MOTHERING ON PERILOUS THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO ■ DALLAS ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Limited LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO When was a lonely heart more truly comforted?" MOTHERING ON PERILOUS BY LUCY FURMAN n WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY LANE McMILLAN AND F. R. GRUGER Nrro f nrk THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1914 All rights reserved %& Copyright, 1910, 1911, By THE CENTURY COMPANY. Copyright, 1913, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotypcd. Published September, 1913. Reprinted March, 1914. Xortooot! \) rrss : Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. Ea sttg ibga of &ix $rara Ago 282199 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Arrival on Perilous 3 II Getting Acquainted 9 III Acquiring a Family 17 IV War, not Peace 37 V Getting Better Acquainted 47 VI A Trade and Other Matters 55 VII Heroes and Hero Worship 65 VIII Dress, Chivalry and the Trojan War. . . 71 IX More Trading, and some Family History 84 X About Mothers 92 XI Over on Trigger 100 XII The Fightingest Boy 117 XIII Around the Fire 125 XIV The Visit Home, and the Funeral Occa- sion 141 XV Trouble on Trigger and Elsewhere 157 XVI Filial Piety and Croup 169 XVII Blessings and Hatings 176 XVIII Christmas Anticipations 183 XIX Christmas and Danger 192 ix x CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XX War and Worse on Trigger 202 XXI Suspense. 212 XXII The "Eech," and Tragedy 222 XXIII Despair, and Budding Romance 236 XXIV The Babe 249 XXV CnANGE and Growth 260 XXVI "Marvles" and Marvels 270 XXVII Transformation 283 XXVIII "Keeps" 293 XXIX Liberty and New Lipe 301 ILLUSTRATIONS "When was a lonely heart more truly comforted?" Frontispiece "My two assistants abandoned work to stare open- mouthed at him." 12 "'Here is Keats back again, — he has got to stay with you women and get Taming if it kills him dead! ".... 20 "' Genealogical ' and 'irreconcilable' were child's play to him, 'incomprehensibility,' a bagatelle" 30 " I sat wondering what if anything would be the proper literary milk for my babes." 39 "The table was overturned, chairs were flying, bedlam had broken loose" 41 " ' By dogs, now, did you ever see anybody look as good as me? " 49 " ' Just feel my muscle, ' he said, 'Oh, I'm so nervy! ' " . . 63 "'Fight, dogs, you rjaint no kin, 'F you kill one an- other, taint no sin! ' " 79 " 'That's where I keep lookout of moonlight nights when war is on.' " 103 "As I looked, I said to myself over and over, 'Is it possi- ble this is a slayer of men, an eluder and defier of thelaw?'" 108 That 'ere little Iry is a-giving Jason the best whipping down in the stable lot ever you seed.' " 123 Not until she got out of the tall weeds, and into the branch, was the joyful discovery made that nine xi .. . rii ILLUSTRATIONS little new pigs followed her closely and shame- facedly" 148 "'I got a dead tree up the hollow I practice on all the time* " 171 "The first real snow yesterday, and the boys wild in consequence" 173 " ' Blant he rushed on 'em like a robbed she-bear, rout- ing 'em in no time' " 205 "'I allow they shot me up a little too, by these here rags on my head.' " 215 "Blant caught the dying Rich in his arms" 233 "'Dag gone me, he's got use enough for little Dilsey, by Ned!'" 245 "I kotch him at it one time" 273 "'Take it, Joe, I refuse to touch it, I have shot my last shoot!' " 280 " He sat in church the very picture of elegance, the real direction of his thoughts indicated by an occa- sional ardent glance across the aisle" 288 "'Well, dad burn your looks, where 'd you git all them marvles you been selling?' " 298 "Nucky's voice rang out sharp and clear. . 'Make for them spruce pines! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!' " 304 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS MOTHERING ON PERILOUS I ARRIVAL ON PERILOUS JOSLIN, KY. Last Thursday in July. Here I am at the end of the railroad, waiting to begin my two-days' wagon-trip across the mountains. But the school wagon has not arrived, — my landlady says it is delayed by a "tide" in the creeks. By way of cheering me, she has just given a graphic account of the twenty-year-old feud for which this small town is notorious, and has even offered to take me around and show me, on walls, floors and court- house steps, the blood-spots where seven or eight of the feudists have perished. I declined to go, — it is sad enough to know such things exist, without seeing them face to face. Be- 3 4 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS sides, I have enough that is depressing in my own thoughts. When I locked the doors of the old home day before yesterday, I felt as a ghost may when it wanders forth from the tomb. For a year I had not been off the place; it seemed I should never have the courage to go again. For I am one whom death has robbed of everything, — not only of my present but of my future. In the past seven years all has gone; and with Mother's passing a year ago, my very reason for existence went. And yet none knows better than I that this sitting down with sorrow is both dangerous and wrong; if there is any Lethe for such pain as mine, any way of filling in the lonely, dreaded years ahead of me, I must find it. It would be better if I had some spur of necessity to urge me on. As it is, I am all apathy. If there is anything that could interest me, it is some form of social service. A remarkable ARRIVAL ON PERILOUS 5 settlement work being done in the mountains of my own state recently came to my atten- tion; and I wrote the head-workers and ar- ranged for the visit on which I am now em- barked. I scarcely dare to hope, however, that I shall find a field of usefulness, — nothing interests me any more, and also, I have no gifts, and have never been trained for anything. My dearest ambition was to make a home, and have a houseful of children; and this, alas, was not to be! Night. Howard Cleves, a big boy from the settlement school, has just arrived with the wagon — he says he had to "lay by" twenty-four hours on account of the "tide" — and we are to start at five in the morning. Settlement School on Perilous. Sunday, In Bed. I have passed through two days of torture in 6 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS that wagon. When we were not following the rocky beds of creeks, or sinking to the hubs in mudholes, we were winding around precipitous mountainsides where a misstep of the mules would have sent us hundreds of feet down. Nowhere was there an actual road, — as Howard expressed it, "This country is intended for nag-travel, not for wagons." The mules climbed over logs and bowlders, and up and down great shelves of rock, the jolting, crash- ing, banging were indescribable, my poor bones were racked until I actually wept from the pain and would have turned back long before noon of the first day if I could; the thirteen hours — during which we made twenty-six miles — seemed thirteen eons, and I fell into the feather- bed at the stopover place that first night hat, dress, shoes and all. Yesterday, having bought two pillows to sit on, I found the jolting more endurable, and was able to see some of the beauty through which we were passing. There ARRIVAL ON PERILOUS 7 is no level land, nothing but creeks and moun- tains, the latter steep, though not very high, and covered mostly with virgin forest, though here and there a cornfield runs half-way up, and a lonely log house nestles at the base. There were looms and spinning-wheels in the porches of these homes, and always numbers of children ran out to see us pass. Just at noon we turned into Perilous Creek, the one the school is on. Here the bed was unusually wide and smooth, and I was enjoying the respite from racking and jolting, when Howard said with an anxious brow, "All these nice smooth places is liable to be quicksands, — last time I come over, it took four ox-teams to pull my span and wagon out. That's how it gets its name, — Perilous.' ' We escaped the quicks, thank heaven, and just at dark the welcome lights of the school shone out in the narrow valley. I was relieved to find I should be expected to remain in bed to-day. 8 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Racked muscles, black-and-blue spots, and dislocated bones are not exactly pleasant; but physical pain is an actual relief after endless ache of heart and suffering of spirit. A pretty, brown-eyed boy just brought in a pitcher of water, asked me if I came from the "level country" and how many times I had "rid" on the railroad train; and gave me the information that he was Philip Sidney Floyd, that his "paw" got his name out of a book, that his "maw" was dead, that he was "very nigh thirteen," and had worked for "the women" all summer. n GETTING ACQUAINTED Monday Night. Early this morning I was taken around by Philip and a smaller boy named Geordie to see the buildings, — handsome ones of logs, set in a narrow strip of bottom land along Perilous Creek. The "big house" especially, a great log structure of two-dozen rooms, where the settlement work goes on, and the teachers and girls live, is the most satisfying building I ever saw. There are also a good workshop, a pretty loom-house, and a small hospital, and the last shingles are being nailed on the large new school- house. When I asked the boys why any school- term should begin the first of August, they ex- io MOTHERING ON PERILOUS plained that the children must go home and help their parents hoe corn during May, June and July. All day the children who are to live in the school, and many more who hope to, were arriving, afoot or on nags, the boys, however small, in long trousers and black felt hats like their fathers, the girls a little more cheerfully dressed than their mothers, whose black sun- bonnets and somber homespun dresses were depressing. Many of the parents stayed to dinner. There is a fine, old-fashioned dignity in their manners, and great gentleness in their voices. I have always heard that, shut away here in these mountains, some of the purest and best Anglo-Saxon blood in the nation is to be found; now I am sure of it. It was pathetic to see the eagerness of these men and women that their children should get learning, and to hear many of them tell how they themselves had had no chance whatever at an education, being GETTING ACQUAINTED n raised probably sixty or eighty miles from a school-house. Late in the afternoon, as Philip, Geordie and I were fastening up straying rose-vines on the pine-tree pillars of the " big house " porch, a one-legged and very feeble man, accompanied by a boy, dismounted at the gate and came up the walk on a crutch. During the time he sat on the porch, my two assistants abandoned their work to stare open-mouthed at him. When he was called in to see the heads, Geordie inquired of his boy, "How'd your paw git all lamed up that- away?" The new arrival pulled his black hat down, frowned, and measured Geordie with gray, combative eyes, before replying, coldly, "Warring with the Cheevers." "Gee-oh, air you one of the Marrses from Trigger Branch of Powderhorn?" "Yes." l ■■ nil My two assistants abandoned work to stare open-mouthed at him." GETTING ACQUAINTED 13 "What's your name?" "Nucky." "How old air you?" " Going-on-twelve." "What kin is Blant Marrs to you?" "My brother." "You don't say so! Gee, I wisht I could see him! Have you holp any in the war?" "Some." Here Nucky was called in, to the evident disappointment of his interlocutor. Later, I saw him at the supper- table, gazing disapprovingly about him. After supper I had a few minutes talk with the busy head-workers, and placed myself at their disposal, with the explanation that I really knew very little about anything, except music and gardening. They said these things are just what they have been wanting, — that a friend has recently sent the school a piano (how did it ever cross these mountains!) and that some one to supervise garden operations 14 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS is especially needed. "Besides, what you don't know you can learn," they said, "we are always having to do impossible and unexpected things here, — our motto is ' Learn by doing.'" I am very dubious; but I promised to try it a month. They told me that between six and seven hundred children had been turned away to-day for lack of room, — only sixty can live in the school, though two hundred more attend the day-school, which begins to- morrow. Friday Night. What a week! Foraging expeditions and music-lessons to big girls in the mornings, and in the afternoons, gardening, with a dozen small boys to keep busy. This is an industrial school, — in addition to the usual common-school sub- jects, woodwork, carpentry, blacksmithing, gar- dening, cooking, sewing, weaving and home- nursing are all taught, and the children in GETTING ACQUAINTED 15 residence also perform all the work on the place, indoors and out. But alas, my agricultural force is diminishing, — the small boys are leav- ing in batches. This is the first year any number have been taken to live in the school, and they are unable to endure the homesickness. Nucky Marrs left after one night's stay; three others followed Tuesday afternoon, and five on Wednesday; more were taken in, but left at once. Keats Salyer, a beautiful boy who has wept every minute of his stay, ran away a third time this morning. Yesterday Joab Atkins left when the housekeeper told him to help the girls pick chickens. Eight new boys came in to-day, but the veterans, Philip and Geordie, say these are aiming to leave to-morrow. Friday is mill day in the mountains, and this morning, having had the boys shell corn, I took it to mill to be ground into meal, in a large "poke" (sack) slung across my saddle. When I had gone a mile up Perilous, the thing wriggled 1 6 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS from under me and fell off in the road. Of course I was powerless to lift it, though equally of course I got off the school nag and tried. There was nothing to do but sit on the roots of a great beech until somebody came along. Two men soon rode up, and smiling, dismounted and politely set the poke and me on Mandy again, and I reached the mill in safety. When I got back, my black china-silk was ruined from sitting on the meal. Ill ACQUIRING A FAMILY Sunday. Sure enough, the eight new boys were gone before sun-up yesterday, only Philip and Geordie remain, and gardening is at a standstill. All day yesterday and to-day I have thought of the runaways, and wondered if there is any way of making them stay and take advantage of their opportunities. Our young manual-training teacher, and only man, lives at the cottage with the dozen small boys; but, being a man, prob- ably he cannot give them a home feeling, and get them rooted. Only a woman could do that. If I had the courage and cheerfulness, I would go over there and live with those little boys and try to make them feel at home. But it is useless 17 18 