Rose of Old Harpeth

want to march in the front ranks and tote a blunderbuss what I couldn't hit nothing smaller than a barn door with

kets and it'll be a case of run or swell up and bust," answered Mr. Crabtree as he put up the two b

le Gid kinder fooled along and let Cupid shed a feather on him and then along come somebody trying to pick his posey fo

t that young Bob exploded, much to the amazement of the gathering of the Sweetbriar clan in the store. Young Bob's devotion to Rose Mary, admiration for Everett and own te

the direction of the extenuating-circumstances pleading Mr. Rucker. "A man's heart ain't much use to a woman if the muscles of his arms git string-halt when he

r cold-word dash and pass-along," answered the poet propitiatingly and admiri

e to. I jest begged Rose Mary to let me have Miss Viney and Miss Amandy. I could move out the melojion into the kitchen and give 'em the parlor, and welcome, too. Mis' Poteet she put in and asked for Stonie to bed down on the pallet in the front hall with Tobe and Billy and Sammie, and I was a-going on to plan as how Mr. Tucker and Mr. Crabtree would stay together here, and I knew Mis' Plunkett would admire to have Rose Mary herself,

me neither," answered the poet

in the dew, which mighter faded it, and I saw something white over in the Briar's yard. I went across to see if they had left any wash out that hadn't oughter be in the dew, and there I found her in her little, short old nightgown and big slippers with the little wored-out gray shawl 'round her shoulders a-digging around the Maiden Blush rose-bush, putting in new dirt and just a-crying

t the liver outen him!" exclaimed young Bob, while his sunburned face worked

Her grief was all the more impressive, as she was, as a general thing, the balance-wheel of the

d note of decision in its hushed cadences. A deep pink spot burned on either cheek, her eyes were very bright, and she kept her f

ten the love Sweetbriar has got for 'em all. Now if I was to marry Mr. Crabtree I could all good and proper move him over to my house and that would leave his little three-room cottage hitched on to the store to move 'em into comfortable. They have got a heap of things, but most of 'em could be packed away in th

nter and stood before her with his eyes fairly glowing with his emotion. "Have you done decided yourself? This

re I began to get kinder proud about you right then and there, 'fore I'd even told you as I'd have you." And the demure little widow cast a smile out from under a curl that had fallen down into her bright eyes that was so young and engaging that Mr. Crabtree

husband can be if you manage 'em right. Single folks a-marrying are likely to gum up the marriage certificate with some kind of a mistake until it sticks like fly-paper, but a experienced choice generally runs smooth like melted butter." And with a not at all unpr

your buttonhole, Crabtree; they ain't nothing like 'em." Thus poet and realist made acknowledgment each af

you all have heard it spoke," said the merry old bachelor in a voice that positively trembled with emot

s peaceable and butter 'em all with smiles," and Mr. Rucker beamed on his friend Crabtree as he wound one of his wife's ap

've got love's young dream so bad they had oughter have sassaprilla gave for it," and the poet cast a further glance

s and broom and begin on a-cleaning up for Mr. Crabtree before his moving, Lou. I reckon you want to go over his things before you marry him anyway, and I'll help you. I found everything Cal Rucker had a disgrace, with Mr. Satterwhite so neat, too." And not at all heeding the flame of embarrassment that co

labor to the fast weakening old back and shoulders. A new plow-shaft had meant a dollar and a half, so Uncle Tucker had put forth the extra strength to drive the dull old one along the furrows, while even the grindstone had worn away to such unevenness that each revolution had made only half the impression on a blade pressed to its rim and thus caused the sharpening to take twice as long and twice the force as would have been required on a new

asked softly with a smile shining for him even throug

d served its twenty-odd and now is good for as many more with careful honing. That's it, men of my time were like good blades what swing along steady and even, high over rocks and low over good ground; but they don't count in these days of the four-horse-power high-drive, cut-bind-and-deliver machines men work right on through God's gauges of sun-up and down. But maybe in glory come He'll

