Show IN JACKSONSURCIIAS E I BY MARTHA McCULLOCH WILLIAMS Copyright 1S33 by Martha McCulIoch Williams With the two Mary Digkorspns came the moonlight The Purchase Imows what a moonlight is outland folk however may require to be told that it is a night picnic held when the moon is coming on to full It prevails from May to September the young people small blame to them preferring dew and coolness and the delicious seclusion of halflit nooks to the crass and garish gar-ish brightness of a broiling day The two llarys were the occasion of this one It came off Jn Uncle Dob Mayners yard which was level cov I ered with wkhite clover turf and set rectangularly with maples and honey locusts All the rose bushes were I strung with Chinese lanterns Tin sconces for oajidles hung against some of the tree trunks A few glass lan terns had been fastened upon pendu lous boughs Where the lights were 1 I flecked lily such as swayed in myriads out in the old fields I I know Major Dade is above plot ting she said holding out her hand to him I almost wish he was not then Id ask him to help us entice Daddy Dowell and the band here tonight to-night That Is just the very meanest thing Red Mary interrupted I knew it would be though The first thing I said when Charley Mayner said they were going to have the moonlight was Make sure of the band before you set the night If you had told Bert Selby Major Dade began still holding Mary Specs hand He felt it tremble lightly lied Mary made a face at him You are conjured like the rest she said You seem to think the world begins and ends with Bert Selby I does down in the purchase Uncle Un-cle Bob said vitha Alc wlth1 gurgle Lord Red Mary whel he is president and you an old v oman an oh maid most likely youll bo forever telling hpw he used to use come courting you and have em say oned theen to him As they came up he i said with a nourish An honor like a pleasure is doubled by sharing it with friends Let mo present you to 11 lady I whom it Is an honor to know Mrs Lis enbee by the mother of exSheriff Set I Next Congressman Selby fits better bet-ter Uncle Bob interrupted Major Datle swore silently and said in his mind Of all the lowdown tricks Trying Try-ing to make Berts sweetheart believe he is blood kin to that blessed old elephant ele-phant I Mary Spec took Mrs Lisenbees fat hand betwoen both her own and said I I pressing It gently I am so skid to see you Mrs Lisenbce Some ono has been telling me about Mammy ever eJncp I came And I been awantlng to see you the very wust way Miss Mary Spec Mrs Lls nbee said earnestly I been atry ing to do I too ever senceI gecn how my boy jest couldnt eat no tort ec vlt tles when he come home frum seeing you Thats the very shorest sign o1 deep 100 Why it j wus only at the last barbecue I felt jest as hearty untel I seen the major go on the stump Them I tes to Sis Sarah Jane Beasley Sarah Jane ndt a mossel kin I teteh net ef you wus ter stay me with flagons and comfort ole Solomon me with applies like they done She stood ruminantly tapping her snuffmull with one forefinger Wi loughby was at her elbow Amos TaOdy the other Red Marl darted up to them You are a nice parcel you Piir chase fellows she said giving us picnic without music Dont you know saltDont it is as flat as a cucumber Without Dont murder us pleage WUlougl by said at least not until you hear how hard we tried for the band There is only one bandr you know that Pur chaps folks car about Amos didn weboth try fot an hour to hire 01 coax or taf that old nigger into pTaym here tonight Well we myst do something I r ek on we can fall back on Wevllly Can you trot Red Mary asked mischiey ously ousbAl night with you for partner Amos said catching her hand Partners Partners Partners right now Partners for WevHly Wheat Amos called aloud The sun is do nth n-th moon is up the fun ought to be going go-Ing AVilloughby tried to take our Mary Spec but she shook her head Her eyes were half dreamy half expectant She Ic the ree > t upon the house I was a double log one with shed rooms 1 I11U1 i 1 J i 4 II 1 4 v S i H I I q iil fJtJl tlflj BE S TILI MORE MEHCLtUL SHOOT Q TJICK thickesv there were long plank benches In remoter shadowy nooks Uncle Bob had insisted upon setting camp stools In pairs Thars a time for all things even oourtln I aint forgot that if I am so fat and old he had said to Red Mary u ith twinkling eyes Red Mary was his lng ejp Ped nn niece Mary Spec his wifes The Uo WOrt first cousins