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS to think of such a thing,— my sadness would repel them, — they would run away faster than ever. Monday Night. The heads said to me this morning, "We shall give up trying to keep little boys in the school, — it is useless, though we need them almost as much as they need us. If there were just some one who loves children to stay there and take a real interest in them, they might be satisfied to remain." "I love children," I said, "but I would not think of inflicting myself upon them, — I am not cheerful enough." "Cheerful!" they exclaimed, "why, every- body is cheerful here, — no time for anything else ! Suppose you try it ! " "I really couldn't think of it," I replied; but, fifteen minutes later, under the spell of their optimism, I was moving over from the big house to the small boys' cottage, from which ACQUIRING A FAMILY 19 the manual-training teacher was departing to join the big boys over the workshop. This small cottage is the building in which the work began here five years ago. It is separated from the rest of the school-grounds by a small branch; in its back yard is the wash- house, and beyond this the stable lot slopes down to Perilous Creek. There are four com- fortable rooms, neatly papered with magazine pages, — a sitting-room, two bedrooms for the boys, and one for me. The woodwork in mine being battered, I sent Philip down to the nearby village for paint. He returned with a rich, rosy red, and began laying it on my mantelpiece with gusto, while Geordie Yonts put shelves in a goods-box for my bureau. Never have I seen a small chunk of a boy with such a large, in- gratiating smile as Geordie's. In the midst I heard a call from the road, and saw at the gate a nag bearing a woman and two small boys. "Here is Keats back again, — he 'Here is Keats back again, — he has got to stay with you women and get Taming if it kills him dead!'" ACQUIRING A FAMILY 21 has got to stay with you women and get Taming if it kills him dead!" declared his Spartan mother; "and I brung Hen this time, to keep him company, — he haint so tender-hearted.' ' She sternly pushed the weeping Keats off the nag, and he flung himself down in the doorway, howling dismally. But little Hen, who cannot be more than nine, walked composedly into the house, looking about him with interest. He stopped before the almost-completed mantel- piece. "Gee, woman," he said, "that 'ere's the dad-burn prettiest fireboard ever I seed!" "If you like it, you shall have the same in your room, and all the rooms," I said. "Suppose you and Keats go down right now and buy me a gallon more of this paint. And I think we need some candy, too, — say a quarter's worth of peppermint sticks." The tears miraculously left Keats 's face, they hurried off, and later we had a feast of candy flavored with paint. 22 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Tuesday. A terrible night with fleas, and up at five (awful hour!) to teach the boys to make their beds and clean their rooms. Hen's first question was, " Woman, what's your name? " " Loring," I replied. "Haint you got nary nother?" "Yes, Cecilia." "Gee-oh, that's some shakes of a name. How old air you, Cecilia?" "I am old enough to have a Miss before my name always," I said, severely; "you must call me Miss Loring, just as people call your mother Mrs. Salver." "They don't," he replied, "they call her Nerves ty." "All these-here fotch-on women gits called Miss, son," admonished Geordie; "you haint used to their quare ways yet." Later, there was another halloo from the road, and as Joab Atkins slid off the end of a mule, his father remarked to me, with extreme gentleness, that he allowed Joab would be ACQUIRING A FAMILY 23 willing to pick a chicken now. Mr. Atkins is a handsome man, with perfect manners. When he said he had a younger son over on Rakeshin he would like to bring us, little Iry, ten years old, a "pure scholar, that knows the speller from kiver to kiver," I told him to bring Iry at once. Just before supper I was pleased to see an- other runaway returned, — Nucky Marrs, of Trigger Branch. But before his father was out of sight up the road, he calmly announced to me that he didn't aim to stay, and that neither his paw nor anybody else was able to make him. I believed him, — one glance at his vivid face and combative eyes convinced me. "Very well, ,, I said, "if you cannot be happy, of course you must go. But it will hurt my feelings a good deal, — however, don't think of them." "What difference is it to you?" he demanded. " Only this, — I have lost everybody I love in 24 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS the world, and have come to the cottage to live with you boys because I am so terribly lonely. If you can't like me well enough to stay, life will seem a failure." He pondered a long while, frowning a little, with large gray eyes fixed on my face. Then he said at last, "I don't know as I'll go right off." "Oh, thank you," I replied, gratefully. From seven to eight we have study-hour at the cottage. To-night Geordie watched the clock-hands for twenty minutes before they reached eight, then slammed his geography shut, and commanded, "Tell about the Marrs-Cheever war!" All the boys woke up at once, and Nucky began, slowly: "The Marrses has lived on Trigger ever sence allus-ago. My great-great- great-grandpaw fit under Washington and got a big land-grant out here and come out from Old Virginny. And the Cheevers they has alius lived down the branch from us. More'n ACQUIRING A FAMILY 25 thirty year' gone, Israel Cheever he had a new survey made, and laid claim to a piece of our bottom where the lands jines; and him and his brothers tore down the dividing fence and sot it back up on our land; and the next week, my grandpaw and his boys sot it down where it belonged, and while they was at it, the Cheevers come up and they all fit a big battle. And ever sence, first one side and then t'other has been setting back the fence, and gen'ally a few gets kilt and a lot wounded. Six year gone, paw got his three brothers kilt and a leg shot off and a couple of bullets in his lung, in a battle, and haint been able to do a lick of work sence. Blant, my big brother, wa'n't but fifteen then, and he's had to make the living ever sence, with me to help him. And for five year' before he got good-grown, the Cheevers they helt our land, and Blant he laid low and put in all his spare time at gun practice. Then last fall, on the day Blant was twenty, he rounded up Rich 26 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Tarrant and some more of his friends, and Uncle Billy's boys and me, and we tore up the fence, and sot it down on the old line where it ought to be; and the Cheevers, Israel and his ten boys, got wind of it, and come up, and there was the terriblest battle you ever seed." "I heared about it," interrupted Geordie, "I heared Blant was the quickest on the trigger of any boy ever lived, and laid out the Cheevers scandlous. ,, "He kilt two of 'em dead that day, and wounded five or six more pretty bad," resumed Nucky, "and the fighting it went on, off and on, all winter. Every now and then, of a moon- light night, the Cheever boys would start to tear down the fence and set it back up; but we kep' a constant lookout, and was alius ready for 'em. Finally they got discouraged trying to fight Blant in the open, and tuck to ambush- ing. Three of 'em laywayed Blant under a cliff one day in April, and Elhannon got kilt, and ACQUIRING A FAMILY 27 Todd and Dalt so bad wounded they left the country and went West. They are the youngest and feistiest of the lot, — t'other boys is mostly married and settled, and not anxious to risk their lives again' Blant's gun no more — and sence they went off, we have had a spell of peace." "What do you do in the war?" "Oh, I keep a lookout, and spy around, and stand guard over the fence with my gun." "Gee, I wisht I had a war in my family!" sighed Philip, fervently. Thursday, Two more nights of suffering, — Philip said to me this morning, " I heared you up a-fleaing four or five times in the night." When I found that several panels of the back fence had been washed away by the "tide" of week-before-last, and that neighborhood hogs were coming in and out at will, and making their beds under my very room, I did not wonder. 28 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS This morning at the breakfast table, Philip's face was so dingy that I inquired, "Have you washed your face?" "Yes," was his reply. Something moved me to inquire further, "When?" "Day before yesterday," he replied, with perfect nonchalance. This is dangerous, — already I can see that Philip is to be, like his illustrious namesake, "the glass of fashion and the mold of form," and that the younger boys, will be only too ready to omit disagreeable rites if he does. Poor Keats, who in the matter of beauty certainly lives up to his name, really seems in- consolable. While he cleans the chicken-yard in the mornings, my heart is wrung by hearing him chant the most dismal of songs, Oh bury me not, on the broad pa-ra-a-ree, Where the wild ky-oats will holler over me! and in the hour after supper, when the others ACQUIRING A FAMILY 29 play out of doors, he sits with me, telling about Nervesty and the four little children at home, and the spell of typhoid all the family had last year, when his father and little sister Dicey died, and how "Me 'n' Nervesty and Hen" have run the farm since then, tending fifteen acres of corn, besides clearing new-ground, and other labors. Poor little man, it is the knowl- edge that he is really needed at home, as much as homesickness, that preys on his mind, — his mother is making a noble sacrifice to let him stay in the school. It seems to comfort him somewhat to weep on a sympathetic bosom. Peppermint candy, too, is not without its efficacy. To-day came Taulbee Boiling, a dignified boy of thirteen, with a critical eye, and later, Mr. Atkins again, with the "pure scholar" in tow. Iry is a thin, puny-looking mite of ten, much too small for his trousers. He said "Yes sir" and "No sir" most politely when 3<> MOTHERING ON PERILOUS speaking to me, and carried an old blue-back speller under one arm. So great was my curiosity that I opened the book at once. The result was amazing, — " genealogical' ' and "ir- *£a$m "'Genealogical' and 'irreconcilable' were child's play to him, 'incomprehensibility,' a bagatelle." reconcilable" were child's-play to him, " incom- prehensibility/ ' a bagatelle. It was interesting to see his scared little face brighten as he climbed up and down the hard words and beheld my growing astonishment. ACQUIRING A FAMILY 31 This afternoon while I had the boys mending the back fence, Geordie, who had been left to scrub my floor with carbolic acid solution, came back to the stable-lot bringing a new boy, whom with a flourish of his brush he intro- duced as follows: "Here's the boy that fit the marshal that kilt his paw. And one time he seed the world and rid on a railroad train. Killis Blair's the name he goes by." Killis is a handsome blonde boy of twelve, not unaware of his double importance. To-night after study-hour there was another catechism by Geordie. "Tell about ridin' on the railroad train!" he ordered. Killis began: "The month before paw got kilt last spring, the officers was a-watching him so clost he was afeared to sell any liquor round about home, so me and him we tuck a barrel acrost the mountains to Virginia, where there's mines, and it would fetch a good price. We 32 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS loaded fodder on top. The going was awful sorry, and the steers was three days at it. When I got there, I seed men walking round with their hats afire, and went down to the railroad-train and rid on the engine." "What did it look like?" demanded Philip, breathlessly. "Sort of like a saw-mill sot up on wheels." "I'd sooner die as not to see one!" sighed Philip. "I aim to see one when I'm a perfessor," remarked Taulbee. "I bet I see a hundred when I go to be a soldier," sai4 Nucky. "I'd ruther see a railroad-train as to eat!" declared Geordie, and this appeared to be the prevailing sentiment, except with Keats, who said dismally that he didn't crave to see any- thing that would take him fifty mile' from Nervesty and home. After reflection, Hen agreed with him. ACQUIRING A FAMILY 33 "Listen at them two homesicks!" remarked Philip, cuttingly. Geordie folded his fat hands. "Now you might tell about your paw gettin' kilt," he said. Killis said that the officers had been spying around on his "paw" a long time for "stilling " liquor, but that he was too smart for them, and moved the still about, and made liquor by night, and also frightened them by sending word to the marshal he would never be taken alive. That one night they had just "drug" the still up to a new place in the hollow, and he and his father and uncles were sitting around the fire, when there was a yell, and the marshal and a deputy burst in, shooting as they came. That his uncles returned the fire, but before his father could do so, he fell, with a dreadful wound through the stomach. That he himself, when he saw his father fall, snatched a hunting- knife and cut the marshal in the forearm with it as he was ninning out 34 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS The last item he told without bragging, and quite as a matter of course. The other boys gave him looks of approval and envy, all save Nucky. "By Heck, I wouldn't have stopped with his arm," he declared. " I haint," replied Killis, quietly. Evidently I have two heroes on my hands! Saturday Night. Moses and Zachariah, two more runaways, were returned this morning, and this afternoon arrived my twelfth boy, — the last, since they cannot sleep more than three in a bed! Jason is a beautiful child of seven, very funny in his little long trousers. I wanted him at sight, but hesitated on account of his youth. When I heard from his father, however, that he had no mother now, I took him at once. Before leaving, Mr. Wyatt said that Jason was right pyeert about learning, and, he added candidly, about meanness too, and he hoped I would not spar' the rod. The rod indeed, — I threw a protecting ACQUIRING A FAMILY 35 arm around the angelic-looking child at the word. Indeed, not a few of the parents have warned me against wild and warlike tendencies in their offspring, — Mr. Marrs, for instance, said that Nucky was a master scholar when he could leave off fighting long enough to study his books, and others have admonished me to hold a tight rein. Their warnings are needless, — every- thing so far has gone with surprising smooth- ness, confirming my theory that in an atmos- phere of love and gentleness the martial traits will be atrophied. To-day things were more tumultuous, Satur- day being combined wash-and-cleaning-day at the school, and a hard time for all hands. Ten of the girls came over from the big house to our back yard, and there, assisted by one of my boys, who kept up