Rose of Old Harpeth

vidence Road and out over the Valley. Rugged old Harpeth began to be crowned with wreaths of tender green and pink which trailed down

t, the Poteet flowers were always more prolific and advanced than any others along the Road, much to the pride of the equally prolific and spring-blooming Mrs. Poteet. And in a spirit of nature's accord the white poet's narcissus showed starry flowers to the early sun in the greatest abundanc

f entertaining both young Bob and Mr. Crabtree at the same time was carried out by Louisa Helen. And often with the most absolute unconsciousness the demure little widow allowed herself to be drawn by the wily Mr. Crabtree into the mystic circle of th

ent and swayed in the wind. A clump of bridal wreath by the front gate was a great white drift against the new green of a crimson-starred burning bush, while over it all trailed

ered him and keep equanimity enough to go on with the affairs in hand. What business had a woman's eyes to be so filled with a young child's innocence, a violet's shyness, a passion of fostering gentleness, mirth that ripples like the surface of the crystal pools, and-could it be dawning-love? Everett had been in a state of uncertainty and misery so abject that it hid itself under an unusually casual manner that had for weeks ke

it uneasy about you. Mr. Newsome has been here and wants to see you. He stayed to dinner and waited for you for two hours. Stonie and Tob

t in his eyes as he laid his hand quickly on a small, irregular bundle of stones th

heir own liking for two other people and use it as a good strong rope just to pull them together sometimes. I'm awfully fond of Mr. Newsome-and you,

the excitement in them died down, first into a very deep tenderness that changed slowly into a quiet determination which seemed to be pouring a promise and a vow into her very soul. Something in the strange look made Rose Mar

etly, "it's all to the good

the table as she again took up her butter-paddle. "It's nice to find things as

Everett from a

for that," continued Rose Mary as she lifted a huge pat of the butter on to a blue saucer. "Men are someti

d again his hand closed over the kit at his side. "Do you know what I think I'll do?" he added. "I think I'll take old Gray and jog over to Boliver for a while. I'll see the Senator, and I want to get a

r grease those foolish little turkeys' heads to keep off the dew gaps, but I'll go to

hild," answered Everett. "Go to bed and-but

nd run around lost in the dark," answered Rose Mary, with a laugh.

om the middle of the plank across the spring stream, and

s the plank and in a moment Mr. Crabtree stood in the doorway. Across the way the store was deserted and fro

attening Mr. Mark at, for the fair in the fall," he said with a twinkle in his merry little blue eyes. And Rose Mary

ps on drinking so much milk. Did you ever see anybody grow like my boy d

the third girl baby borned out to his house in Colorado City. Looked like they was much disappointed. I kinder give Todd a punch in the ribs about how fine a boy Gener

ary with a deep sadness coming into her lovely eyes. "You know how it was!"

or boy, that ain't being sorter patterned after the General by they mothers. And the way the women are set on him is plumb funny. Now Mis' Plunkett there, she's got a little tin bucket jest to hold cakes for nobody but St

he wants to have ask her for them don't, what must she do?" asked Rose Mary wit

en he have got his mouth fixed on a nice old-fashioned pound-cake woman," he added in a ruthful tone of voice as he and Rose Mary both laughed over the trying plight in

y, I wanter to show you this Sunday waist I've done made Maw and get you to persuade her some about it for me. I put this little white ruffle in the neck and sleeves and a b

to see your mother and beg her to let it stay as soon as I get the butter worked. Didn't she loo

n she threw it away. Wasn't he silly?" asked Louisa

etty garment with its white tags. I'll go over to Boliver and bring you both two pounds of mixed peppermint and chocolate candy with a ribbon tied aro

ls' eager eyes lighted on Louisa Helen's white sunbonnet which was being flirted partly in and partly out of the milk-house door.

y, but now they come a-running," remarked Mr. Crabtree to Rose Mary, as he prepared to

ray and her rider turn behind the hill she began to straighten things preparatory to a return to the Briars. In the world-old drama of creation which is being ever enacted anew in the heart of a woman, it is well that the order of evolution is reversed and only after the brin

ging dejectedly across the yard from the direction of the back door with Mrs. Sniffer and all five little dogs trailing in his wake. And as if in sympathy with his mood, the frisky little puppies were waddling along decorously while Sniffer poked her nose affection

r, honey-sweet?"

