The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-19


soul. Two suitcases just to stay
Caroline said, helping Zeke stow
them. eve don't want to crush
our dance clothes, Gran dad, so
we're taking bag each.'
"Well fixed for clothes, are
you?" asked the old man anxious
ly. The wistful hopefulness in
his voice touched both girls UNI
speakably. Caroline busted her
self with her gloves, Kate with the
starting of the engine. They
could not look at him or at each
other, for the tears that came into
their throats. All his life he had
been so generous, so lavish with
those he loved. Now he had moth
ing to give and there was be-
wilderment and a fleeing fear in
the tones of his courteous old
voice.
PLENTY" they assured him to-
gether. 81 have my new dress,
You know" Kate reminded him
gaily, land Caroline's was new
last year. Well be elegant" No
need to tell him that their satin
slips were falling to pieces from
many washings, or that four
slender feet would dance stock
ingless through grim necessity.
They kissed him and drove
away and he went into the house
in a mellow mood, proud of the
two pretty girls who were his or
phaned granddaughter. Kate, hc
reflected, was a trifle reckless,
and Cline was a little too shy and
retiring. But, take them all in all,
they were a mighty fine, sweet
pair. He would just drink julep
on it. No, drat it! A julip meant
ice, and that mountaineer had his
electric refrigerator. With a sigh
and a shake of his head he went
to the little wooden icebox on the
back porch and raised the lid. >. &.
Just as he thought. Not enough
ice to throw at cat. Every day
or two Zeke hauled chunk Of
ice out from town, but it drib-
bled away mighty fast in this
weather.
The old gentleman decided to
substitute a nap for the drink Ia
flair for compromise being both
| the blessing and the curse Of his
cheerful, indolent nature). He lay
back in chair, spread a clean
handkerchief over his face, and
fell to dreaming Of the time when
the Needs were Somebody. As he
breathed, the handkerchief rose
and fell, rose ar, fell. he
dreamed that someone was pour
ing tea from a handsome silver
pot that stood on great silver
tray. The gentleman beside him
who had just been served was
General Lafayette, an amlable
person. to be sure. {. THANK
YOU, General Lafayette" he was
saying to him, "for admiring our
silver service. 1t came from Eng
land. No, not Sheffield. Sterling,
sir. Yes, General, when the
Civil war comes on we'll take care
to bury it. The Yankees would
melt it down in a hurry" And
then General Lafayette changed
into a blue-coated Union captain,
and 40 years had passed like the
fit of birds wing. The Union
captain was about to drop the
silver service, tray. pot and all,
into a glowing cauldron.
The dreamer cried out in loud
protest, and suddenly Zeke was
shaking his shoulder and saying
urgently, "Wake up, Major Sam:
You's been havin' de Nightmares.
Wake up an eat yoah supper"
Major Sam Need came awake
and looked at the old colored man.
"Zeke," he said ,"l've been dream
ing about the Need silver. That
stuff my mother had buried dur.
ing the Civil war. wonder what
ever happened to it,
Zeke answered in a puzzled
voice, "Lawd a-mercy, Major
Sam. amt thought of dat stuff
since I was a boy. Ole Miss used
to set me diggin fer it. but we
| couldn't never fin it. It's done
| rot in de groun', reckon"
"Silver doesn't rot MAJOR
Need said. "Well, it's gone now
Sos everything. Don't ever men,
ton it to the girls, Zeke. Theey,d
take it right hard if it was called
| to their minds. Especially Miss
Kate. She's high-strung. She
take it right hard to lose SILVER
| service tha'd poured tea for Cen
eral Lafayette" -,
"Yessuh, Major Sam. what 5
buried's buried. Amt no use STIR,
rim up de young critters bout dat
, silver. Dey's stirred up enuff as
it's"
The "young critters" mean
while, were parking their car IN
the rear of the Chenault place mad
slipping in at the back entrance
They knew the house and the
servants, so they were permitted
to 90 up the back stairs to the