fires under the big kettles and carried water from the well, did the washing for the entire school; while in every building on 36 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS the place cleaning, scrubbing and window- washing were in full blast. I was sorry to have to punish little Hen to-night for calling it a "hell of a day." IV WAR, NOT PEACE Monday Noon. Yesterday morning I accompanied my boys to Sunday-school in the village. They showed a good deal of restlessness before the service was over, — not surprising considering that only two had ever heard of a Sunday-school before. After dinner I undertook to cheer and enter- tain them by reading Robinson Crusoe, out in our yard, beginning in the thick of the story, where the hero is in sight of his island. What was my chagrin to see one pair after another of bright, roving eyes dull and close, one head after another roll over in the grass, Nucky Marrs holding out longest, and murmuring wearily, as 37 38 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS his head settled back against a tree, "Didn't he never get into no fights, or kill nobody?" Discouraged, I sat for a long while gazing upon the twelve sleepers, and wondering what if anything would be the proper literary milk for my babes. When the boys at last awoke from their naps, I gave them permission to play mumble- peg very, very quietly — the heads had told me to keep them quiet on Sundays — and they made a desperate effort to do so. But probably behavior so far had been impossibly good, and this was the last straw. At any rate, when we were gathered in the sitting-room after supper for ten minutes of Sunday-school lesson, the storm broke. Nucky kicked Killis on the shin; Killis called him a smotch-eyed polecat; the two grappled; Philip flew to Nucky's assistance, Joab to Killis's; Keats, Hen and Moses rushed in on the Marrs side, Taulbee, Zachariah and Iry on the Blair, little Jason flew [ I sat wondering what if ^7 anything would be the proper literary milk for * **-^U? ZJt'JU —~ . my babes." ' Al"0 % £C 39 4 o MOTHERING ON PERILOUS joyously into the fray, impartially attacking both sides, and Geordie prudently retired under the table. It all happened in a flash, — before I could catch my breath the table was overturned, chairs were flying, bedlam had broken loose. In vain I commanded, implored, threatened, — I might as well have spoken to the raging sea. Dreadful moments followed, during which I could only dodge chairs and wring my hands wildly. Worse was to come, however, — when I saw Kill is grab the shovel, Nucky the poker, and Keats the tongs, while Philip wrested off a table-leg, and Taulbee and others either smashed chairs to pieces for weapons, or seized remaining table-legs, then indeed I felt that death was im m inent for all concerned, and, running to the door, shrieked for Howard and the big boys over the workshop. Returning, I plucked the broom from Iry, and rushed with it, straw end foremost, into the thick of the "The table was overturned, JpT chairs were fly- ing, bedlam had broken loose. " 4i 42 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS fight I was lammed on the head by a shovel, on the shoulder by a table-leg, on the elbow by something,— it is not safe to say what might have been the outcome had not Howard oppor- tunely arrived, snatched the broom from me, and, with the handle-end, beaten and whacked the boys mercilessly until they finally sur- rendered their weapons and retired, bloody but happy, from the "battle." I lay long awake last night, not from fleas, but nursing bruises and reconstructing theories. I see now that love and gentleness need to be backed up by good muscle, and that to be a success in my undertaking here I require, not the small body I actually possess, but the physique of an Amazon. Of course it is all a mistake, and I must give it up, even sooner than I had anticipated. But I am sorry, — the boys are most attractive, and time spent with them passes with lightning swiftness, — in- credible as it seems, for seven whole days I have WAR, NOT PEACE 43 not had a chance to think of myself, my grief, my loneliness. Undoubtedly this is the Lethe I need, — but if its waves buffet me to bits, what then? Later. Inspiration came when I visited the loom- house this morning, and saw Cleo Royce, the head-weaving-girl, at her work. She is so large and handsome and strong, — a young Juno, with glorious muscle. The heads are to let her come to the cottage and occupy a cot in my room, — I am determined to stay out my month. Wednesday. For two days I have taken away their scanty playtime from the boys in punishment of their righting Sunday night. Yesterday I talked to them very solemnly on the subject. "Why, it's just an accident you didn't kill one another or me," I said, "and then how should you have felt?" 44 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "I'd hate right smart to kill a woman," replied Nucky Marrs; "but gee, I would'nt mind laying out a few boys. I got to begin somewheres, — a man haint nobody till he's kilt off a few!" To-night when I announced that regular twice-a-week baths must begin at once, and that four of the boys must get ready to wash them- selves, a shout of delight went up, "Whoopee! We git to go in the creek, — git to go in Peril- ous! " — and every boy demanded to be one of the lucky four. When I explained that I did not mean go in the creek, but that they must heat water in the kettles in the yard, and carry it to the tubs in the wash-house, and bathe there, howls of indignation succeeded. "We haint no women!", "I'll go home first!", "Dad burn if I'll do it!", "Creeks is for men!", and Philip remarked scathingly, "Nobody but quare women would wash in a house when there's a creek handy!" It was only by Cleo's splendid WAR, NOT PEACE 45 strength that four were finally corralled in the wash-house. Friday. This has been an anxious week. The ice once broken by the fight Sunday night, every boy has felt free to be himself again. Nucky has fought every boy of his size and larger at the cottage, and, I hear, most of the hundred day-school boys; Killis, though not so aggres- sive, is quite as warlike; and the others, with the sole exception of Geordie, are not much behind. It is almost impossible for me to get garden- work done, so much of my time must be spent breaking up fights. Even at. meals (fortunately the boys and I have a table to ourselves in the dining-room at the big house) behavior is far from being what it should. Tuesday at breakfast, when Geordie undertook to instruct the new boys in table manners, and informed Killis it was not proper to eat with his knife, he was silenced by a jab 46 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS of the knife in his direction and a threat to cut out his liver; at dinner Wednesday, when Philip snatched a corn-dodger from Keats's plate, he received a spoonful of "sop" (gravy) full in the face; yesterday when Taulbee made disparaging remarks about Trigger Branch, Nucky plunged the prongs of a steel fork so deeply into his scalp that he had to receive attention from the trained nurse. It is difficult to eat with one's mind so distracted; but dis- traction is far better than desolation. GETTING BETTER ACQUAINTED Sunday Night. I have been hunting Sunday clothes in the barrels sent us by kind friends, — the garments the children bring with them must be saved for hard, every-day wear. This morning, when I eagerly exhibited the Sunday things to the boys, I was doomed to disappointment. They ex- pressed boundless contempt for the short trousers, flouted the knickerbockers as "meal pokes/' and declined to wear the pleated and belted coats. Even the little sailor suit I had found for Jason was refused with scorn, as not being "for men." White shirts most of them accepted, but collars and ties were different, — Taulbee argued that even preachers didn't wear those, so why should he? 47 48 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS I was non-plussed for five minutes; then my eyes chanced to rest on Killis, the noted trav- eller. Sending the others from the room, I handed him a dark-blue suit, very little worn, and requested him to get into my closet and put it on, just for my pleasure. He did so, and when I had fastened a collar and a soft red tie on him, I invited him to look in my glass. He was frankly delighted. "By dogs, now, did you ever see anybody look as good as me?" he inquired. "I think I never did," I replied with entire truth. "If these breeches was just long, I'd keep these here clothes and wear 'em," he said. "Short breeches," I assured him, "are the very latest style out in the level country; and," I added, "a boy who has seen the world and ridden on a railroad train is the very one to set new styles here,— the others would all follow what you did." By dogs, now, did you ever see anybody look as good as me?'" 49 SO MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "Dad bum my looks, then, if I don't keep these and wear 'em!" "Very well," I said, carelessly; "go along now and let me dress." My dress was half-way over my head when the entire dozen burst into my room without knocking. Taking refuge in the closet, I let them examine the "new-styles," and fight it out over disputed garments. Later, having pinned all the collars, tied all the ties, parted all the hair, and at the last moment washed difficult cracks in all the ears, I set forth with my family for the "church-house," swelling more and more with pride at every step. Never anywhere have I seen such an aristocratic- looking set of boys. After dinner, made wise by experience, I took them for a long walk up Perilous, to a beautiful, retired glen where they could play, fight (without weapons) and make all the noise they needed to. GETTING BETTER ACQUAINTED 51 On the way back, we met several women and girls on nags, and I was pained to see that my boys did not remove their hats. When I told them they must do so, Philip demanded why. "To show the respect you feel for women," I replied. "But I haint got none," he answered can- didly; "they never done nothing for me. I'd ruther take off my hat to a cow, — I git some- thing back from her!" This from the namesake of the Pattern of Chivalry! Philip is very much of a man, and a prodigious worker, — in the shop he does better work than most of the grown-up boys, and is actually permitted to make walnut furniture for the big house — but he certainly lacks minor virtues, such as courtesy and cleanliness. After supper I happened to ask Killis about his name, and told him I thought he must be named for Achilles, a hero who lived several thousand years ago, and was the greatest 52 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS fighter of his time. There were unanimous demands to hear all about him, and perforce I started in telling tales of the Trojan War. This time there was no drowsiness, but, as one great combat followed another, intense interest, and howls of remonstrance when I tried to stop. I have found acceptable literary food for my babes, — but alas, what they want is not milk at all, but blood! Wednesday Bed-time. Jason, my "little pet" as the others call him, resents any allusion to the fact that he is small, and burns to play the man. In our garden work, he seizes shovels and mattocks almost as large as himself from the bigger boys, and whacks away joyously with them. To-day while we were making gravel walks, I caught him wheeling Geordie's barrow, while Geordic made feeble passes at the gravel-bank in the creek with Jason's little broken-handled pick. Geordie explained, GETTING BETTER ACQUAINTED 53 "That 'ere little Jason says he's aiming to leave if you give him little-boy jobs, — he wants big ones. I told him he could take my wheel- borrow awhile, — that I were willing to trade jobs with him, to favor him." "I don't doubt you were," I said, sharply, — I begin to fear that Geordie's energy and talent reside mostly in his tongue. "He's able to do it all right," continued Geordie, imperturbably. "By dogs, you ought to have seed him fight out two of them little day-schools at a time yesterday! Any boy can fight like that ought to labor some, and would have to if he weren't a pet!" This evening while Keats gave me a glowing description of Nervesty's vinegar-pies (it would appear that his affection for her has no few of its roots in his stomach) and the other boys played numble-peg outside my window, what were my grief and surprise to hear the most fearful oaths I ever listened to issue from the sensitive lips 54 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS of the "pure scholar." Of course all the boys swear; but this was the worst ever. Where can he have learned it, and his father such a perfect gentleman? When I called him in and rebuked him, he was much downcast, — said he didn't aim to cuss, but he had been at it so long he couldn't quit. I told him the only way was to keep on trying, and how very, very happy it would make me when he should succeed; and he promised to try and try, "because," he added, almost in a whisper, "I like you." "And I love you," I said, gathering his thin little body to my heart. How happy his words made me, — they are the first to indicate that any of the boys care for me. They have a great deal of reserve, and are hard to get acquainted with, especially Nucky. But at least they are not leaving as they did. VI A TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS Saturday Night. Mrs. Salyer came in Thursday bringing some large pokes of beans, a gift to the school, and a saddle-bag full of apples for her boys. Next morning while supervising bed-making, I hap- pened to glance into the box on the wall where Keats had put the apples the night before, and, to my surprise, saw that they were all gone. "We et half of 'em off'n'on in the night, and Keats traded t'other half off to Geordie before we got up," explained Hen, — the three occupy the same bed. On my idle inquiry as to what Geordie gave for them, Keats produced with pride a mangy little purse, about the size of a dollar, looking as if it had been well-chewed. 