly mothered him, and
scolded him, and gentled him. Her
father had a farm adjoining his own.
Tup and Molly went to live there; and
Tup began the painful business of buy
ing the farm from his father-in-law.
He cleared the pasture: he cut and
marketed cord-wood: he took his team
and worked-when no other task de-
manded hiu1--upon the road: he re-
seeded the meadows; and he planted
potatoes and found market for them
in the Fall
And in the evening, when his work
was done, he would sit across the table
from Molly. and rub the back of one
hand with the palm of the other. ano
watch Molly. And Molly, looking up
now and then. would catch his eye
and slowly smile,
&a*
CHE liked TO read, in the evening, and
- and sometimes she read aloud TO
him But Tup always went to sleep IN
his chair. Then she would say to her
self:
Poor boy. he's worked hard all day
No wonder he's tired"
She loved him for his slow strength
that could flame and drive and frac-
ture. had loved him because he was
like a battering ram. Naturally, then
she sought TO tame this strength Of his
His reputation had already narrowed
the roll of potential opponents: her in
huence had its effect. There were some
times months when he never fought al
all
And Molly read one night in a book
Sometimes. by seeking to change
one kills the thing he loves.
And she looked across at Tup Morgan.
asleep there in his chair his great head
down upon his chest.
And she found herself wishing, des-
in something like panic, like
a creeping flame Of fear, that they
might have child.
It is easier to hold fast TO soft and
helpless child than to silent. sleeping
strength is caught in soft
and easy bounds.
+
TUP was working on the road one day
hauling gravel from pit upon his
farm to the State road, mile or more
away An automobile horn sounded be-
hind him: and he looked back and saw
a car, and a man at the wheel waved
to him to draw aside. The road was
narrow, high-crowned; on the right was
n ditch full Of muck: the wheels Of
Tups wagon would make heavy going
there. But little way ahead he might
draw aside and let the car pass. 50
Tup held on his way. The horn behind
him blared profanely Tup's slow anger
warmed.
But Molly would be unhappy. II ne
stonned ard struck this man: would
even be unhappy. IL he thrust the car
into the ditch. So he held on, and.
when he could. made way: and the car