ked away as it is. It is just across the Road and I know everybody will want to help me disturb their things as little as possible. Oh, Uncle Tucker, it's almost worth the-the pain to see everybody planning and working for us as they are doing. Friends are like those tall

al's face fairly beamed with excitement as he stood dancing in the barn door. Tobe stood close behind him and small Peggy and Jennie pressed close to

ad not been permitted to feel the tragedy of the upheaval, but encouraged to enjoy to the utmost all its small excitements. In fact the move over to the store had appealed to a fast budding business instinct in the Gene

ketch it, and Peg and Jennie acted just like her, too, after Tobe and me had ketched that mouse in the barn just last week and tied it to a string and let it run at 'em all day to get 'em used to rats and things just

ce, unconsciously making further display of the force of her hopeless feminine hered

in a tone that was skilful admixture o

nd me and Tobe must go back to help Mis' Rucker some more clean Mr. Crabtree up. I don't reckon she needs Peg and Jennie, but they can come if th

e of that kind," observed Uncle Tucker as he looked with a quizzical expression after the small procession. "Want me to read that l

and a smile. "I haven't written him about our troubles, because-because he hasn't g

to blind a man with cotton wool while they wade through the high water and only holler for help when their petticoats are down around their ankles on the far bank. We'll wait and send Ever

ed me so, I would have felt it was right to do-to do what was so horrible to me? I will-I will make up to you and them for keeping me from-it. What

xt morning Tom Crabtree's a-going to take the letter and deed down to Gid in his office in the city for me. Don't nobody have to foreclose on me; I hand back my debt dollar for dollar outen my own pocket without no duns. To give up the land immediate are just simple justice to him, and I'm a-leaving the Lord t

heat sympathy to the boiling point? But if you don't need me I'm going down to the milk-house to work out my last batch of butter before they come to drive away my cows." And Rose Mary h

swoon with the midsummer heat. The lush blue-grass rose almost knee deep around the grazing cattle in the meadows, and in the fields the green grain was fast turning to a harvest hue. Almost as far as her eyes could reach along Providence Road and across the pastures to Providence Nob, beyond Tilting Rock, the land was Alloway l

snow on her cheeks had brought back the grief-faded roses. The arms of the hearty Harpeth women had been outheld to her, and in turn she had had their babies and troubles laid on her own breast for her and their comforting. She h

t of helpless folk, and was it with futile wings he was breasting the great outer currents of which she was so ignorant? His letters told her nothing of what he was doing, just were filled to the word with half-spoken love and longing and, above all, with a great impatience about what, or for what, it was impossible for her to understand.

led waters. Wrapped in the compassionate darkness she was giving way to the luxury of letting the controlled tears rise to her eyes and the sobs that her white throat ached from suppressing all day were echoin

ck tone of voice that fairly trembled t

hat would have done credit to Jennie Rucker in her wor

pathetic tone of voice, for so far in his journey along life's road

small laugh. "It's my heart, darling," she added, the so

he climbed up and perched himself on the edge of the big be

the depths of Ro

' Rucker said she was afraid you was grieving about when she thought I

om the pillow, and Rose Mary curled herself over near

body here was a-going to marry everybody else and leave you out, so I asked him to get you one up in New York and I'd pay him for doing it. He's a-going to bring him here on the cars his own se

-getting the husband-for you-for me?" asked Rose M

them on the General at the time. "He said that you wasn't a-going to have no husband but the best kind if he had to kill him-no, he said

had shot a quiver of hope that set every pulse in her body beating hot and strong, while

him your children would have to mind me and Tobe when we spoke to 'em. He kinder choked t

ing to comfort Rose Mamie," she said, and from its ve

g me wet will wake me up to keep care of you agin, 'cause I am so sleepy now if you was to holler louder than Tucker Poteet I wouldn't wake up no more." And suiting his actions to his proposition

p, but if praying to God don't keep you from crying, then wake me up," and with this generous and really heroic offer the General drif