55 56 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "Why, that wasn't a fair trade/' I said, "one apple would have been all that purse was worth. I must speak to Geordie about that." Of course in the rush later I forgot it. Moses and Zachariah having departed without fare- wells later in the day, I gave Geordie permission next morning to go to an uncle's over on Bald Eagle and bring back his elder brother, Absalom, to the school. Before leaving, he "gave me his hand" to be back "before the sun-ball draps this evening." The sun-ball drapped and rose and drapped again, however, before he returned; and last night as the boys were starting to bed, Philip asked me if I knew how much Geordie had made on those apples he traded Keats out of. "He sold seven to the day-schools for a cent apiece, and six to the manimal trainer for a dime, and three to Taulbee for a big ginger- cake he brung with him, and I give him a good taw for a couple more, and he traded the two A TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS 57 little wormy ones that was left to Keats for a purse." "What purse?" I inquired. "That 'ere one Keats swapped him all the apples for at first, — the one you said weren't worth more'n one apple. Keats told him you said so, and he said he would prove it were by giving Keats two-down for it, if he wanted; and Keats was glad to make the trade." "Do you mean to tell me," I asked, "that Geordie made seventeen cents, a gingercake, a taw and the purse, out of that trade, and Keats lost everything but two wormy apples?" Philip scratched his head thoughtfully. "By grab, he skinned the little Salyer, didn't he? Gee, I wisht I was a born trader like him, dag gone his ole soul!" When Geordie returned to-night with Absa- lom, his jaw was tied up in a red bandana, he wore a look of patient suffering, and explained 58 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS that he had had such a sorry time with tooth- ache he could not return yesterday, indignantly repudiating Philip's suggestion that he had just wanted to stay and see a big time with the Yontses and drink their moonshine. Later, when, while filling a hot-water bag for him, I regretfully spoke to him on the subject of cheat- ing in trades, he was deeply hurt, said he had traded the apples back to Keats only to favor him, and confided in me that he aimed to be a preacher when he growed up. Sunday Night. During the ear-washing this morning, I had another round with Philip, whose ears are always the grimiest, hair the most unkempt, clothes the most tattered. "Philip," I said, with a groan, "you could be the handsomest boy on the place if you only would !" He replied contemptuously, "Handsome never earnt his salt; when a man steps in the door, looks flies up the chimley! ,, A TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS 59 In the midst of our altercation, Absalom sauntered into my room, took his stand before my mirror, and proceeded to give his hair a good dressing with my brush and comb. Later, as I saw Geordie walking to church with a Bible under his arm, heard his heart-felt singing of the hymns, and watched his pious, soap-shining face, I wondered I could ever have thought he meant to cheat anybody. The Trojan War made fine progress to-night, — it is only on Saturday and Sunday nights that we can have stories, as other evenings must be spent in study. From the first, Killis has identified himself with his famous namesake, while Nucky has as inevitably taken sides with the Trojans and Hector, so much so that the boys call him "Trojan." This evening he was scathing in his denunciation of Achilles. ' ' Gee, ' ' he said, "I wisht them Greeks had a-had a man along. Now if Blant had a-been there, you'd a seed some fighting! He wouldn't have sulled 60 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS around in no tent none ! He'd a-got the drap on Hector allus-ago, same as he done on Elhannon and Todd and Dalt Cheever when they lay- wayed him in April. He was riding along past the cliff where they was hid in the bushes, and heared the click of the lock when Elhannon cocked his trigger, and whirled around and poured six bullets into 'em before they could fire their guns, killing Elhannon and very nigh killing t'other two." Wednesday. I expected that with Iry's abilities in the way of spelling, he would be the pride and prodigy of the school; but I am pained to learn from his teacher that he can do nothing but spell. It seems that in the five-month district school he has attended three terms over on Rakeshin, nothing was taught but reading and spelling, — two lessons a day in the former, two in the latter, — thus does our noble commonwealth do her duty when she does it at all! Iry has had to go A TRADE AND OTHER MATTERS 61 back into the first grade to learn the rudiments of arithmetic, geography, grammar, etc. Last night Taulbee, the eldest, who is very opinionated, took occasion to enter a general protest against innovations such as night- gowns, tooth-brushes, fine-combs and the like, and wound up by arraigning the school methods of cooking. "Them little small biscuits you-all have don't make half of a good bite," he de- clared: "You women/' he continued, severely, "think you know so much, and lay down so many laws, and, by Ned, you don't even know how to bile beans ! " "How should beans be cooked?" I inquired. "A pot of string beans calls for a big chunk of fat pork and about four handful' of lard throwed in, to be fitten to eat," he said; "I haint tasted a right bean sence I come here." This afternoon arrived a solemn little man of eleven from over on Clinch, named Hosea Fields, to take the one vacant place. 62 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS When Jason came up from his bath to-night, he rolled up his gown sleeve and held out a pink arm to me. "Just feel my muscle," he said, "Oh, I'm so nervy !" "I reckon he is," said Keats, "I seed him lay out three-at-a-time of them little primaries at recess to-day." Last time it was two, now it is three. Of course these reports must be exaggerated, — such a baby could not be so warlike. Taking him in my arms and giving him a good hug, I said, "Jason, dear, I want you to remember that it is wrong for little boys to fight." Objections to bathing have been withdrawn, and the boys for some nights have gone to the wash-house with such alacrity that my suspi- cions were aroused, and I found they were taking advantage of their nude condition, and freedom from interruption, to do great stunts of fighting, the bathing being entirely lost sight of. I have been compelled to make a rule that each w*r Just feel my muscle,' he said, 'Oh, I'm so nervy!" 63 64 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS boy must present himself in his clean gown after his bath at my door for inspection of head, ears, neck and feet. VII HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP Saturday Bed-time. While the boys were scrubbing their rooms after breakfast this morning, Keats sauntered in, saying he had finished his job of cleaning the chicken-yard. I went back, found it anything but clean, and called up to Hen, who was sweeping the back steps, "Tell Keats to come back here and clean this yard better!" He had just passed the word along, "Hi, son, she says for you to come back and lick your calf over!" (I am becoming used to being "she" and "her" on all occasions) when Nucky appeared in the back door, waving excitedly for me. Not know- ing what battle, murder or sudden death might be in progress, I flew up the walk. The boys 6s 66 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS were all hanging out the front door. Nucky shot me through them like a catapult, saying, "Take a look at that 'ere man, — it's Asher Hardwick, from over in Bloody Boyne. He's kilt twenty-four in war, and nine in peace, and wouldn't wipe his foot on Achilles! " A gray, venerable-looking man was passing down the road on an ambling nag. "That man wouldn't hurt a fly," I said; "you must be mis- taken." "No, I haint, — I've seed him before. Of course he wouldn't hurt nobody less'n he was driv' to it; but the Mohuns just wouldn't give him no peace at all till they was all kilt off, — same as the Cheevers does us." "But how could he kill nine in peace?" I asked. " Kilt them just accidental, — they was witless folk that never knowed enough to keep out of his way when he was out after Mohuns. Asher he'd feel terrible about such as that." HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP 67 To-night as I related more Trojan War, there were frequent interruptions from Nucky (who, during the stories, holds the place at my right hand always) such as, "I can beat that with Asher Hardwick!", "Blant wouldn't have took no such sass from Agamemnon or nobody !", and then would follow stories which did indeed sometimes beat Greeks and Trojans. Later, he remarked, "If Hector and Achilles and them had a-lived now-a-days, they'd have got song-ballads made up about 'em, same as Asher and Blant. There's four or five about Asher— " "I know one," interrupted Absalom. "And there's one about Blant's revengement on the Cheevers when they laywayed him in April, — Basil Beaumont, over on Powderhorn, he made it." "I know that, too," said Absalom. "Achilles and Hector," I said, "did have song ballads made up about them, the very tales I am 68 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS relating to you now; and a great blind poet, named Homer, went about singing them from palace to palace.' ' "Same as Basil Beaumont," said Nucky; "he don't never do a lick of work, — folks gives him his bed and vittles just to set in the chimley- corner and pick and sing song-ballads." Geordie had left the room when Absalom spoke; he now returned with a small, home- made banjo — produced, I suppose, from the mysterious locked box he keeps there — and Absalom, tuning it, began to pick and sing an indescribably bloody and doleful song, "The Doom of the Mohuns," which fairly made my blood run cold. This finished, "Blant's Re- vengement ,, was demanded and sung, the words of it being as follows: Blant Marrs he was a fighting boy, Most handy with his gun. On Trigger Branch of Powderhorn His famous deeds were done. HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP 69 For thirty year' the war it raged All o'er a strip of bottom. Sometimes the Marrses triumphed strong, Again, the Cheevers got 'em. His paw lamed up, his uncles kilt, Five year' Blant mourned his land, Until, good-grown, beside the fence He took his battle-stand. Then Ben and Jeems they bit the dust And perished in their gore, And many Cheevers his good gun Felt sharp, and dreaded sore. Elhannon, Todd and Dalton then Planned Blant for to layway All unbeknownst, while travelling Upon a fair spring day. Beneath a cliff where Trigger bends In ambush they lay low. Oh, Blant, you better say your prayers! Death lurks at your elbow! Oh, Blant, I wish you was safe at home; I think you'll never be; I would not give a tallow-dip For all your chance I see! 70 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS He comes, he hears a swift lock click, And, swifter than the wind, He turns, six barrels emptying Before they can begin. Elhannon nevermore will see The sun rise o'er the peak; And Todd and Dalt, up from their wounds, Far, absent countries seek. During the singing, the other boys cast envious glaces in Nucky's direction, and Philip probably voiced the sentiments of all when he exclaimed, "Dag gone, I wisht I had a big brother as mean as Blant!" VIII DRESS, CHIVALRY AND THE TROJAN WAR Sunday Evening. When we were ready to start for church this morning, I was surprised to see Nucky halt before me, and eye me frowningly from head to foot. "What makes you alius wear ole ugly clothes? ,, he inquired. "Haint you got no pretty ones, like t'other women?" I looked down at my black crepe de chine, — of course I have worn deep mourning since I lost Mother, and for six years before I had not had on a color. "You don't like it?" I asked. "I'd as soon look at a coal-bank, or a buz- zard," he replied. It suddenly struck me that the dear ones I have loved and lost would be of much the same 71 72 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS opinion. "Wait a minute, boys," I said. I flew back and pulled from my trunk a white dress and some black ribbons laid away a year ago. When I emerged, there was a chorus of pleased "gee-ohs" and a decided accession of friendliness, the boys trying who could be first in helping me over the frightful mudholes between the school and the village. I see my duty clear now, — white dresses instead of black. Thursday. Considering the antecedents of Nucky and Killis, I was not surprised when they informed me this morning they would make beds no longer, but would leave unless given men's work all the time. My reply, "But making beds if men's work," was met by incredulous whistles. "Now, boys," I said, "how about soldiers, — do you call them men?" "By grab, them's the only men is men, — I'd ruther be dead as not to be one," said Nucky. DRESS, CHIVALRY AND THE TROJAN WAR 73 "Gee, fighting's the best job there is," agreed Killis. "Well, soldiers make their beds every single day," I said; "I have a cousin right now at West Point, learning to be a soldier, and when he gets out he will command a whole company, and he makes his bed every morning, and couldn't be a soldier if he didn't." The two stood, dazed and pondering, for some minutes; then Nucky quietly flung an end of the sheet across to Killis, with the words, "There, son, take-a-holt of that kiver, and le's lay it straight!" To my great relief, I heard Keats singing a more cheerful song at his work to-day: Wisht I was a little turkle-dove, Setting on a limb so high. I'd take my darling on my knee And bid this world goodbye! and at dinner, by actual count, he ate nine corn-dodgers, three helpings of string-beans, 74 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS four sweet-potatoes and I know not how much sorghum. He still sits with me in the evenings, and I feel now that I have always known Nervesty and the four small children at home, especially Sammy the baby, not to mention Charlie, the "flea-bit" nag, Ole Suke, the "pied" cow, with her twin sons the steers Buck and Brandy, and her daughter Reddy the heifer (now the proud possessor of a little "pied" calf and a "blind" teat), also the big black sow, Julia, who, true to mountain traditions, never has less than nine in her family, and above all the wonderful dog, Ponto, who appears to be all that a dog can, and more. And not infrequently during these talks Keats is called out to help fight some antagonist of Hen's (though there is often civil war between the brothers, they always combine against out- side aggression); and at other times Hen will pause breathless on his swift way through house or yard to corroborate some statement of DRESS, CHIVALRY AND THE TROJAN WAR 75 Keats's with, " Gee, woman, that 'ere's a dandy of a dog! He can do anything but climb a tree, and he gits half-way up them. He rounds up the shoats and drives up Ole Suke and the steers gooder than I can; and possums! ground- hogs! polecats! dad burn my looks if he haint the beatenest ever you seed!" Friday. I have tried all along to respect Jason's feelings, and give him jobs which would injure neither his pride nor his person. But yesterday while we were spading up a patch for turnip-and- mustard-greens, I forgot and sent him off to the school-yard to pick up trash. An hour later, I heard from a passer-by that he had been seen a mile up Perilous. "Don't you recollect him a-saying he would leave if you give him little- boy jobs? " Geordie reminded me. "Saddle the nag and hurry after him," I implored Taulbee. Sometime later, he over- took the proud child on his way to Spraddle 7 6 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Creek, and brought him back under pro- test. The boys say they