Rose of Old Harpeth

Poteet back porch. "I brought you this pan of rolls to set away for Mr. Poteet's supper. When I worked out the sponge looked like my pride ove

e fence, delighted at a chance for a few minutes parley with the ever busy and practical Mrs. Rucker. She balanced the gingham-clad bunch on its own wobbly legs beside her, while through the pickets of the fence in greeting were thrust the pin

ch confab with the other men on the store steps always kinder tires Mr. Rucker out so he can't hardly get about with his sciatica

he other, I couldn't hardly get my mind down to listening. And when she contrived Mr. Crabtree into the pew next to Mis' Plunkett, as she moved down for 'em,

a woman oughter swallow one when offered without no mincing. I wouldn't make two bites of taking Mr. Crabtree after poor puny Mr. Plunkett if it was me. Of course there never was such a man as Mr. Satterwhite, but he was always mighty

Todd Crabtree married her and took her away after all that young Tucker Alloway doings? It were a kind of premium for flightiness, but I

ver since. Now that's where Mr. Rucker is such a comfort to me, he'll stay awake and worry as long as I have need of, while I wouldn't a-dared to speak to Mr. Satterwhite after he put out the light. But this is about what I've pieced outen that talk with the Senator, with Cal's help. That mortgage he has got on the Briars about covers it, like a double blanket on a single bed, and with the interest beginning to pi

'ting to Rose Mary, do you?" asked the soft-natured lit

might as well, for in the end a woman can't tell nothing about taking a man; she just has to choose a can of a good brand and then be satisfied, for they all season and heat up about alike. I never gave him no satisfaction about t

mental Mrs. Poteet with a smile. "He's as handsome

er want to neglect her, for she's the only child poor Mr. Satterwhite left me. Now Mr. Rucker-Why there comes Mis' Amandy down the front walk! Let's you and me go to meet her and see what she wants. We can help her across the Road if she is a-going to see anybody but us!" And with eager affection the two strong young women with their babies in their arms hurried a

ad me a-going through boxes and bundles for it ever since little Tucker was named for us, and here it is! It's hand-made and fine linen, brought all the way from New York down to the

t and then keep it in the box with my Bible, where it won't be disturbed for nothing," exclaimed Mrs. Poteet in a tone of voice that was tear-choking with re

little lace collar Ma's mother wore when she come over from Virginy, and it's in the very style now, so we're going to bleach it out to give to Rose Mary. Come on up to the house with me and see it and set with Sister Viney a spell, can't you? She's got mighty sore joints this morning, though Rose Mary rubbed her most a hour last night" And in response to the eager invitation they a

ppy on the floor enveloping themselves and each other in long wisps of moth-eaten yarn that Miss Amandy had unearthed in a bureau drawer and donated to their amusement. Mrs. Poteet had with her usual happy forgetfulness of anything but the very immediate occupation, lo

of his own. Finding the house deserted, with his usual decision of action Stonie picked up the baby and kept on his way, which led past the garden up the hill to the barn. Young Tucker accepted this little journey in the world wi

nd began to attend to his errand, which involved the extraction of several long, stout pieces of string from a storehouse of

ess their triumphs would in all probability consist of only Granny Satterwhite, whom little Miss Amanda always coaxed to attend in her company, with perhaps a few moments of encouragement from Mr. Crabtree if he found the time. To which would always be added the interested and jocular company of Mr. Rucker, who always came, brought a chair to sit in and stay

he walked rapidly up the milk-house path and stood in the ba

t the barrel full of sleepers at Stonie'

ose when she hoed out in the garden without no sunbonnet. I found 'em all for her this morning, and she don't

measure in close proximity to the barrel. "Have you decided to have Mrs

t tragically serious in his austere young face, but his smiles when they came were flashes of the very divinity of youth and were a strange incarnation of the essence of Rose Mary's cousinly loveliness. "He was crying

ked down at the sturdy little chap so busy with his long strings, weaving them over and o

be mine to keep care of always, Rose Mamie says," answered Stonie in his most practical tone

t softly, his voice thrilling over the child'

tter'n Tobe and Peggie and the rest of 'em do. Aunt Viney says Mis' Poteet spares the rod too much, but I'll fix Rose Mamie's children if they don't mind her and me." The General's mouth

