The Road to Providence

he spread a light film of clouds over the stars, from which she first puffed a stiff dust-cleansing breeze and then proceeded to sprinkle a good washing shower which took away the la

luster, and Judy Pike's pink-cabbage fairly flung blossoms and buds over into the Road. The widow's own moss-damask nodded and beckoned hospitably to Mrs. Tutt's Maryland tea, and Pattie Hoover's Maiden's Blush mingled its

elf as any rose on the Road. "And everything is well along towards ready when it's turned twelve. The children have all been washed from sk

ute so they won't wilt," answered Miss Wingate with enthusiasm that matched Mother Mayberry's. "D

Clothes is all laid out on beds, and cold lunch snacks put on kitchen tables. They ain't to be a dinner cooked on the Road this day 'cept what 'Liza and Cindy are a-stewin

ch were rolled prospective curls, due to float out for the festivities. "She says she won't go to the wedding 'cause it's prayer meeting night, and it were a sin to put off the Lord's meeting 'till to-morrow night

with Mis' Tutt. I'll come down there tereckly and see if I can't kinder persuade her some. Go around there and giv

wedding?" asked Miss Wingate with a trace of the same exaspera

of using a little persuading on Tom Mayberry for me. He have got the most lovely long tail coat, gray britches, gray vest and high silk hat up in his press, and he says he are a-going to wear his blue Sunday clothes same as usual, when I asked him car

" laughed Miss Wingate as she rubbed her delicate little nose against

gly, and they ain't nothing ever a-going to stop it 'lessen his wife objects," answe

nger lady as she buried her head in Mother's

a woman and her own man-child ain't like anything on earth, and I feel it must hold between Mary and her Son in Heaven. I felt it pull close like steel when mine weren't fifteen minutes old, and it won't

mpling smile, "I'll try. I'll ask him

ib and tucker and it'll start the notion in him to keep you company. If a woman can just make a man believe his vanity are

Bolivar Herald, and Bettie Pratt's own first husband's sister-in-law's child died last week out in Californy, where she moved when she married the second time. I hate to tell

y, it's only fair they should rule." Mother Mayberry had for a moment stood aghast at the idea of the misanthrope's descent upon happy Bettie with even this long distance shadow to cast acr

the trip. Did you know that spangled Wyandotte hen have deserted all them little chickens and is a-laying again out in the wee

, as the singer lady gave vent to the giggle she had been suppressing for a good many minutes. "Now run on, sweet child, and use them be

inen gown, the singer lady descended upon the unwitting victim, in the north wing and began the machinations according to promise. Doctor Mayberry, unfortunately for him, showed

tation. Could I stay just a few minutes?" and the lift of her dark lashes from her eyes was most effectively unfair. As she spoke she settled herself in

be from a hurried consultation. It always takes several

rk which she, herself, knew to be a dastardly manoeuver. "You attended to Squire Tutt's trouble in a very

s," he laughed, his generosity giving over the retort that was his due. "I s

she hazarded a bit too hurriedly, for before she could

as the victim's m

't seen either one, so I want you to choose by guess." Only the slightest rose signal in her cheeks showed that she had been pricked by his quick thrust.

capitulating, but still on guard. "If I choose one for to-day, whe

at he ought to have known was dangerous meekness. "What are you going t

were a matter to be dismissed with the statement. "Let's see-say th

impse of a most beautiful frock coat-it made me feel partyfied then, and I thought of the rose gown I have never worn and-and-" she paused t

hing in his voice which he quickly controlled. "The frock coat let it be-and shall we say t

d, overwhelmed with the ease wi

, "only don't let Mot

the conquering singer lady tossed him

dimples, when Mother Mayberry herself stood in the doorway with we

to stand-around, set-around, passing the news of the day. Did you all know

"We were just discussing in what garb we could best grace the occasion. Did you

leaf out in a change onct in a while, and it's mostly men folks that take a notion, t

demanded of her

ce kept her from seeing the Road where the procession are a-going into the Meeting-house yard. But that didn't down her none at all, for when I left she had Nath and Buck and Mr. Petway a-knocking down the two panel

darling!" exclaimed the s

up on his head so he looks like Martin Luther, and she have got him a-settin' down, so as not to get out of gear none. Mis' Bostick is a-wearing a little white rose pinned on her night-gown, and they is honeysuckle trailed all over the bed. But here am I a-chavering with