see no good reason why they should say "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am." When I told them it was for the sake of polite- ness, Philip replied, "Polite's a lick-spittle, — I don't aim to be polite, — I don't have to, — I'm able to get what I want without it!" This last is only too true. "For they shall take who have the power, and they shall keep who can," is the creed of all, but more especially of Philip. This noon, when Iry's father had sent him from Rakeshin a fine, yellow, mellow apple, and the "pure scholar" was eating it as frugally and lingeringly as possible, Philip, came along, snatched it, bit off three-fourths, and coolly handed back the fragment to Iry, who, howling dismally, still had no re- dress. "To think you could do such a base thing!" I exclaimed, — "Rob a little boy who cannot DRESS, CHIVALRY AND THE TROJAN WAR 77 defend himself. You ought to be everlastingly ashamed!" "I was behind the door when shame passed by," replied the robber, flippantly. "You were indeed," I agreed; "I would not believe that a boy named Philip Sidney could be guilty of such a thing." Then I told him the story of the great Sir Philip, mortally wounded, fevered and athirst, handing the cup of water to the dying soldier beside him, with the words, "Your need is greater than mine." He pondered a moment, then remarked, "No man'd be such a fool, — I bet it's just a slander they made up on him!" I told him he should lose three days' play- time for his rapacity. Sunday Night. Last night the Trojan War reached a climax in the death of Horse-Taming Hector, amid shouts of joy from Killis, and howls of fury from Nucky. I have seen for two weeks that consid- 78 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS erable feeling has developed between the two on the subject, intensifying the natural jealousy each has of the prowess and reputation of the other. This morning I had left the boys at the big house to help with the breakfast dishes — the regular Sunday proceeding — and was standing in the back cottage door drinking in the beauty of the morning and the Sabbath peace of the hills, when savage yells smote my ears. Follow- ing the sound, I ran to the school-yard. When I arrived, Nucky had just buried his teeth in Killis's arm, from which the blood was spurting, while Killis was striking out fiercely with his knife. Around the combatants the other boys formed a delighted, cheering circle, within which Philip danced madly about, shouting, Fight, dogs, you haint no kin, T you kill one another, taint no sin! In another second, Nucky had abandoned the hold with his teeth, and was flashing his own "'Fight, dogs, you haint no kin, 'F you kill one another, taint no sin!"' 79 8o MOTHERING ON PERILOUS knife around Killis's throat. With a shinny- stick, I knocked up one knife after the other, and kept death at bay until four of the grown- up boys arrived and with difficulty separated the heroes and escorted them to the hospital to have their wounds staunched and dressed. Later, I heard that Nucky had begun it by leaping upon Killis with the words, "I'll show you Hector haint dead yet ! " To-night when I had the two in durance vile, and talked to them more severely than I had yet done on the evils of fighting, Nucky, the aggressor, gave as his excuse that his great- great-great-grandpa w had fit the British, his great-great-grandpaw the Indians, his great- grandpaw the Mexicans, his grandpaw the Rebels, and his paw and Blant the Cheevers ever since he could recollect, and that he him- self was just bound to fight. This was sound reasoning; and it brought before me with hitherto unrealized force the DRESS, CHIVALRY^AND THE TROJAN WAR 81 fact that these boys are in very truth the sons of heroes, — of forefathers who fought gloriously for freedom in the Revolution, afterward sub- dued the wilderness and the savages, and have since poured forth as one man from their fast- nesses to safeguard the Union in every emer- gency; and that here, forgotten and neglected by an ungrateful state and nation, is the precious stuff of which great patriots and heroes are made. Therefore I did not upbraid Nucky and Killis further; I merely explained to them the differ- ence between fighting just to be fighting, and fighting to save one's country, and, since they had no idea who the "British," the "Mexicans" and the "Rebels" were, told them something of the history and causes of those wars, and how I hoped that they, too, when necessary, would fight for their nation. And though to them at first their country meant their mountains only, and they were surprised to hear that the great 8a M llll RING ON PERILOUS "level land" beyond was also theirs to love and fight for, their affections were hospitable, and with one voice they demanded that an enemy of the nation be produced at once. Here endeth the Trojan War,- I see that it has fanned a flame already too intense. Even little Jason slipped out under the benches at ( Imn h thll morning, while I played the organ, and ind an hour later out in the road in front of the court-house, covered with mud, but glowing with the white-hot joy of having "whupped-out four-at-a-timc" of the little village boys. Hereafter I shall tell and read stories of heroes who won glory by fighting, not one another, but dragons, giants, gorgons, and like destroyers of their countries. Nucky inquired of me at supper to-night when he might make a visit home to Trigger; whereupon there was an instant and unanimous r on the part of the boys to accompany him, when he goes, and see the hero Blant. He DRESS, CHIVALRY AND THE TROJAN WAR 83 shook his head. " I haint aiming to take none of you," he said, "not if she'll go 'long with me," looking at me. "I?" I said, much complimented. "Why, surely I will if I can. But it is three weeks yet before your time comes:" — the children are permitted to go home over week-ends every seven or eight weeks, in rotation. I am glad he wants me, and feel a considerable desire to visit Trigger. IX MORE TRADING, AND SOME FAMILY HISTORY First Monday in September. Four weeks to-day since I acquired my family of sons, and now it seems as if I had had them always. So far from being ready to leave now my month is out, wild horses could not drag me away. The hours, once so leaden, pass with lightning swiftness; there is never any time for depression, or for looking into a desolate and dreaded future; my days are crammed with human interest, exciting as a dime novel. Be- sides, although I see no evidence that the boys care much for me, I care a great deal for them, and would not willingly leave them. Geordie brought back with him from our walk yesterday a large bundle of elder-poles. This MORE TRADING 85 morning, mumble-peg went out, and pop-guns came in, like a clap of thunder, and I heard that Geordie was selling lengths of elder to the boys for two cents, or a satisfactory equivalent. It was impossible this afternoon to get manure hauled to the new flower-borders, — every time a barrow would get out of sight, the wheeler would sit down on it and go to whittling a pop-gun. After being scolded a third time, Philip com- plained bitterly to me, "If you never wanted us to have pop-guns, whyn't you take them poles away from Geordie yesterday? Dad burn my looks, we git all the blame, and he gits all the gain, — he's a making it hand over fist." "He was the only one who thought of putting the elder to use," I said. "I suppose he has a right to his gains." Philip sadly admitted the justice of this view. "Dag gone me" he sighed, "I wisht I was a born trader and forelooker like him! Good 86 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS thing I haint aiming to be no preacher, I'd starve to death the first week. But Geordie he's cut out for it" " I'm afraid I don't see the connection between trading and preaching," I said. "Well, preachers can't take no money for preaching — it would be a sin — and they haint got much time for tending craps and such, and less'n they good traders they mighty apt to starve. Geordie he haint never going to run out of wheat-flour, let alone corn meal. Gee! if you could see the things he's got in that locked box of his!" "What has he?" I asked. "Oh, / haint never seed 'em, — nobody haint; but any minute in the day he can run his hand in and pull out something a boy'll think he's pine.- blank bound to have or die! " When I heard to-night that Keats's tooth- brush, Jason's blue necktie I gave him, Hen's fine-comb and pencil, Iry's "gallusses," and MORE TRADING 87 Nucky's only handkerchief, were among the articles traded for pop-gun material, I was moved to wrath with Geordie; but when he displayed to me the small and apparently worthless things he had accepted from other boys, — a torn woolen comforter from Taulbee, Killis's holey mittens, Joab's worn-out yarn socks, and a handful of rusty horse-shoe nails from Hosea, it seemed to me that, on the whole, there had not been such exorbitant exchanges for the joy of a pop-gun, and I softened my reprimand. Thursday. Mrs. Salver rode in to-day to see her boys, a watermelon in one saddle-pocket, a lot of fine pawpaws in the other. Oh the joy of the " two homesicks"! Before leaving, she said that her cousin Emmeline's funeral occasion was set for the fourth Saturday and Sunday in October, and she hoped her boys might be permitted to come home at that time and pay their respects to 88 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Emmeline, adding that she would be pleased to have me come with them. In answer to my puzzled inquiries — for I failed to see how Emme- line's death could be so nicely calculated in advance — she explained that funerals are never held in this country at the time of burial, when it is usually impossible to get a preacher, but that they are conducted in deliberate and appropriate style a year or two after the death. This is to be the little Salyers' first visit home — we think it best they shall not go until then — and never, I suppose, was a funeral- occasion the subject of such desire and rejoicing. Sunday Night. For two weeks we have been reading Haw- thorne's Wonder Tales; and this afternoon on our walk the boys, led by Nucky, searched hopefully in caves, coal-banks and rock-dens for gorgons, minotaurs and dragons, finding nothing worse, however, than a few rattle- snakes and copperheads, — a tame substitute MORE TRADING 89 and an old story. But the value of drawing their minds to foes in the abstract is already- apparent, — they fight less, and traits other than martial are coming to the front. Nucky has been giving his energies to learning, with results that astonish. His teacher says she has never seen such mental alertness. She has already put him up two grades, and says if he keeps on he may go up another this half-term. Iry, too, is proving his right to his title of "pure scholar." To-night when we began again on the Wonder Book, Nucky said, "I can tell you a story that beats them, — all about a man by the name of Christian, that fit with devils, and come near being et up by a % giant ten times as big as him. ,, There were loud cries of, "Tell it, Trojan!"; and he launched forth into a most graphic ver- sion of Pilgrim's Progress, the other boys listen- ing absorbed throughout the evening. When all started off to bed, I called Nucky back. 9 o MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "Where did you learn that story? " I asked him. "I have knowed it sence allus-ago," he said; " Maw she used to read it to me out of a book with pictures." It is the first time he has spoken of his mother, — I hear from the other boys that he lost her quite recently. "Then your mother had learning?" I in- quired. " She never got any inside a school-house," he replied; "but her great-grandpaw he had a sight of learning, and when he was a' old man, too feeble to do anything but set by the fire, he teached her how to read and write and figger, and was so proud of her being a scholar that when he come to die he left her what books he had,— there is several, all yallow and crumbly. One is a Bible; but the one I like is this-here about Christian and the devils. I used to lay and look at it by the hour, and learnt to read a-trying on it." MORE TRADING 91 This is most interesting as being another proof that the early settlers of this country were men of an education impossible to their descendants. It also helps to account for Nucky's remarkable mentality. He grasps a thing almost before it is spoken, has only to read over his lessons once, and remembers the stories I tell and read with surprising minuteness. Wednesday. I suppose I might have expected some ill effects from the hero-tales. When I went down to inspect the stable-lot this morning, I found three barn cats writhing in their death agonies, and Jason galloping off on a stick-horse, brand- ishing a ghinny-bat. His explanation that he was Bellerophon, the stick Pegasus, and the cats the three heads of the Chimaera failed to mollify me. I gave him his first taste of " the rod," and did not "spar'" it. Evidently the child has a poetic imagination, which must not be permitted to run riot. ABOUT MOTHERS Saturday Night. The little Salyers, while really fond of one another, have queer ways sometimes of showing it. This afternoon Keats called up wearily from the back yard, where for eight hours he had been carrying water and keeping up fires for the wash- girls, to Hen in the doorway, "What time is it, son?" to receive the affectionate reply, "Time all dogs was dead, — haint you sick? " To-night, sitting around our lamp, eating peppermint candy, the boys got to talking about their mothers, living or dead, — Keats and Hen of course about Nervesty, Taulbee, Killis and Hosea about their good mothers at home, Geordie and Absalom about theirs who is mar- 92 ABOUT MOTHERS 93 ried again and lives in Virginia, and Philip, Joab, Iry and Jason about theirs who are dead. Nucky alone did not talk, — it seems impossible for him to speak of his mother. Iry told many little incidents his remarkable memory enables him to recall, though his mother died when he was only three. One is, standing beside her while she fed him beans and sorghum from a spoon; another, having a small paddle and helping her "battle" the clothes as she washed them beside the branch; still an- other, being left by her in a pen made of rails and a log high up on the mountainside where she was hoeing corn, seeing a beautiful, shining, spotted thing come out on the log to sun itself, and amusing himself poking his finger at the pretty creature to make it lick out its tongue, rattle its tail, and "quile" itself up, till suddenly something fell on the bright head, and his mother, with a terrible scream, threw down her hoe and caught him to her bosom. These and 94 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS other scraps of recollection the "pure scholar" treasures so tenderly it seems hard indeed that his mother should have taken the "breast- complaint, — some calls it the galloping con- sumptV' and died so