Part 9 (1/2)

”Well, mother, it's but sildom that I ever knowed yer ter set with folded han's,” remarked her son, with proud tenderness.

”Maybe, Jeems Henry; but I never tuck no consait ter myself fer workin', because I jest nachally loved it. Yer pappy use ter say I was er born worker, 'n' how he did use ter praise me fer bein' smart! 'n' that was sich er help! Somehow I've minded me of 'im all day ter-day--of th' time when he logged Whitcombe's mill down on Fallin' Crick. 'Twas--lemme see! Jeems Henry, ye're how ole?”

”Fifty-two my las' birthday.”

”Well, that was fifty-one year ergo. You was all th' one I had then, 'n'

yer pappy was erway from home all th' week, 'cept from Sat'day evenin' tell 'fore day Monday monrin'. Melindy White staid wi' me; she was Zekle's great-aunt, 'n' er ole maid, 'n' people did say she was monst'ous cross 'n'

crabbed, but she warn't never cross ter me. I mind me of er Sat'day, 'n'

I'd be spectin' of yer pappy home. I'd git up at th' fust c.o.c.k-crow, 'n' go wake Melindy, 'n' she'd grumble 'n' laff all in er breath, 'n' say: 'Ann Elisabeth Tyler, ye're th' most onreasonablest creeter that I ever seed!

What in natur' do ye want ter git up 'fore day fer? Jest ter make th' time that much longer 'fore Jim Tyler comes? I know ef I was married ter th'

President I wouldn't be es big er fool es ye air.' But, la! she'd git up jest ter pleasure me, 'n' then sich cleanin' up, 'n' sich cookin' o' pies 'n' cakes 'n' chickens, 'n' gittin' ready fer yer pappy ter come!” And the placid old face fairly glowed with the remembrance. ”'N' I mind me,” she crooned on, ”of th' time when ye fust begun ter talk; I was er whole week er-teachin' yer ter say two words; I didn't do much else. Melindy allowed that I'd gone clean daft; 'n' when Sat'day come, 'long erbout milkin'-time, I put on er pink caliker frock. I 'member it jest es well! it had little white specks on the pink; he bought it at Miggs's Crossroads, 'n' said I allers looked like er rose in it. I tuck ye in my arms 'n' went down ter th' bars, where I allers stood ter watch fer 'im; he come in er boat ter th' little landin' 'n' walked home, erbout er mile; 'n' when I seed 'im comin', 'n' he'd got nigh ernuff, I whispered ter ye, 'n' ye clapped yer little han's, 'n' fairly shouted out, 'Pappy's tumin'! pappy's tumin'!'

Dearie me, dearie me; I kin see 'im now so plain! He broke inter er run, 'n' I stepped over th' bars ter meet 'im, 'n' he gethered us both in his arms, like es of he'd never turn loose; then he car'ied ye up to th' house on one arm, the other one roun' my wais', 'n' he made ye say it over 'n'

over--'Pappy's tumin', pappy's tumin';' 'n' Melindy 'lowed we wer' 'th'

biggest pair o' geese'; but we was mighty happy geese jest th' same.”

There was a pause. They were all listening. Then she went on. ”Somehow ter-day I felt like I use ter of er Sat'-day then, kinder spectin' 'n'

light-hearted. I dun'no' why; I ain't never felt so befo' in all these years sence he died--forty-one on 'em; 'n' fifteen sence th' Lord shet down th' dark over my eyes, day 'n' night erlike. Well, well; I've had er heap ter be thankful fer; th' Lord has been good ter me; fer no mother ever had er better son than ye've allers ben, Jeems Henry; 'n' of Malviny had er ben my own darter, she couldn't er ben more like one; I've alleys ben tuck keer on, 'n' waited on, 'n' 'ain't never ben sat erside fer no one. Ya'as, th'

Lord's ben good ter me.” She began to fumble for her handkerchief.

”But, mother, ye don't say nothin' o' what er blessin' ye've ben to us,”

said her son. ”Ye've teached us many er lesson by yer patience in yer blindness.”

”Ya'as, but, Jeems Henry, I had no call ter be nothin' else but patient; I had no call ter be onreasonable 'n' fret 'n' worry 'n' say that th' Lord had forsakened me when He hadn't. I knowed I'd only ter bide my time, 'n'

I'm now near seventy-two year old. Dear, dear, how th' time goes! Seems like only th' other day when I was married! Was that nine the clock struck?”

”Ya'as, 'm.”

”Well, I b'lieve I'll git ter bed.”

”Wait, mother, let me help yer,” said her daughter, hastily throwing aside her knitting.

”We'll both help ye, mother,” said her son, putting one arm gently around her as she arose from her chair.

”Well, well,” she laughed, with soft content. ”I sh'll be well waited on with two children 'stid er one; but none too many--none too many.”

Zekle White had made brave progress from the chair by the door to the other rocker, drawn closely beside that of Mandy Calline; and he was saying, in tones that suggested an effort: ”I've seed other young ladies which may be better-lookin' in other folkses' eyes, 'n' they may be more suiterbler ter marry, but not fer me. Thar ain't but one gurl in this roun' worl' that I'd ask ter be my wife, 'n', Mandy Calline, I've ben keepin' comp'ny wi' you long ernuff fer ye ter know that ye air th' one.” He swallowed, and went on: ”I've got my house nigh erbout done. Ter be sho', 'tain't es fine es this un, nor es big; but I kin add ter it, 'n' jest es soon es it is done I want ter put my wife in it. Now, Mandy Calline, what yer say--will yer be my wife?”

Mandy Calline looked shy--much like a young colt when it is going to break out of harness. She rocked back and forth with short spasmodic jerks, and twisted her handkerchief into all conceivable shapes.

”Yer don't know how sot on it I am,” he went on; ”'n' all day long I'm er-thinkin' how nice it 'll be when I'm er-workin', ploughin' maybe, up one row 'n' down ernuther, 'n' watchin' th' sun go down, 'n' lookin' forerd ter goin' ter th' house 'n' hev er nice little wife ter meet me, wi' everything tidied up 'n' cheerful 'n' comf'ble.” Mandy Calline simply drooped her head lower, and twisted her handkerchief tighter. ”Mandy Calline, don't yer say 'no,'” he said. ”I love yer too well ter give yer up easy; 'n' I swear ef ye don't say 'yes,' I'll set fire 'n' burn up th' new house, fer no other 'oman sha'n't never live there. I'm er-waitin', Mandy Calline, 'n' don't, don't tell me no.”

”Well, Zekle,” she began, with much hesitation, ”bein' es how I don't see no use in burnin' up er right new house, 'n' it not even finished, I guess es how--maybe--in erbout two or three years--”

”Two or three thunderations!” he cried out, ecstatically, seizing both her hands in his. ”Yer mean two or three weeks! Mandy Calline, do ye mean ya'as, ye'll marry me? I want ter hear ye say it.”