asked eagerly, as they ascended the front steps togethe

inger lady with enthusiasm and

thinks he are doing something just to please a woman. Now, honey-child, you ain't got nothing to do but frill out your own sweet self; and

ated on the air and mingled with banter and song, while the aroma of flesh pots and fine spices drifted from huge waiters being hurriedly carried from down and up the Road and into the Pratt gate. The wedding supper was being laid on improvised tables in Bettie's side yard, with

ets behind closed family doors. A shrill squeal issuing now and then from an open window told it

satisfactory seance with her mirror, and from the front steps looked down in dism

and every pair of eyes there danced sparks of rage, aimed at a huddled company of small boys who were returning their indignation by sullen scorn mixed with determination in their polished, freckled faces. Half way between each group stood Eliza Pike, a

ame to the edge of the porch, "I don't know what t

ngate, something of Eliza's panic commun

wn feet or the cracks in the pavement, so Eliza

'em do it, but they won't carry no baskets for nobody. I don't want Mis' Pratt to find out how they is a-acting, for three of 'em a

he had clung to little Bettie's hand, and when she picked up one of the tiny baskets provided for the two tots, so had he, and thus he found himself humiliatingly equipped and o

from under the rampant curl, and that he did not fail in his usual shibboleth of courtesy was

's eyes, when Mother Mayberry appeared upon the scene of action, stiff and rustling as to bl

eyed the boys with an expression of reserving judgment that

case of the culprits in bri

ged air and in itself began to clear the atmosphere, "so you empty-handed, cross-fa

to carry no baskets. Buck said he wouldn't, and Sam Mosbey said they had oughter tie a sash around the m

y. I am willing to ask Miss Elinory here to give you each a little bunch of roses to carry in your hand instead of a basket, and to let you walk

ble settling of the difficulties, a sorting of bunc

and Henny, you throw the first rose just where Miss Elinory told you to. Everybody watch Henny and throw a flower whenever he does. Aim them a

tions," she added, in an aside to the relieved and admiring singe

ttle flower bearers was received by the wedding guests, who were assembled around the Meeting-house door, with a positive wave of rapture and no hint of the previous hurricane of rebellion showed in their rosy, cherubic countenances. They separated at the designated point and according to inst

rill, Bettie in her dove gray muslin and the Deacon bedight according to Eliza's expert opinion of good form. He beamed like a gentle old cherub himself, while she giggled and blushed and nodded to the children as she st

ossessed in a warm, strong one, and tightly clasped. For moments the pair of hands rested on the bench between them, hid by a filmy fold of the rose gown. There was just nothing to be done about it that the singer lady could see, so she let matters rest as they were and gave her attention to trying to keep the riot in her own heart in reasonable bounds. However, it might have been a comfort to her to know that across the church, Buck had captured five of Pattie's sunburned fingers, and Mr. Petway was sitting so close to Miss Prissy that Mr. Pike came very near being irreverent enough to nudge the devout Judy. Then what a glorious time followed the solemn minutes in the chur

utterly at the wedding feast, even going to the point of partaking of her supper in the overwhelmed company of Sam Mosbey, who not for the life of him could have told from whence came the courage to a

nded of the Doctor in a ver

reluctantly consented, as he lo

settled herself in what she decided to be an uncompromis

owed against the dusk of the wistaria vine, "you wouldn't really be cruel to a cou

Mrs. Pike giving him a glorious supper later, so please don't worry over him." Which answe

hand made an involuntary movement toward his that rested on the step near her, but which she managed to stop in time. "You realize, do you not, dear lady, that your friendliness to-to us all, commands my intensest

ully by her exclamation in the low dove notes that alone had no trace of the disastrous burr

aven," she observed jovially. "Didn't everybody look nice and act nice? Course it was just country doings to you, honey-bird, but I know you enjoyed it some even if it were." Like a

aring with which the singer lady had begun her defiant rema

e I don't see how he can get out of co'ting some. It's just in the air to-night-and WE'D better all be a-going to bed so as to get up early to start off. Tom Mayberry, seems to me as I remember i

ld his mother's hand in his and instead of an answer he bent

long to Elinory if only to keep her from feeling lonesome. Let him kiss your hand, child, he ain't nothing but a country