young, missing his love. " You know," I said to him, "that being dead isn't really being dead, but just gone out of sight. Your dear mother still lives and loves and watches over you constantly, though you cannot see her." "I alius heared dead folks was just h'ants, trying to layway and scare folks," said Iry. "Nothing of the kind," I assured him; "they can never be seen by these eyes of ours, but they are near, quite near us always, to love and pro- tect us, especially mothers their orphan chil- dren." There was a long silence. Then, with a sigh, little Iry exclaimed, slowly, "Dag gone, I wisht somebody'd a-told me that before,— I wouldn't a-been so lonesome!" ABOUT MOTHERS 95 Nucky, who had not spoken a word during the conversation, got up and hurried from the room. At bed-time, Hen slipped into my door to report, "I tracked Trojan to the hayloft, and heared him a-laying up there crying fit to kill for his maw." Poor child, — the still waters run deep! Sunday Night. Nucky asked for extra work during his play- time yesterday in order to make some money, and for three hours spaded flower-beds, receiving a dime in pay, and making a mysterious visit to the village after supper. This morning when I was ready for church, he came into my room with a yard of bright pink ribbon dangling from his hand. This he held out to me, saying, "You alius go about with them old black strings on, and haint got no pretty fixings like t'other women, — I allow you're too poor to buy 'em. I want you to have something pretty." For seven years I have not had on a color, — I 96 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS never supposed I could wear one again. But I slowly unfastened the black ribbon from my collar, and replaced it with the pink. Then I put my arms around Nucky, and kissed him. "I was poor, — horribly poor, Nucky," I said, "before I got you and the other boys. But I shall never feel poor again, after receiving such a precious gift as this!" Precious indeed it is, not only as representing untold sacrifice on his part, but as showing that he really cares for me, — he is so reserved and self-contained I did not dream he did. One thing is certain, — I will try to deserve his sacrifice and love, — to-morrow I will send away not only for bright ribbons, but for cheer- ful dresses which shall please his eyes and those of the others. No longer shall they see me in garments of heaviness. Tuesday. This noon, Iry, who since our first talk about swearing, has been trying without much success ABOUT MOTHERS 97 to stop it — sometimes he bites off the tail of a swear-word, but generally the head and trunk escape him — ran into my room with big eyes. " Geordie and me was a-quarling over a shinny- bat he traded me out of, and I started to say a' awful cuss-word at him, and then I ricollected what you said about my maw a- watching me all the time, and I never said a thing to him but 'Dad burn your ole soul!'" I congratulated the "pure scholar" on his great victory, and encouraged him to press on. Wednesday , Bed-time. To-day was Mother's birthday. While I was placing a bowl of asters before her picture over my fireboard, Nucky came in, and I spoke to him about her, telling him how her love and courage had sustained me through deepest sor- row, and how terribly I miss her now. After a while he said, in a low voice, "I miss my maw, too." "Tell me about her," I said. 98 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Then, little by little, and often with great difficulty, and with long silences, he told me the story of his mother; how devoted she had been to her children, and how eager that they, and especially he, should get learning, teaching him what she could, getting a little district school established on Trigger three years ago, and com- ing over herself to this school last April to try and get him in here, being nag-flung on her way home, and sustaining injuries which caused her to die a month later when her last baby was born; how on her deathbed she had called her family around her, and given them her love and blessing and advice, asking her husband never to put a "step-maw" over her children, and leaving them all in Blanks charge, confiding to his special care the day-old baby, "your paw being too puny to set up with it of nights," and passing away at last clinging to them and weep- ing bitter tears that she must leave them. He also told how Blant had accepted his sacred ABOUT MOTHERS 99 trust; tenderly and tirelessly minding the younger children, cooking and cleaning; when not out tending the crop, clearing new-ground, logging and the like, and how, above all, he has devoted himself to "the babe," patiently walk- ing the floor with it at night, warming its bottle, jolting it on his knee, toasting its little feet be- fore the fire, sleeping with it on his arm, and "making it sugar-teats and soot-tea as good as a woman." This being the same Blant who "never goes out without a gun," and has done such notable slaughter in the hereditary "war" with the Cheevers! I own to a large curiosity to behold this hero — more than ever since I heard what Nucky told me to-day. I am glad that the visit to Trigger comes the end of this week. XI OVER ON TRIGGER Monday Morning. Soon after breakfast on Saturday we set out on our sixteen-mile ride to Trigger Branch, I on Mandy, Nucky walking, — he refused to ride behind, remarking, "I'm alius used to seeing the women ride there. " The day was glorious, the way more and more beautiful as we pro- ceeded. We crossed three mountains, stopping on the top of one, where the sunlight sifted down through translucent beech leaves, to eat our lunch, and then " followed " Powderhorn, a large creek, two or three miles, finally turning up Trigger Branch. At its mouth, Nucky pointed out the little log school-house in which he has received his education up to this term, and farther on he showed me various rocks and OVER ON TRIGGER 101 trees where he has delighted to "layway" and "ambush" infant Cheevers. Trigger Branch is the most picturesque creek I have yet seen; along its sides cliffs and "rock-houses" alternate with rich hollows, small strips of bottom, and steep but flourishing cornfields. All the houses we passed on the lower reaches belonged to Cheevers, sons of Israel, and last of all was Israel's home. Three " sights, " or about a half- mile above this, is the disputed boundary-line, which runs down from a mountain spur on the right hand side, and then across a piece of bot- tom to the branch. The bone of contention is a triangular slice of bottom, with its apex at the foot of the spur, not an acre in extent, all told. As Nucky pointed it out to me, I looked with mingled curiosity and horror. The fence of course now stands on the ancient line claimed by the Marrses, where it has stood for nearly a century and a quarter. "It is impossible to believe that more than a 102 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS dozen lives have been sacrificed for this little piece of land," I said to Nucky, "why, I doubt if you could raise forty bushels of corn a year on it." His face flushed. "It haint the money's worth," he said, proudly; "we don't care noth- ing about that. But it was granted to my great-great-great-grandpaw for fighting the Brit- ish, and me'n' Blant would ruther die than part with a' inch of it." He pointed to a thick, dark clump of hemlock near the foot of the spur, on the Marrs land. "That's where I keep lookout of moonlight nights when war is on," he said. As we advanced, he showed me the steep cornfields tended by Blant and himself, the al- most upright pastures where some cattle and sheep were feeding, and above, the virgin for- est where Blant gets out yellow poplar and other fine timber, and on the very crest of the ridge, the gray, forbidding "high rocks" that MAMf LtJt* "That's where I keep lookout of moonlight nights when war is on.'" 103 104 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS are so fine for fox-hunts, and also, he says, for "hiding out" in if officers get too troublesome. "Blant he has a whole passel of warrants hanging over him, " he said, " and the sheriff and deputies they used to come over every now and then last winter a-hunting him. Of course he couldn't afford to give hisself up, or put in no time in jail, when he was so bad needed at home; and at first he would take to the rocks when he seed 'em a-coming. But that was a heap of trouble, and he got mighty tired of ft, and so next time they rid up he tuck his pistol and stepped out and told 'em that, bad as he hated to do it, circumstances was such that he would have to fire on 'em if they kep' bothering around; that he had the living to make for the family, and no time to spend setting around enjoying hisself in jail, — that with him duty come before pleasure, and he would have to request 'em to leave him alone. And seeing how he felt about it, they never come again for quite OVER ON TRIGGER 105 a spell, — not till after he kilt Elhannon in April. Then they kotch him purely by accident, but he got away from 'em that night, — I'll tell you about it sometime." We were now approaching the Marrs house, a large, substantial one of logs, built on the time- honored pattern of " two pens and a passage," — that is, two huge rooms, with an open hallway, below, and a great "loft", large enough for six ordinary rooms, above. " Cap'n Enoch Marrs raised it, more'n a hundred year' gone," said Nucky. Entering the open passage, which was hung with saddles, bridles and gearing of all sorts, and also with strings of beans and peppers, we passed into one of the lower rooms. Mr. Marrs arose, coughing, from one of the three large beds, upon which he had been resting, and welcomed me most kindly. In front of the great fireplace, four young children were gathered, and the eldest of these, a little woman of eight, 106 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS held in her arms an infant, upon whom I looked with special interest. This, then, was "the babe,"— a beautiful, tiny girl-child of five months, with large gray eyes in a small white face, and the brightest of little smiles. The room was bare save for the beds, some chairs, and a great homemade chest of drawers. On the fireboard were a clock and a few books, yellow and crumbly, as Nucky had said, and above, across wooden pegs set in the wall, rested a long, old-fashioned rifle, with a powder- horn slung on one end. "This here's the gun Cap'n Enoch Marrs fit the British with," said Nucky, with bursting pride; "it's mine now, — paw give it to me on account of my name." Half an hour later, the hero, Blant, came in from "saving" fodder. I gazed at him with all my might. He is a tall young man, with Nucky's fine gray eyes and dark hair, an open face and a resolute jaw. After greeting me in the gentlest OVER ON TRIGGER 107 of voices, he picked up the babe, who, cling, ing to him with cries and coos of joy, buried her little face in his bosom. He then went on with her across the passage and into the other large room, whither Nucky followed him, and the two began preparations for supper. Several times I saw Blant pass the open door, always with the babe on his left arm, and once with a bowl of cornmeal, once a stack of roasting-ears, once a skillet of meat, in the other. As I looked, I said to myself over and over, "Is it possible this is a slayer of men, an eluder and defier of the law?" It also occurred to me for the first time that I was adding to his already heavy burdens; and I reproached myself for coming; but there was no help for it now. Supper at last being ready, Mr. Marrs, lean- ing feebly on his crutch, conducted me into "t'other house," the children took their stands and we our seats about the table, and Blant, As I looked, I said to myself over and over, 'Is it possi- ble this is the slayer of men, an eluder and defier of the law?"' xo8 OVER ON TRIGGER 109 still with the babe on his arm, did the honors, pouring the coffee, and then impartially sharing with the babe the beans, fat meat, roasting-ears and sweet-potatoes on his plate. While of course the house in many ways shows the absence of woman's care, Blant's rilling of his mother's place is indeed remarkable. Later, my offer of help in the dish-washing being kindly but firmly refused, I returned to the first room with Mr. Marrs and the children, and we sat and talked. Of course I made no reference to the family "war," but I did inquire as much as possible in regard to ancient family history, and was shown the old Bible, the records of which go back to Captain Enoch Marrs, the first settler here. Mr. Marrs, how- ever, told me that there are traditions that before the Marrses came to America, they were brave and gentle folk for five hundred years in Old England, and poured out their blood like water for the glory of their country. "I allow no MOTHERING ON PERILOUS from what I have heared that we have always been a fighting race," he said. "My great- grandpaw used to set up and tell big tales, which he got from his paw, how first one and then t'other of us fit for his king in ancient days, and won glory and renown, — I mind there was a famous admiral under Good Queen Bess, and before him a .general that licked out the French nation — but I haint able to ricollect names and circumstances, having been too young and un- knowing when I heared them tales to take proper interest, which I regret now." I shared his regret, — with so many good and aristocratic English names in this mountain country, I have been quite sure that some of them harked back to a brave and honorable past, and it would be especially pleasing to me to trace Nucky's line to its old English home, and through its brave deeds for king and country. While we talked, Blant returned, with the babe and Nucky, and a little later, Blant's OVER ON TRIGGER in bosom friend, Richard Tarrant, came in from across the mountain. He is a strikingly attrac- tive young man. Before he had stayed long, he said, "I have got bad news for you, Blant, — it is being talked that Todd and Dalt Cheever has got powerful homesick out west, and is aiming to come back before long. I hope it haint so, — I had looked forward to a right smart spell of peace for you, — God knows you have got your hands full, without no further warfare." "I think Todd and Dalt will be satisfied to stay away a while yet," replied Blant, quietly; " I allow this is just one of Israel's lies." "Well, I hope so," said Rich; "but fore- warned is forearmed, and I thought you ought to know the talk." " 1 want to know about it quick as they come," spoke up Nucky, hastily; "you can't no way get along without me to keep lookout." Blant turned sternly upon him. "No matter H2 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS what the news is, son," he admonished, "you stay right there where you air, and don't dare to leave and come home. You know maw's de- sires in regards to your getting Parning. I prom- ised her I'd carry 'em out, and now I aim to do it. You stay over there, or you'll have me to reckon