United States or Algeria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Git hung by his hair some o' these days in the woods, like him the Bible tells about; that happened ter the sure-enough Abs'lom," suggested Stephen, hopefully. "Naw, sir," said Tim; "when Abs'lom Kittredge gits hung it 'll be with suthin' stronger'n hair; he'll stretch hemp." He exchanged a glance of triumphant prediction with his brother, and anon gazed ruefully into the fire.
"Did Abs'lom ever gin 'em ter ye?" she persisted. "Ef he did, I mus' hev furgot 'em," he repeated, crestfallen and hopeless. She laughed and turned jauntily away, once more throwing the corn-meal batter to the greedily jostling poultry. "Tell Abs'lom I hev fund him out," she said. "He can't sot me agin dad no sech way. This be my home, an' hyar I be goin' ter 'bide."
Once, roused by Absalom's reproaches, she made some effort to defend and exculpate herself, speaking from behind the enveloping apron. "I ain't born no Kittredge nohow," she irrelevantly asseverated, "an' I never war. An' when Eveliny axed me how I'd hev liked ter hev another 'oman take Abs'lom whenst he war a baby, I couldn't hold out no longer."
He war named Pete or Bob, I disremember what suthin' common till his hair got so long an' curly, an' he sot out ter be so plumb all-fired beautiful, an' his mother named him agin; this time Abs'lom, arter the king's son, 'count o' his yaller hair."
"Laws-a-massy, child, ef ye would jes hev b'lieved me 'bout'n them Kittredges Abs'lom in partic'lar ye'd be happy an' free now," said the old man, his imagination somewhat extending his experience, for he had had no knowledge of his son-in-law until their relationship began. The evening wore drearily on.
He had a nervy grip, but no variation; he always tuk holt the same way." "Tears like ter me ez 'twar a fust-rate time ter fetch out the rifles again," remarked Tim, "this mornin', when old Pa'son Bates kem up hyar an' 'lowed ez he hed married Eveliny ter Abs'lom Kittredge on his death-bed; 'So be, pa'son, I say.
"Eveliny," he quavered, at once flattered and furious, "dad-burned ef Abs'lom hain't gone an' got out a habeas corpus fur the baby!"
"They hed a reg'lar scrimmage hyar in the hall them fool men Quimbey an' Kittredge. Old man Quimbey said suthin' ter Abs'lom Kittredge I dunno what all. Abs'lom never jawed back none. He jes made a dart an' snatched this hyar leetle critter out'n his mother's arms, stiddier waitin' fur the law, what he summonsed himself.
The fiddler gin out the figger ter change partners, an' this hyar gal war dancin' opposite Abs'lom, ez hed never looked nigh her till that day.
Once more she held out her arms. There was a step in the inner shed-room; then silence. "Ye hain't got no excuse," the soft voice urged; "ye know jes how I feel, how ye'd hev felt, whenst Abs'lom war a baby." The shawl had fallen back from her tender face; her eyes glowed, her cheek was softly flushed.
Word Of The Day