dear friend delightfully de-lightfully alike still more delightfully unlike and differentiated in the mouths of their world according to complexion Both Marys were out in the yard running hitter and yon though it was barely sundown and nobody likely to 011 for an hour Major Dad ha c umc but he did not count He propped his chair back against the trunk of a maple and let his eyes follow the to Marys in thei white frocks and frittery red ribbon Uncle Bob who sat three feet away his chair planted squarely upon its four feet his dbows on his knees caught the glance set his fa fingers together with a little soft piop and lid ruminantly Nice span d fillies Thoroughbreds clean the major ejaculated then with a sigh I only a I man could thrdw off thirty years I Choosing between them must be a big puzzle Im right down sorry for Bert Solbj Upon my soul I dont believe he knovis which he loves best for all hes ben here every day since they came and nights and Sundays thrown in I vo had a porter sneaking notion all along hf was in love with both Uncle Bob said Major Dade laughed The young man must remember he is running for congress in Kentucky not Itah he said Tell those young ladies for me please that the one who don take him is mighty apt to live to I be sorry for it I told ln so yistiddy Uncle Bob returned Lord How Red Mary did laugh She is the sassiest piece always making fur o the way Bert talks I oar hardly blame herbut poor Uert Maje Dade said with a frbwn I is the eriatest shame the greatest pity he a 1 left to grow up with those poor whit Listnbees A finer gentleman gentle-man than his father never trod shoe leather and his rather Berts grandfather grand-father went to congress from Tennessee Tennes-see Bert will get everybodys voteif only he gets the nomination Major Dade continued thoughtfully But theres the rub Politics aint what is used to b Uncle Bob not ly a long chalk i Money has a heap of friends You dont need to be told that Bert ne has Just one man to fear Duke Wil loughby and AVilloughby has money to throw at the bird He throws i tOO chips in for anything going barbecue picnic big meeting preachers salary or missionary collection Then he has lint mon to a dozen fellows who are in tight places Of course there has j been no talk of buying their influence but they are bound just bound to do i their best for him I tell you Willough by is smart He has got a mighty tak ipg way too I Wi dont look sharp hell sweep the convention And then Bert Selby is jest fool enough to pull off his coat and work like a nigger to elect him Uncle Bob broke in Bert has had whatever he chose to ask for > en sheriff aSSam lil > mau and all that He is as ambitious I ambi-tious ns Lucifer One term m congress xviii rul off that poor white tang After that well theres no telling what he I inv not ba and do Sister Llscnbee to the contrary not vithFtvndmg Uncle Bob asked with a hovering smile Its amazing but Bert w ill stand by that poor creeter as r long 0s she lives Major Dade scowled If she is coming com-ing tonight I shall leave at once he E said Uncle Bob laughed until he shook all over t You cant be so cruel major he t said gripping the others arm Shes i coming apurpose to see you We had to ask her couldnt thing of raising a fOw in church by blighting a sister that way wayI smell plotting Ted Mary called gayly rushlnn at her uncle as she Epoke and fettlng his necktie straight She was as rogueish as she was rosy a Y piet of dimpled prettiness with very bright dark eyes and a saucy tiptilted i nose Withal delicately virginal Something i Some-thing childlike wondering underlay the I limpid gayety of her glace She moved lightly and spolte in a round silvery e2 vole Mary Spec wjio came at her kc back was taller by Imlf a headand had her roses powdered qverwith fine I golden freckles She had gray eyes set tfr J under the finest arched dark brows and was slender enough to suggest a bold ing The luck some men are born to There comes Willoughby said Major Ma-jor Dade I see his running mate Amos Tandy Is along too Tonder if the old man old Duke Willoughby pays Tandy to run around with this boy of his I Suppcse you ask him Red Mary said with a smile of innocent malice I can tell you though so can Mary Spec that the two are a pairand goal go-al the gaits A goodlooking pair confound them Major Dade said as Red Mary ran to make them welcome She held out a hand to each and smiled up in Tandys face In gplte of herself