with. I got Rich here to help me if need be, and likewise Uncle Billy's boys, — what I haint able to tend to myself." Nucky's face flushed angrily; but he said no more. When bed-time came, the family slept down- stairs — besides the three beds in one room, there was another in the kitchen — and I was shown up to a comfortable feather-bed in the great loft. Long after everybody else was asleep, I heard the poor little babe wailing pitiably below, and Blant softly walking the floor with it, jolting it back and forth in his chair, and trotting it on his knees before the fire. No wonder the little creature suffered OVER ON TRIGGER 113 agonies after eating the things it got for sup- per. After breakfast in the morning, Nucky in- vited me to go for a walk. We ascended one of the spurs of the mountain in the rear of the house, — never have I seen a more beautiful site for a home than in that hollow — and a third of the way up, on a small "bench," came upon what appeared to be a play- village. Beneath spreading trees, were a dozen or more diminu- tive houses, with latticed sides and roofs of riven oak boards. Some were crumbling into decay, some new and substantial. The one to which Nucky led me was still yellow. "Here's where Maw lays," he said, almost in a whisper (I judge that one reason he finds it so hard to speak of her is his feeling that he, or rather, her desire for his education, was in a way the cause of her death), and I knew that this must be the family burying-ground, and these the grave- houses once so necessary for the protection of H4 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS the dead from wild beasts, and still surviving here in the customs of the mountain country. Near the grave-house of his mother were three smaller ones, still good and new. "Our three young uns betwixt Blant and me died of typhoid one summer, about five year' gone," Nucky explained. China-asters were blossom- ing gaily among the weeds about these grave- houses. "Maw she sot 'em there," Nucky said, "she liked to come here and rest a spell when she was hoeing corn, and set with these young uns." The tragedy of the life of Nucky's mother was brought forcibly before me as I stood there. An eager-minded, loving-hearted woman, shut off from all opportunity, the bringer of ten new lives into the world, laboring and drudging as only these mountain women know how to for the sustenance and clothing of her family, suffering constant anxiety as to the very lives of her loved ones by reason of the family "war," OVER ON TRIGGER 115 and finally having to go out into the darkness of death and bid them all farewell, — surely it is a sad and tragic history. As we turned away, Nucky added, "With them three young uns around her, I allow she haint so lonesome as she would be all by her- self." "No," I said, "having her loved ones with her, she is happier far, even in heaven. For it is that which makes heaven." Blant had dinner for us at eleven, and soon afterward we were ready to depart. "Come over and see us sometime at the school," I called to Blant, as he stood with the babe on his arm by the gate. He thanked me gravely, but did not say he would come. "Gee," said Nucky, as we rode on, "he can't never do that, — why they'd just have to arrest him if he run into the jaws of the sheriff and the jail that way!" We made the last hour or two of our journey n6 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS through moonlight in which the mist-hung mountains and shadowed valleys lay entranc- ingly lovely. "This is the kind of nights I alius keep watch for the Cheevers, ,, said Nucky. I wondered if these were the sole thoughts aroused in him by the wondrous beauty in which he had been born and bred. Presently I knew. "If maw is in heaven, like you say, do you allow the country round about there is any prettier than this here?" he asked. "No, I am sure not," I replied, emphatically. XII THE FIGHTINGEST BOY Tuesday Night. Nucky ran in to-night from shinny, to have a " broke' ' ankle tied up, (it seems to me I am always tying up either "risings," "biles," sores or hurts) and said to me while I did it, "That 'ere little Jason is just a-chawing up and spitting out them little day-schools. This morning at recess I seed him whup out five-at-a- time. Yes, sir, five was on him, and by Ned if he didn't lay out the last one. He's the fight- ingest boy you got!" "I thought you were that," I said. " Dad burn ole Heck if ever I seed the day I could lay out five of my size at a time! Going to school there on Trigger, I have whupped out as many as three Cheever young uns at a time; 117 u8 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS but five! Gee! I wisht I knowed how he done it!" These accounts of Jason's prowess seem unbelievable; but from the mouths of many witnesses I gather that they must be true. I, too, wonder how he does it. Wednesday. Evidently Jason's success with the little primaries is going to his head, for to-day he at- tacked Hen Salyer, who is a head taller, and would have vanquished him had not Keats come to the rescue. As it was, he gave the Salyers a lively battle, and enormously increased their respect for him. My most vigorous applications of the rod appear powerless to curb this aggres- siveness. Thursday. While we were out in force this afternoon, digging the ditch which is to drain our garden, Nucky spoke up, apropos of nothing, "T I had a boy 't wouldn't fight, I'd tie him THE FIGHTINGEST BOY 119 to a good sapling and fill him so full of bullets the buzzards wouldn't eat him!" Having observed anything but a lack of the "fighting edge" since my arrival on Perilous, I saw no point in this remark, and let it pass. Nucky spoke again, accusingly, "You got one," he said; "you got a boy 't won't fight!" "I?" I demanded in amazement. "Iry Atkins yander. Little Jason Wyatt's been a-picking on him for three days, and he's af eared to fight him back, by Ned!" "You're a liar, Trojan!" spoke up the "pure scholar," hotly; "I haint fit him because I'm a-minding her. She said for us not to fight him because he were so little. I can fight as good as you, dag gone you!" "Le's see you then, dad swinge you!" Iry rushed upon Nucky with murder in his eye, and it took Taulbee and me, aided by a hoe-handle, to separate them. 120 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Iry's conscientiousness is very gratifying. I wish that I could remove the interdict made at first for Jason's protection; but probably it had better remain now for Iry's. Friday Night. When Jason and Keats came up from the wash-house to-night in their fresh gowns, looking startlingly clean, (I let them bathe together be- cause Keats is so kind-hearted, and carries the water from kettles to tubs for Jason, and even washes his back for him) I handed Keats a pair of scissors. "Do you mind cutting Jason's toe- nails?" I asked; "I notice that they are dread- fully long." To my utter confounding, Jason threw him- self on the floor, kicking and beating it violently and letting out terrific yells. "Why, it won't hurt you, dear," I said, "or, if you fear Keats will, I will gladly do it myself." The howls and yells increased if possible. "He haint afeared of being hurt," said THE FIGHTINGEST BOY 121 Keats; "he just don't aim to part with them toe-nails/ ' "Why?" I inquired. " He needs 'em in his business. He fights with 'em. I found it out when him and Hen fit a- Tuesday. He tried it on me, the feisty little skunk! That's the way he lays out the day- schools five-at-a-time. He jobs out the eyes of two with his thumbs, and bites and butts an- other, and rakes the shins of two more with his toe-nails, and whups out five as easy as falling off a log!" "They certainly must come off then," I de- clared sternly. "You hold one leg, and Killis one, and Philip and Taulbee his arms and head, and I'll cut them off!" And thus surprised of his secret, and bound by the Philistines, my little Samson was shorn. Saturday Afternoon. Before breakfast I called Iry into my room. "How much muscle have you got?" I inquired. 122 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS The "pure scholar " bared a small, skeleton arm, on which a creditable knot of muscle rose as he flexed it. "You are really a pretty good fighter, aren't you?" I asked. " Paw he'd knock me in the head if I weren't." "Very well. I told you once not to fight Jason Wyatt. I may have been wrong in doing so. Next time he picks on you, fight him back." Just before noon, Nucky ran into the cottage with bulging eyes. "That 'ere little Iry is a-giving Jason the best whupping down in the stable-lot ever you seed. Jason he got to feisting around him ag'in, and he just grabbed him un- expected, and laid him out, and now he's chok- ing the life out of him!" "Good!" I cried, hurrying back to see the combat. All the boys were miraculously gath- ered, and the wash-girls also looked on with de- light. Jason tried all his tricks, but could not once free himself from the relentless grasp. That 'ere little Iry is a-giving Jason the best whupping down in the stable-lot ever you seed. '" «3 124 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Both arms were pinioned, one by a leg, one by an arm of Iry's, his head was held down by the dreadful hand at his throat; only his legs were free, and they alas, were useless, — his toes passed harmlessly over Iry's face and neck and ears! Not until he had held out to the verge of suf- focation did the conquered conqueror at last gasp for mercy, and being let up, crawl off under the corncrib to sob out his rage and shame in peace. Doubtless this will do him much good. XIII AROUND THE FIRE Second Monday, October. Though the days are still warm, the nights are getting cool, and for the sake of bare toes we began last night having a fire in the sitting- room. It was the one thing needed, — I see that with its glowing warmth to gather around, our family life will henceforth be much more in- timate and cheerful. Sydney Lanier says that two things are necessary to the making of a real home, — an open fire and music. We have both. The fire had hardly begun to crackle before Absalom had the banjo out, and was singing in the chimney corner, — not bloody, recent song- ballads this time, but, to my joy, famous old English ones forgotten centuries ago by the rest of the world but wonderfully preserved here in 125 126 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS the mountain country. "Barbara Allen" was one ballad he sang; "Turkish Lady," "The Brown Girl," and "The Specter Ship" were others. All the tunes were queer, minor, and long-drawn-out, and sung in a kind of falsetto; and between verses there is a very weary period of picking. The boys all declare they prefer the newer ballads, such as "Blant's Revengement," and "The Doom of the Mohuns," and that these old ones are fit only for women-folks; but I noticed they listened absorbed. Friday. Yesterday a wagon came in from the rail- road, — a great occasion it is when one arrives, all of us women flocking out and surrounding it before the mules can stop, and receiving the packages and boxes destined for us as if they were the most precious jewels, — indeed, they are valuable after coming that long and difficult \vay. I was glad to find that my cheerful dresses AROUND THE FIRE 127 ordered last month had arrived, as well as the wire corn-poppers and some rolls of wall-paper with great red roses for our sitting-room. Saturday Night. Cleo and Howard put the lovely red paper on our sitting-room to-day, — when the boys and I came in from the garden it was all done, and a shout of delight went up. Of course they have never seen anything so beautiful. I had another surprise for them. Prettiest of all my new dresses is a cardinal cr£pe de chine, exactly matching the wall-paper. I put it on for supper to-night, getting to the dining-room a little late. There was much excitement at our table as I entered, and Jason created a sensation by calling out, in his shrill voice, "Oh, yander comes my red stick of candy! " Nucky said not a word; but the pride in his eyes was sufficient. All during the meal, the boys vied with one an- other in passing me things, and in saying "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am"; and I saw them 128 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS glancing around at other tables to observe the effect of my grand costume. Who, seeing me sit here before our cottage fire this evening, clothed in the color of life and joy, with my happy and cheerful family close around, would ever believe me to be the same woman who arrived here something more than two months ago, with a heart even more dark and desolate than her garb of woe? Truly, the ways and goodness of God are past imagining. Thursday Night. That the fraternal affection of the little Sal- vers is sound at the core (much evidence to the contrary notwithstanding) was proved beyond doubt by an occurrence last night. Hen is by nature deliberate, and is especially so about washing his feet and getting undressed at night, not yet having become reconciled in his mind to either process. He always retires after Keats, and, now the nights are cooler, first tries to root Keats out of his warm place, and, failing in that, AROUND THE FIRE 129 doubles up and plants his cold feet in the middle of Keats's back. The long-suffering Keats re- bels, and then follow howls, yells and a pitched battle, with shrill cries for me from Geordie Yonts, the third boy in the bed. When I arrive, the covers are on the floor, and the brothers fighting all over their own bed, the other bed and boys, and the entire room, and calling down horrible imprecations upon each other. In vain I have forbidden the use of the shocking lan- guage, — neither threats nor punishments have prevailed. Last night, after a particularly bad time, I called them into my room, explained to them the full meaning of the words they were using, and asked if either could possibly hate his brother enough to wish to consign him to eternal torment. They made no answer, but went off looking thoughtful. To-night when shrieks and howls announced the usual battle, and I hurried to the scene, the Salyers were pounding each other as mercilessly as ever, but this time, to i 3 o MOTHERING ON PERILOUS my unspeakable relief, they were calling out fu- riously, "GodM/>you!" "God help you!",— a decided change for the better, and, I thought, a most timely petition! In their sane moments now, they talk of nothing but Cousin Emmeline's funeral occasion and the visit home, and it is impossible for them to decide whom they most desire to see, — whether Nervesty, or Sammy, or Ponto, or the steers Buck and Brandy; while their longing extends also to the other children, and to Charlie the "flea-bit" nag, Ole Suke, the "pied" cow, Reddy the heifer, and the black sow, Julia. Sunday Evening. On our way to the "church-house" this morning, I noticed that Iry wore the long, ample homespun trousers in which he arrived. "Where are the Sunday breeches I gave you?" I