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Show Telegram Serial, The Handsome Road' Corrie May Embroiders A Shirt for Ann's Baby Corrt Mar TJplohn rebele esalnst the squalor ot her surrounding, and la envious of tba rich on tbelr nearby near-by plantations. Sha learns from Ana Sheremr that whits laborers ars needed In the cypress swamps ot the Lams plan tattoo and persuades bar two brothers to so. Within s month they are both dead of fever. Ann Bheramy marries Denis Lame, and becomes mistreat of his great estate. Ana has beea annoyed when leaving oa her honeymoon, by Olldey. her father's overseer, who blames Ana for his dismissal. Coma May. foreseeing further poverty, refuses to marry Budae Poster. Before the winter at over ahe realises that . the hundred dollars she had received as Insurance money for bar brothers la almost gone. Unable to sat work In competition com-petition with siavs labor, sha goss to Ann for hslp. Ann employs Oorrle May to eew for bar a few days a week. pay to Corrlo May. CHAPTER Denis and Ann spent July up n-rth at a place called Saratoga, and when they got back Ann was expecting a baby. Corrie May was not surprised, and to tell the truth she was not very much interested. For a young couple In good health to be having a child seemed to her t most jrdinary of occurrences. occur-rences. She hsd no fondness for babies, ho bawled and squalled and made more work for everybody. every-body. Everybody she knew, men and women alike, resented the approach of a baby. So the way they started carrying carry-ing on at Ardeith amazed her. They brought out of season fruits to tempt Ann's appetite and new books to while away her enforced leisure. The negroes didn't have any more sense than the white folks. They beamed and grinned and sprang to wait on her as if she'd faint if she crossed a room unaided. un-aided. Not a slave had been sold from Ardeith in 40 years. They wire as integral a part of the clan as their masters. The approach of an heir was an event to be mentioned with thanksgiving. The line was going on and, with the mistress' health and spirits what they were, the household would not dwindle as in the days of her predecessor. The girls In the sewing room cut and stitched such piles of tiny garments gar-ments as no baby could possibly wear out before he outgrew them. They embroidered nightgown and pillow cases for Ann's confinement confine-ment end fashioned her caps of lace and ribbon. There were new bed curtains provided, crimson satin lined with white, for there must be no drafts across her bed. Seamstresses were Imported from New Orleans to be consulted about the newest fashion In christening robes and to design a particularly lovely gown for Ann to wear when she stood up at the font And how Denis walked around! You'd have thought from the looks of him he hsd been elected president, Instead In-stead ot having done something entirely commonplace. Nobody found It ridiculous or even surprising, except Corrie May. To save her life she could not see that the coming of Ann's child was a circumstance of such tremendous moment Black and white, the clan felt blessed, but when she watched them she became be-came more acutely aware than ever that she had no share In that mighty unit She stood outside, saying nothing of her thoughts, for she hsd no wish to endsnger her livelihood by a hint of sacrilege, sacri-lege, but the whole business, though sometimes it made her want to laugh, oftener choked her with fury. One damp morning In November she arrived at Ardeith to find the . house hushed Just like a church. At the back door Mrs. Maitland told her In an undertone the baby had been born In the night and the mistress was asleep. There would be no work done today; they were halting evesy thing that she might have complete repose. Corrie May could come back. the day after tomorrow. Botheration, thought Carrie May. All that long ride for nothing. noth-ing. And in such dismal weather. It was a heavy, colorless day, blurred with fog. As she walked around to the front of the house she ehlvessd aad wrapaas) hse hands in the end of her shawl. Dr. Purcell's buggy stood by the steps, and he waa saying good-by to Denis. As Denis turned around to go back Into the house he saw Corrie May. "Why, good morning," morn-ing," he said. She curtsied. "Good morning, Mr. Lame." . He was grinning consciously. "Did they tell you our son was born, Corrie May?" "Yes, sir, I done heard about It," she answered politely. "Tell Miss Ann I sho' hopes she gets on." "Thanks," said Denis. He ran up the steps, whistling softly. All of a sudden Corrie May felt like laughing, not in derision, but with a curious sympathy that surprised sur-prised her. He was just like a little boy. In spite of their pompous carryings-on about the baby, Mr. Denis was really so young queer, she thought abruptly. abrupt-ly. She was herself only 13 and he must be 10 or 12 years older, yet he seemed so young. He and Ann both. They didn't know anything. any-thing. She started, remembering her sensation of wrath a few minutes min-utes back. It made her feel guilty. Here she worked In a house, and she hadn't done a thing to express felicitations about the baby. Until this minute she had not thought of doing so. Hurrying out to the gate, she waited till a cotton i wagon came along and rode to town. At home she took her box from Its hiding place and felt the weight of it In her hands. Setting her teeth hard, she turned the box upside ' down and shook it. A nickel and a penny fell out Corrie May took a long stern breath and kept on shaking. A dime came, and four more pennies, then another an-other nickel, then a penny. Every coin as It dropped gave her a feeling that was almost pain. She shook the box resolutely. Six more pennies clinked into her lap. Her hand faltered and she stopped. Sae simply could not make herself deplete her hoard any further. For 33 cents one could get something. some-thing. Her money In her pocket she made her way to the square around the park and walked till she found a shop that sold dry goods. She went in 'timidly. Though she had on a newly Ironed dress and a woolen shawl and a pair of Congress gaiters only slightly scuffed, she felt out of place. The clerk was busy with a young lady at the counter. He glanced at Corrie May and said, "Just a minute," as If he saw that she was not going to be a valuable customer anyway. Corrie May recognized the young lady because she hsd seen her often at Ardeith; she was Ann's friend, Sarah Pur fCentrsoed en Ponowmg Pegs) |