her eyes fell before Wiloughbys She felt rather than saw that his glance passed over her in search of Mary Sr > ec who had slipped out of sight among the shrubbery While her hand was still i m lf in Willoughbys Red Mary caught the sound of slow wheels I The buggy was big and low swung but spick and pa An oldish woman drove i 1 fat woman with mild blue eyes and a happy vacuous face She I had on a white frock a book muslin short enough to show her feet in slippers I slip-pers that her pudginess overflowed Her i hat which sat awry was a wonderful I concoction of lace and pink ribbons with pinker roses nodding jauntily I above it In defiance of its youthful j I gayety there was a black band about 11 her neck clasped under the chine with a funereal miniature She had black I gloves to oldfashioned lace mitts not on her hands but pushed back around her plump wrists I Look out major Sister Lisenbee has got on all her warpaint Uncle Bob said in the majors earthen aloud Sister Lisenbee you are a I sight for sore eyes Howdy B0wdy Bless my soul All these chits i of girls r it lllltt sa will have to eit out o your wav fglrS I Lawsey Brer Mayner How you do I talk Like I was god set uu1 Sister Lisenbee said waddling through the gate but what if I air set out Scrip I cher says dont it that man was made ter mourn But men aint women and the good Lord knows Ive been a mournin poor old Liseftbe b tern ten year I come ter the moonlight though jest for nothing but ter hurt I Slat Lucy Mayners feelings I didnt have no ideeear of seeing the mnior I am mighty glad though I have saw him He makes himself the skacest at our house ever sence he promused me one er his fine peegs fn Ah major I always thought you were a gay deceiver Amos Tandy said shaking his finger a the major Mrs Lisenbee Im a lawyer but have never had a case Wont you give intone int-one I see a firstclass breach of promise prom-ise suit right ahead Major Dade grew scarlet Anger always al-ways set him stammecjnsr He tried hard to say something something cool and withering but not a word was Intelligible In-telligible Sister Liienbee ambled up to him and caught his arm I believe in my heart youre struck with the shakin agur she said I kin cyore it in three shakes of er dead lambs tail All you got to do is ter take and swaller nine whole grains er black pepper and then hold yet breath while you say over your name and age backwards I is i the best thing I core poor ole Lisenbee and the fut year we lived down in the Purchase he shuk s they used ter hear him over at the neighbors Willoughby had fouhd IarY Spec and was talking eagerly to her Amos beck I at the back a wide middle passage and a deep hospitable piazza across the I i front Only last night she had sat upon I the piazza hearing a voice whose timbre j tim-bre left he soul seriously vibrant As I the listened the moon flowers had kept opening all around her and the sparse white honeysuckle sprays had made the I air odorous She wonder if she would ever again smell the Dowers without bringing back the thrills the tremor I Memory of them was half terror half delight She might have promised anything I any-thing and she was free Daddy Dowell came around the house corner His senses of deference never allowed him to approach quality white folks by the front way He was very tall very black withered but hale with a fringe of grizzled woo around a shiny bald head He held a slouch hat at his side and dropped i before speaking speak-ing So did his son and his three grandsons who came behind with fiddles fid-dles a banJo a lute and a tamborine Dixie the youngest granddaughter beat time upon the triangle She wus small and neat and precise in speech as became be-came the show pupil of the free school 1 Red Mary leaned upon Tandys arm flushed and brighteyed more than ever beautiful Willoughby glanced covertly from her to Mary Spec and almost I swore at himself in thinking that hfi could not find himself channel by the girl s evidently within reach as by tile j one cf whom he had such faint hope Still he did not quite despair I she had refused him thrice she had done It hesitatingly more than gently with I eyes that had scorned to My I am not sure of you I am not sure of anything I any-thing I It was that as much as the stirrings I of ambition which had moved him to try for a mans part a mans place j He was doubly bent on winning in the I contest now in hand because he felt it might mean 1 winning ever so