The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-01-07

most back at the ranch. Then
Mona Lee slowed the car and
draw a deep, weary breath and
sighed patiently.
when they're little" she said
you keep thinking that your
troubles will be over when they
grow up and stop eating all kinds
of things and falling out of trees
and having diseases and teeth
Strengthened and tonsils and all
that. And then they grow up and
you think now maybe you can
relax a little-and then it's the
same thing, except that now the
things that happen to them are
worse. Grace and Oliver have
had some sort of a Highland she
says it's about her fathers oil
we'll, but she doesn't dare tell me
what it is. And divers gone off
and never even said good-by."
Gary said, TOO bad to worry
you like this, and then not tell
you what it's all about, SO you
can help"
Its all a gamble anyway-and
just talking about it hasn't been
good for any of us. Harvey Jun
ior paying two thousand dollars
for a Garland his father letting
him do it, and Adelaide making
all kinds of crazy plans as if
her father were a millionaire al
ready"
They'll settle down." Gary tried
to be comforting. II wouldn't
worry too much"
Harvey Mason went off to Aus
tin, looking strange and dressed
up in his Sunday clothes, his sad
dle-colored face very dark above
a shining white collar. He had
fumed because Mona Lee forbade
him to wear his boots or his big
cowman's hat.
eff you're going to be an oil
man you'd better look like one"
stated Mona Lee firmly, "and not
like some old cow waddy. I sup
pose you'd like to wear a couple
of six-guns on your belt?"
wouldn't be such a bad idea,
when I get turned loose among all
those politicians" grinned Har-
vey. You keep Gary on the job,
now, getting that equipment lined
up"
Gary keeps himself on the
job. He's got a lot of good hard
sense for a young man. I wish"
"You wish 1 had a lot of good
hard sense? Was that what you're
too polite to say?"
mo, it wasn't. I was thinking
about Adelaide-and Junior" she
added. II was hoping we wouldn't
ever be sorry about any of this.
well, if I leave my kids we'll
fixed, I've done my part"
you haven't done your part
unless you raise them to have
sense enough to take care of mon
ey after you make it." said Mona
Lee tersely.
well, that's partly your job.
Mother. You should get busy on
Addie, for a start. Buying three
hats-whon she can't wear but
ono at a time!
How many hats have you got,
pray tell? A big one hanging on
every hook in the house - and
every last one of them costing
thirty dollars or more!"
I'm out in the weather.I need
'em. Addie buys a whole herd of
hats and then goes tearing around
bareheaded. That's another thing
the way she bats that car a.
round"
ooh, for goodness sake. Har-
vey, 60 on to Austin! And I'll bet
you drive seventy-five miles an
hour every inch of the way"
"You see-I told you'll don't
get any cooperation. Every time
I try to make these kids do right,
you've got some kind of come
back about me-"
"That's because you're the big
gest kid on this place" Mona Lee
kissed him in front of his ear and
pushed him out Of the room.
At dusk Gary and Adelaide
returned from another trip over
into the oil fields, and Mona Lee
noted how sober Gary's face was.
He handed her sheaf of papers.
''Will you put these away care
fully, Mrs. Mason. till MT. Mason
comes back?"
Mona Lee LOOKED AZ the figures,
my gracious. Gary, does an Oil
we'll cost as much as tnat?" That's