inquired. "There they air," he said, pointing to AROUND THE FIRE 131 Geordie's fat legs, which seemed about to burst out of a pair of dark blue short trousers. "Iry he just pestered me into trading with him," was Geordie's explanation, "he said he were bound to have that gold ring I got out of a prize box last week. Show it to her, Iry." Iry put forth a small, dingy hand, adorned with a large, elaborate brass ring. "But you can see that wasn't a fair trade," I said indignantly to Geordie. "I knowed it weren't, — I knowed that ring were worth five times them breeches, and I'd never see its like ag'in. But I felt sorry for him, he wanted it so bad." "No, I mean just the other way," I said sharply, "you paid a nickel for that prize-box, didn't you?" "Yes'm." "And there was candy in it? " "A little-grain." "And you ate it?" i 3 2 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "What there were of it." "And now you want to trade him the ring, which cannot be worth more than two cents, for his Sunday breeches. ,, The "bora trader" looked at me pityingly. "Miss Loring," he said, "womenfolks haint got no understanding of prize-boxes. Sometimes you pay your nickel down and don't git ary thing in 'em; and then ag'in there's jewelries nobody can't tell what they worth, they so fine. Thaint nary ring like that ever been seed in these parts. Iry Atkins's got the onliest ring like it on Perilous, or I reckon in Kent County, or maybe in Kentucky! What's breeches to that?" To this master argument, the fact that the ring would not keep Iry's legs warm in winter seemed a puerile answer; still, with cold weather coming on, and clothing scarce as hens' teeth, I was compelled to break up the trade, and to forbid Geordie's making any more. In the afternoon we went up Perilous, per- AROUND THE FIRE 133 simmon and buckeye hunting, and later, after filling their shirt-fronts with the shiny am- munition, the boys lined up on opposite sides of the creek and had a buckeye-battle. After supper I began reading the Story of Odysseus. When we came to the place where the hero makes his escape from the cave of Polyphemus, Nucky interrupted to tell the tale he promised while we were on Trigger, of Blant's escape last spring, when for the first and only time he was arrested by officers. It was the day when he was "laywayed" by Elhannon, Todd and Dalt, and had killed one, and almost killed the other two. The sheriff happened to be on Powderhorn, near the mouth of Trigger, at the time, received the news at once, and reached the Marrs home within an hour after the occurrence. Blant, not dreaming of so prompt an attempt at arrest, was sitting before the fire cleaning his forty-five; and before he knew it, the sheriff stepped between him and his 134 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS ammunition. Quiet surrender was the only possible thing. The sheriff and deputy started with him to the jail here in our village; but, be- ing overtaken by darkness on the way, were obliged to stop overnight at a wayside house. Blant went to bed, handcuffed, between the sheriff and deputy, each of whom retired with a loaded revolver in his hand. In the morning the prisoner was gone, the blanket that had covered the three swung from the window, and the two revolvers were found on the ground beneath, placed neatly side by side. "Thaint no men or no prison nowhere Blant couldn't git away from if he was a mind to," said Nucky; "he wouldn't fool around and see his friends et up like Odysseus." The character of Odysseus also brought out some family history from Geordie and Absalom. It appears that their grandfather, Old George Yonts, was a man noted in several ways, as a hard-shell preacher, as a wonderful nag-trader, AROUND THE FIRE 135 and, like Odysseus, as a man of craft and guile in wars. Warring factions would come to him for advice; and his stratagems, when carried out, were brilliantly successful. The boys, with much pride, told some awful instances. They also said that all of his thirteen sons were "mean men," their own father having met death at too early an age to become as dis- tinguished as the other twelve. As I listened, I marvelled, not that the " born trader's" moral- ity is a little oblique, but that he has any at all. Wednesday. To-day I saw Philip hold out a handful of chestnuts to Taulbee, his bosom friend, with the words, "Don't take more'n five, — you're owing me now. You haint gone treat for alius!" Perfect candor is evidently the sure, if rocky, foundation of their relationship. Saturday Night. More family history as we were roasting 136 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS sweet-potatoes in the hot ashes under our fire to-night. Iry said he could recollect roasting them while the men made his maw's coffin. "I never knowed no better," he said; "I weren't but three, and thought she was laying there asleep. I wondered what them men was a-hammering at outside. When I seed 'em take her off in it, I knowed." "She were the best step-maw ever I had," remarked Joab, feelingly. "How many have you had?" I inquired. "Oh, paw he's had about five women," he mused. "My maw first, and then Iry's, and there's three sence. Serildy Byng, his next-to- last, was a middling civil woman; but she never stayed long. This last one is just fifteen, and haint got no manners. I have to fight her most every day, she picks on me'n Iry so. Paw he has a sorry time learning her to behave." "I have heared something about your paw being right smart of a mean man," said Philip. AROUND THE FIRE 137 "Bet he can't hold a candle to Blant," put in Nucky, jealously. "Maybe he can't, and maybe he can," drawled Joab, provokingly. "Nobody haint as quick on the trigger as Blant," declared Nucky; "I'll bet nobody haint kilt and wounded more inside a few months than him, or would have been in jail more times if the officers could have kotch him and helt him." "Jail," murmured Joab, contemptuously, "jail haint nothing! My paw's spent two year at Frankfort!" The boys all exclaimed in admiration. " Gee- oh," said Philip, with new respect, "I never knowed he'd been penitentiaried." "How many has he kilt?" inquired Nucky, skeptically. "Oh, no more'n he had to," drawled Joab. "I heared something about his killing off a few Lusks," said Taulbee. 138 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS "Yes, a few," admitted Joab; "Serildy Byng, that next-to-last of his, she got to talking some to a couple of the Lusks, and paw got wind of it, and kotch 'em a-hanging around one day. But he never kilt but one dead; and soon as t'other got able to talk, he sot all the Lusks ag'in paw, — there was nine on his track, laywaying and ambushing. At last one day they all rid up behind him over on the head of Rakeshin. He seed a turn in the road ahead, where there was a big rock. Every time they'd shoot, he'd jump like he was hit; and just as he got to the rock, he spraddled out flat on his nag, like he was dead. That was the last they seed, and they come up a-whooping, thinking they had him kilt. And about that time six of 'em got bullets in 'em, and three drapped dead; for paw had clim up on the rock and was a-laying for 'em. Time the rest of the Lusks got up from their wounds, they allowed paw was a mean enough man to leave alone." AROUND THE FIRE 139 Nucky was silenced. The impressive pause that followed was at last broken by Philip. "What did he do to Serildy?" he asked. "Oh, nothing, but shoot off a piece of her jaw and a little-grain of her scalp." Philip meditated again. "I expect that's the reason Serildy left your paw, haint it? Women's so quare." "Maybe," replied Joab, indifferently. Oh, my perfect gentleman! Thursday, Shinny went out and ball came in yesterday. When at noon the boys all ran to me begging for yarn (of course store balls are an unknown luxury) and when later I saw Philip, Keats and Hosea ravelling out old socks they said they had bought from Geordie, Taulbee engaged upon a piece of the old comforter he had traded off for a pop-gun, and now bought back at a ruinous price, and heard Killis and Joab be- moaning the fact that they had traded mittens i 4 o MOTHERING ON PERILOUS and socks off for pop-guns, and telling of the vast sums Geordie was making selling these and like remains to the "day-schools/' I realized that even as far back as pop-gun time the fore- looker was dealing in ball futures, and that his transactions then were not even as magnani- mous as I had supposed them to be. Saturday and Sunday are the longed-for days of Cousin Emmeline's funeral occasion, we are to start to-morrow (Friday) afternoon, and the "two homesicks" are beside themselves with joy. XIV THE VISIT HOME, AND THE FUNERAL OCCASION Sunday Night. Friday noon the little Salyers, Jason (whom I did not dare leave behind) and I were all ready to start. Nucky, who has the stable job, had just brought Mandy around in the road and helped me into the saddle, and was handing me a switch, when suddenly I saw his fingers stiffen, his eyes widen, his face pale. Looking around for the cause, I saw two young- ish men riding past in the road. Apparently they did not see him; but he eyed them with concentrated hatred. I hardly needed his low- spoken words, "Todd and Dalt," to tell me who they were. " I got to go home quick as I can get there," 141 l 4 2 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS he said, when they had passed out of hear- ing. "You shall do nothing of the kind," I de- clared; "you heard Blant's commands on the subject. He is perfectly able to take care of himself, and does not want you. I, too, com- mand you to stay here." "But he haint able to take care of hisself now he's got the babe on his hands," Nucky insisted; "he can't noway keep lookout: of course they have come back to kill him if they can. I couldn't rest here a minute." "Nevertheless, I command you to stay," I said sternly, as I took my departure. But for my anxiety about him, and about this new threatening of "war" on Trigger, my visit to the little Salvers' home would have been a perfect thing. The day was glorious as we went, the mountains one blaze of reds, yellows and greens. All the way, the "two homesicks" were urging Mandy on with voice or hickory or THE VISIT HOME 143 both; while, entranced with the beauty, I earnestly wished that she might be permitted to go her natural gait. After following Perilous four miles, we turned up Nancy's Perilous, and went along it nearly an hour before we reached a small log house, almost hidden in apple trees, and Mrs. Salyer, with the four little children and Ponto trailing before and after, came out to welcome us. Al- though tears of joy stood in her eyes, she did not hug or kiss or "make over" her boys, — such dis- plays of feeling being permissible only in or over babies. Little Sammy availed himself of his privilege to the fullest extent, gurgling, laughing and shouting at sight of his brothers, while Ponto, in equal exemption from the bonds of etiquette, nearly knocked them down in his joy. The two pretty little girls of five and three, being exhorted to " shake hands with the woman, Su- sanna and Neely," did so most politely; and Hiram, the seven-year-old, tore his gaze from 144 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS Jason (they were engaged in a mutual size-up) long enough to go through the same ceremony. The boys made at once for the apple trees, and I was invited in. Mrs. Salyer was just finishing her day's stint of weaving, and sat in the loom and threw the swift shuttle while we conversed. Seeing her for the first time without the black sunbonnet, I realized where the boys get their extreme beauty. I asked her, of course, about family history, and learned that her ancestors, too, came out from Old Virginia more than a century ago, and had been men of education and parts. "The later generations," she said, "haint had the ghost of a chance, shut away here without no Taming, and so hard put to it to keep bread in their mouths that half of 'em never hears what's happening yan side the mountain. It don't look like it's right for young ones to grow up this way, without no show at all. I am determined mine shall get one." THE VISIT HOME 145 She also talked a good deal about Mr. Salyer, who she says was "as pretty a man as the wind ever bio wed on," and one of the "workingest" in this section. Evidently she feels his loss very deeply; but she faces life with prodigious cour- age, shouldering his burdens in addition to her own, and thinking nothing of plowing, grubbing, clearing, and like heavy work, which she does cheerfully rather than keep her boys out of school. Her faith is touching. " God has give me this fine mess of young ones," she says; "now I look to Him for strength to feed and raise them." Several times our conversation was inter- rupted by shy statements from the little girls that Hiram and Jason were fighting all over the yard; but no bloodshed being as yet reported, little attention was paid. When the time came for active preparations for supper, I was taken out by the boys to " see things." First, the nags, Mandy and the "flea- i 4 6 MOTHERING ON PERILOUS bit" Charlie, were watered in the branch, and fed; then the steers must be brought down and "nubbined." They were grazing far up in a hollow, but at a word Ponto was off, and soon brought them down, starting again on a quest of his own. Then the boys put yokes on them and drove them around the steep stable-lot for my pleasure. Keats said he and Hen had to tie their tails together while breaking them, to keep them from turning the yokes; but now they go along quietly, as well conducted steers should, and evidently with perfect understanding of the strange talk of their young masters, which was Greek to me. I could comprehend the "Gee, Buck!",— "Git along there, Brandy!"; but the oft-repeated " Oo-cum-weh, woo-oo!", and "Now-wa-cto-tum!" were indeed puzzling. Then Ole Suke, the pied cow, hearing the excite- ment, came up, or rather, down, of her own accord, followed by Reddy the heifer, whose little spotted calf welcomed her loudly across the THE VISIT HOME 147 rails. Nothing would do but Keats must milk Reddy then and there, to demonstrate the re- markable deficiency of the "blind teat" before- mentioned. Just as he had proved this to everybody's satisfaction, yelps from Ponto could be heard approaching, and in another moment a large, raw-boned black sow stepped sedately out of the woods on the other side of the branch, and stood meditating. An instant later, she was sur- rounded by a company of half-grown shoats, which squealed and scurried before Ponto's on- slaughts. But evidently Julia herself lived in a serene atmosphere, and took orders from no one. After scrutinizing all of us, and assuring herself that the boys really were Keats and Hen, she grunted deeply and came forward. Not until she got out of the tall weeds, and into the branch, was the joyful discovery made that nine little new pigs followed her closely and shamefacedly. They could not be two days old, — of course they *