much I more vital Selbys rivalry hat at first I seemed to him exquisitely numerous He was rapidly finding out that it was no joke Only today had he learned i that Selby contented with him in a dearer field He was furious over the I knowledge 1 ought to shoot the oaf confound him he had said to Amos Tandy who had answered with a a shrug 0 well wait till after election I you kill him before you kill yourself at the polls This is no place for you Daddy Red Mary said severely Xo place at all Go away I we cant be first we I wont be lt I st I i Lawd love de young mlstis You all wus fust all de time Daddy answered answer-ed with his very best bow I dest had tel fool dam yother gentemuns Marse I Bert he had took n tole me tel CUll vere ternight and sarrynade you all but he say I must not toll nobody I wus gwine do it ner who tolo me ter I do it atter I come Daddy waved hit bow The band broke intp a waltz Amos caught Red Marys hand saying That is something I some-thing like Now we can twistify They shot away with twenty couples I in their wake Mary Spec sat down on i a bench Willoughby kept beside her You are cruel he said I would give a great deal for one waits with you She smiled and drew a little way from him I will not last she j said Uncle Bob will stop It I Is I funny what a difference the music makes to his way of thinking Whos taking lay name in vain I Uncle Bob said coming up to them Barbecue Is most done and my how I good i smells I that rascal Bert Selby dont hurry hell lose deal entirely I en-tirely Promised hed come at 5 oclock then sends word by the major that he I has to go somewhere elseon a fools errand Ive no doubt In the world I have a doubt Mary Spec said with a soft laugh I believe Mr Selby has good reasons for whatever he does Just then a clear voice called cheerily cheer-ily across the gate Hallo Hallo the house Light stranger and look at your saddler Uncle Bob responded without turning an eyelash The newcomer sat leaning a little from his horse looking1 tho assemblage critically over Wil loughby and Mary Spec were in the foreground He kept his eye on thorn us hp got down and walked Inside He was taller than Willoughby and was broader but had no suggestion of burliness His bronzed taco was clear I cut Commonly Its expression was a sort of humorous patience Tonight It I was touched to gravity strongly I tinctured tinc-tured with concern He started toward to-ward Willoushbyi but Maj Dade drew him almost forcibly out of earshQt of the rest Did you see the follow he asked 4 i did he really have anything or was i just a flash In the pan I saw him all right enough He had pretty good ammunition At least he thought so Selby said looking down Please don4 ask nothin more major Ill tell you the whole storyas soon as the convention is over You will Nice way to treat your fathers oldest friend and your own political godfather the major said half Pettishly J pctt lb ° No It dont look nice Selby said humbly Put major you know me clean through Did you ever know me do anything no matter how i looked that thar wasnt a white mans reason for when you got to the bottom Np sir But you have nevor before been running for congress nor in love with the finest young woman In the world the major retorted So ypu found out It Is Miss Mary Spe Selby said Major youre right Heaven and the angels aint hardly good enough for her I feel that down to the very bottom o my soul Bt cause I do feel It II wont do a mean thing that might help me ten git her I hate riddles Men usually take leave of their senses when they fall in Ipe I wish you had waited until pt least the convention was over Ma Dade said impatiently Bert hardly heard him He was walking with long strides toward Mary Spec aId Wi laugh b Howdy Miss Spec he said with awkward brevity As she put her ham within his broad palm he felt it tremble delicately As ho held it Mrs Lisen bee waddled up to them and said in aloud a-loud whisper Precious boy I dont blame ollnot the least bit You couldnt help losing sleep and vittles over her She Is the only living woman ever I seen I was willing should have you and my best feather bed Maj Dade said In his throat Confound Con-found her Then aloud Mrs Lisen bee wont you be kind enough to come and tell me again about that pepper cure cureIll come In er decanter major whenever you may want me Mrs Lisenbee returned with a languishing glance She went off clinging har > ily to his arm Willoughby who had fallen Sack a