The Southerner | Page 3

than ter tackle them
pot hooks you're sickin' after me----"
"Well, I won't give up," she interrupted impatiently, "and you'd just as
well make up your mind to stick to it. You can do what other men have
done. You're good, honest and true, you're kindhearted and popular.
They've already made you the road supervisor of this township. Learn
to read and write and you can make a good speech and go to the
Legislature."
"Ah, Nancy, what do ye want me ter do that fur, anyhow, gal? I'd be the

happiest man in the world right here in this cabin by the woods ef you'd
jest be happy with me. Can't ye quit hankerin' after them things,
Honey?"
She shook her dark head firmly.
"You know, Nancy, we wuz neighbors to Dan'l Boone. We thought he
wuz about the biggest man that ever lived. Somehow the love o' the
woods an' fields is always singin' in my heart. Them still shinin' stars
up in the sky out thar to-night keep a callin' me. I could hear the music
o' my hounds in my soul ez I stood by the spring a while ago. Ye know
what scares me most ter death sometimes, gal?" He paused and looked
into her eyes intently.
"No, what?" she asked.
"That you'll make a carpenter outen me yit ef I don't mind."
Again a smile broke through the cloud in her eyes: "I don't think there's
much danger of that, Tom----"
"Yes ther is, too," he laughed. "Ye see, I love you so and try ter make
ye happy, an' ef there wuz ter come er time that there wuz plenty o'
work an' real money in it, I'd stick to it jist ter please you, an' be a lost
an' ruined soul! Yessir, they'd carve on my headstone jest one line:
"BORN A MAN--AND DIED A JACKLEG CARPENTER.
"Wouldn't that be awful?"
The momentary smile on the woman's sensitive face faded into a look
of pain. She tried to make a good-natured reply, but her lips refused to
move.
The man pressed on eagerly:
"O Nancy, why can't ye be happy here? We've a snug little cabin nest,
we've enough to eat and enough to wear. The baby's laughin' at yer
heels all day and snugglin' in her little bed at night. The birds make

music fur ye in the trees. The creek down thar's laughin' an' singing'
winter an' summer. The world's too purty an' life's too short ter throw
hit away fightin' an' scramblin' fur nothin'."
"For something--Tom--something big----"
"Don't keer how big 'tis--what of it? All turns ter ashes in yer hands bye
an' bye an' yer life's gone. We can't live these young days over again,
can we? Ye know the preacher says: 'What shall hit profit a man ef he
gain the whole world an' lose his life?' Let me off'n these lessons,
Honey? I'm too old; ye can't larn me new tricks now. Let me off fer
good an' all, won't ye?"
"No," was the firm answer. "It means too much. I won't give up and let
the man I love sign his name forever with a cross mark."
"I ain't goin' ter sign no more papers nohow!" Tom broke in.
"I signed our marriage bond with a mark, Tom," she went on evenly,
"just because you couldn't write your name. You've got to learn, I won't
give up!"
"Well, it's too late to-night fur any more lessons, now ain't it?"
"Yes, we'll make up for it next time."
The tired hunter was soon sound asleep dreaming of the life that was
the breath of his nostrils.
Through the still winter's night the young wife lay with wide staring
eyes. Over and over again she weighed her chances in the grim struggle
begun for the mastery of his mind. The longer she asked herself the
question of success or failure the more doubtful seemed the outcome.
How still the world!
The new life within her strong young body suddenly stirred, and a
feeling of awe thrilled her heart. God had suddenly signalled from the
shores of Eternity.

When her husband waked at dawn he stared at her smiling face in
surprise.
"What ye laughin' about, Nancy?" he cried.
She turned toward him with a startled look:
"I had a vision, Tom!"
"A dream, I reckon."
"God had answered the prayer of my heart," she went on breathlessly,
"and sent me a son. I saw him a strong, brave, patient, wise, gentle man.
Thousands hung on his words and great men came to do him homage.
With bowed head he led me into a beautiful home that had shining
white pillars. He bowed low and whispered in my ear: 'This is yours,
my angel mother. I bought it for you with