ekly, "have you chosen a h

is eyes to Everett thoughtfully. "It's jest got to be the best man in the world, and I'm

t-she must have only the best. And you 'keep care' until he comes. I am going away to-night and I don't kn

ddenly inspired by a brilliant idea, "couldn't you look for him for me? You'd know the good kind of a man and you could bring him here. I would give you one of the spotted puppies

you, and when he comes he will be the best

he terms of the bargain, "and you can take your pick of t

"and I want to find your

t in one hand and a spade in the other. "Old age is just like a hobble that tithers up stiff-jinted old cattle to the home post and keeps 'em from

y to tell you that I have had a wire from the firm that makes it necessary for me to ge

emonstrance. "Such a hurry as that are unseemly. Good-byes oughter to be handled slowly a

r there that I will need. I will hurry back. Will-you tell them all for me?" As Everett spoke he did not look directly at Uncle Tucker, but his eyes followed the retreating form of the General, who, with the completed whip, the nodding baby and the two awak

e fact that Everett's hurried departure was inevitable. "I'm sorry you have got to go, boy, but I'll help y

and Miss Amanda before they retire." And Everett's voice was quiet with a calmness that belied the

news to women folks is as nervous a work as dropping a basket of eggs; you never can tell in which direction the

his voice as they separated, he going out through the field a

ut each little weed that had dared rear its head among the white blossoms. As she walked between the rows the tall lilies laid their heads against her breast and kissed traces of their gold hearts on her hands and bare arms, while on the other side a very riot of blush peonies

, and I told him you would be mighty glad to help him off in time. I'd put him up a middling good size snack if I was you, for the eating on a train must be mighty scrambled like at best. We'll have to turn around to keep

ed in a voice that managed to p

hoke her. They are a-having a kind of ruckus, with nobody but Stonie helping 'em put Sis' Viney to bed, so I reckon you'd better go in and see 'em. He's gone over to the north field to get a ham

houlders and thus in state take a formal leave of the departing guest-alone. And it was fully a half hour before Everett came out of her room, and Rose Mary saw him slip a tiny pocket testament which had always lain on Miss Lavinia's table into his inside breast pocket, and his face was serious almost to the point of exhaustion. The time he had spent in Miss Lavinia's room little Mi

n his buttonhole as her good-by before she had retired, brushed the little fellow's cheek as h

y Sniffer's other two spotted pups I would sell 'em to him. I want

gulp in his voice as his heart beat against the arm of the

uess, or maybe ten," a

has them packed and shipped." He paused for a moment. He would have given worlds to have

f you see him-and-and-" but suddenly he had drifted off into the depths, thus

n the steps, freed at last, with her responsibilities al

he perfect flood of perfume that poured around and over them and came in great gusts from the garden he detected a new

m in your garden, Lady of the

with you a whiff of real sweetbriar. To-morrow the whole town will be in bloom. It is now I think if we could only see it." Rose Mary

make my way along Broadway. Everything hereafter will be located up and down Providence Road for me." Eve

e," said Rose Mary gently, and the wistful question was all that her wo

ugh his cigar, which he threw out into the dew-carpeted grass. Just then there came from up under the eav

u love-and always kept for your Master's use. It is something just to have had a man's road to Providence lead past the garden gate. I make acknowledgement. And mine? I think it is like one of those squat, heathen, Satsuma vases, inlaid with distorted figures and symbols

eet cream into. Couldn't you-you leave it here-in Uncle Tucker's care? I-I-really-I need it badly." The raillery in her voice was

sapproving, "no, I'll not le

ts; they do it themselves by keeping a hand on the treasure so as to take it

s ago I drew the last thousand dollars I had in bank, I have a couple of hundreds left, and that's all, out of over twenty thousand made in straight fees from mineral tests in the last year. Yes-a bit of riotous living. It's true about those poor flowers plucked off frail stems off frailer bushes-but-if it hadn't been-a sort of fair play all around I wouldn't stand here telling you about it, you in your hedge of briar roses. And now suddenly something has come into my life that makes me regret every dollar tossed to the winds and every cent burned in the fires-and in spite of it

rpeth Valley with my nest in the Briars, and because you are gone I'll be lonely. But I won't be in the least anxious, for whatever it is that calls you, I