pace laughed significantly The band was playing loudly but Selby taught the laugh He stood a little straighter and said Im glad youve seen Mammy Miss Mary Spec She is he best woman She was pretty once Sow poor thing she caint seem to understand that she aint young no more and has fattened out o her good oos She seems verykind Mary Spec said constrainedly She too had caught the amused contempt of Wit oughbys laugh She shivered a little remembering the moon towers and the honeysuckle breath and the subtle compelling of Selbys unspoken love She knew he loved her The knowledge md brought her dangerously near to I loving him In many ways she was brave even heroic yet she grew wom ancowardly at the thought of affront Ito I-to the conventions of her world Vii i oughby typified her world Still she 4 would be kind to Selby Mrs Lisenbee i even should not make her slight him 2 Supper Supper Come All you that aint lost your senses ner your appetites ites Uncle Bob shouted ttes comins I around from the back yard Lemrne take you out Miss Mary I Spec Selby said offering ala arm She Is going with me iriiloushby said almost roughly stepping to the other side Mary Spec flushed painfully but tried to laugh J believe I want togo to-go with a betterlooking man than I either of you she said darting away I after Uncle Bob In time to the strains I of Lexington the crowd streamed after them laughing chattering tumb hog over Itself the merriest mob of healthy appetites Selby and his rival had stepped out of its way The Iqcust leaves let through 1 fine silver rain of sunbeams full in Selbys face Willoughby saw that it was strangely agitated He set his teeth and saidarrogantly I am Miss Dickersons friend I will not have her nnoyed further You had better stop hanging about her You say I had better Selby asked ask-ed Are you deaf Willoughby rtorted angrily Selby shook his head No he said but that is sprier a new wed to mv ear You see nobody aintt old me I had better before sence I wore a I beard All the same I tell you here and I lion you had better let Miss AVii oughby began Selbys I hand shut his I mouth lije a vise Ill have no names ailed here he said I3f you wanter I quarrel wanter fight even thars poll tics handy JTau11 take what I choose to she Iou I-ou Take that WUloughby said furi usly striking Selby on the cheek Sel b ly stood still fur half a minute his breath coming hard then took out his landkerchief wiped the place that had I felt the blow and began to step off turf When he had eight aces on the e I counted them he made a mark with 1 is heel and turned to Willoushby sayS say-S Is your gun ready We better settle this rght here and now XqJ We will 1 settle it tomorrow I began have too much respect Willoughby Pity It was so sleepyheaded that respect o yourn Sell interrupted with a little drawl JSf H I had been awake maybe you might awaited tell tomoriowi to Insult a man that is as I much in place here as you daar to be You dOlt meau to insinuate I am I I afraid Willoughby said huskily Sel i by folded his arms No not of a I gun he said Ill do ye that justice I i i But you are afraid o what folks will say I il i We could not explain Willoughby j began I Selby held up his hand i Explanations wont signify to one DI1atQn J of us certain he said maybe to i both But well agree right now the livin one can tell what tale he likes At the last word his revolver cave an ominous click that set WilloiiKhby wild He had been livid all along Hla face grew white and deadly as he said Agreed You shall have the s ts acton ac-ton of a gentleman little as you deserve de-serve it Selby looked at him smiling almost dreamily As though to himself he said Ive read In I fine old book that the man who knows how to ride and shoot and tell the truth has the full education of a gentleman I am a pretty pret-ty poor sort compared with what I want ter bebut anybody that knows me knows I can do them three things As we have no seconds shall we not togs for positions WUloughby said icily as though he had not heard Sel by nodded then suddenly held up his had saying Seems ter me this might be better Toss up heads or tails the one that loses ter stand under that candle can-dle thar on the locust tree and take his medicine like a man As you please said Willoughby Selby had drawn out a coin We better make all haste ho said still before this goes further thars an awkward thing KQt to bo fixed gedly wont wait WUloughby said dog I You will wait SeW