. It's so curious that I don't hardly think God knows what I di

an help you decide," said R

falls in it. I know Mis' Poteet'll be mad at him. And then in a little while here come Aunt Amandy to feed the old turkey, and she 'most cried when she found things so bad all around everywhere. We had runned behind the corn-crib, but when I saw her begin to kinder cry I comed out. Then she asked me did I break up her nest she was a-saving to surprise Uncle Tucker with, and I told her n

tell Aunt Amandy he was sorry he had ruined her turkey nest?" aske

nt Viney he'd rather the devil would get him right now than tell her, but if you'll come lend him some of my britches he will come

Tobe is always so nice to her and she'll be sorry he's sorry, and then it will be all right, won't it?" And thus with a woma

tone of voice, but still a little uneasy about the moral question involved in the case. "Did

der under the patched gingham shirt. "It was not your business to tell on Tobe but-but-please, honey-sweet, let's leave it to God, now. He

I hope maybe Tobe won't get into no more mess from now till then. Please come find the britches for me!" And consoled thus agai

hearing of Miss Lavinia. A new bond was instituted between the little old lady, who was tremulous with eagerness to keep the culprit from any form of self-r

us hour of communion with her flowers and vegetable nursery babies. She had just tucked up her skirts and started in with a light hoe when she espied Uncle Tucker coming slowly up Providence Road from the di

the sign of the usual quizzical smile. The forelock hung down in a curl from under the brim of the old gray hat and the lavender muffler swung at loose ends. As

men in the world, if a man was to seal up his trouble in a termater-can and swoller it, would g

the tattered gray roof from off the white shock and began to smooth and caress its brim into something of its fo

n your share of pesters, looks like," answered Unc

Mary in the gently hushed tone that she always used i

t just hasn't measured out any year, and I never stopped to count it at so much. Gid was mighty kind about it and said never mind, let it run, but-but I'm not settled in my mind it's right to hold on like this; he maybe didn't mean it, but before dinner he dropped a word about being mighty hard pressed for money to keep up this here white ribbon contest he's a-running against his own former record. No, I'm not settled in my mind about the rights of it,

r," she faltered, thus failing him in his c

e since I come into a man's estate. And there is none of it that has ever had a deed writ aginst it since that first Alloway got it in a grant from Virginy. There is meadow land and corn hillside, creeks for stock and woodlands for shelter, and the Alloways before me have fenced it solid and tended it honest, with return enrichment for every crop. And now it

l when a woman can see a door plainly in front of them both. She just looks for the door and don't ask to know who is going to open it from the other side. Our door is there I know-I have been looking for it for a

d Uncle Tucker with a slightly comforted expression coming into his eyes. "You're one of the women who knot a brid

we could hold on to the place, buy more cows and all the milk other people in Sweetbriar have to sell I believe I could make the interest and more than the interest every

Rose Mary. You work like you was a single filly hitched to a two-horse wagon now, and that would be just piling fence ra

ou talk to Mr. Newsome the next time he comes and see what he thinks of the plan? I would tell him about it myself-only I-I don't know why, but I don't-want to

f it, but Sister Viney and Sister Amandy-moved they'd be like a couple of sprouts of their own honeysuckle vine that you had pulled up and left in the sun to wilt. Home wa

hed Rose Mary, glad to see him rise once more from the depth of his depression to his u

down past the milk-house where they saw the comely mother of the seven at her gate administering refreshment in the form of bread and jam to all of her own and quite a number of the

," answered Rose Mary in quick defense of the small namesak

sent with me and Stonie, to say nothing of all the men members of Sweetbriar from Everett clean on through Crabtree down to that very young Tucker Poteet. You are one

want to run in and make a few cup custards, so I can save one for Mr. Mark when he gets home to-night. He loves them cold. Little cooking attentions never spoil m