said decidedly I decided-ly I drawing a long envelope from his pocket Heres a passel o papers that I mustnt be found on mo I have nothing to do with your secrets I se-crets Wlllouchby said Not even when they happen to be your own Selby asked These happen hap-pen to be your secret Mr WUloughby I Here are two checks you sirn 1 once with another mans name liogt likely you was drunk and done It fer a lark Most folks wouldnt think so if you are I so rich WUloughby flung up his hands and I staggered back agqinst the nearest tree 011 cannOt fight xoyj he said 11 take back everything I will go for my fathers sake you will not use those papers pa-pers against moUse mo-Use em against you Selby said When Im mean enough to do sech W that Ill quit the country a not me ter come and cit em I did git lam paid his pricethen told him Id shoot him ef evqr he named he had had em II without my leave I fetched em here I tonight to give back to you Ef I cant beat you fighting fair I wont beat you a tal Willoughby clutched the envelope and flung away his pistol I 11 do a you bid me he said In oshAKeti voice < gel by picked up the pistolhanded i ba < kant k-ant said touching ha oWn cheek sjg niflcantl That sorter stings I 1 a pity but I reckon were bound to see this thing through Willoughby looked at him appeallng ly There Was nb renting in his face The coin went spinning lip flickering silvery In the moonbeams and fell with a tinkle at their feet I Heads called Selby Both bent to look The coin stoQd edgewise lodged against a tiny pebble This time Selby tossed again calf Heads before the bit of silver touched the farth Heads win WUloughby said walking walk-ing a little unsteadily to his place beneath be-neath the candle I fluttered and fared far-ed spectrally in flows of night wind Willoughby flung off his coat and let his arms drop The flittering light showed his face beaded all over Be still more merciful Shoot quick he said his eyes full on Selbys face Selby tool deliberate aim but dropped his pistol to any You agree here in the face o1 death this is er mans quarrel one that touches nobody but Our two selves I agree Willoughby answered in n dry whisper Selby started a little at the sound of i Again he raised his pistol to cover his adversarys heart The band was playing Tom Meriweth er maddest of mad merry dancing tunes Ill KQ and 1 make em stopIf you want ter pray a minute Selby i I said interrogatively Willoughby shook his head They could hear approaching I voices In two minutes the unit of the I crowd would be upon them Solby drew back the hammer of his pistol aimed and sent a bullet into the heart of the candle flame I I had tel snuff out er light you know he said almost apologetically offering his hand to WUIuughby I choosed the candle because well because I be-cause it wasnt running fer congress aginst me The crowd was all about them clamorously clam-orously merry before Willoughby dared trust himself to speak Still coatlebs I and bareheaded he sprang upon a bench and shouted Every friend of mine cheer with me for Bert Selby our I next congressman the best man in the Purchase or out of i As the cheer came wild and ringing Mary Specs face grew illumined She was almost at WJlloughbys elbow smiling through happy tear Selby looked at her sighed and said to his heart heartWilloughbya elected fer a heap moren ever I shall be Speech Speech the crowd shouted I Major Dade and Uncle Bob caught him by the arms and tried to thrust him forward He smiled but shook his head obstinately and dived into the throng I threade it and plunged into an ambush am-bush of shrubbery As he stood for a moment with downcast eyes he felt the lightest touch Mary Specs hand was I on his arm Mary Spec herself was sayIng say-Ing I never would have believed you so ungrateful Mr Selby Why didnt rou make that speech He took her hand between both his own and said There aint but one speech I feel like I could make and I know that it aint worth while I I How can rou know it is not worth I while unless you make it she said I softly a little I tremor under her words I Becaus > it is 1 love youand In mast sure you calnt never love me he answered choking a little over he last words I Possibly hearts feminine have a chameleon quality possibly also a psychic wave to strong to be resisted was then setting Selbyward Whatever the fact Mary Spec smiled up at him and said hardly above her breath Maybe I might learn howIfIf you gave me leave to try |