"Now don't eat like you never got nothin' at home. Miz Mayfield, it's
all put on with him."
A table cloth was spread on the ground and before the old man had tasted
a morsel, he went about looking for someone, astray at the feast, who
might not have brought a basket or received an invitation. He returned
with Laz, Sim and Mag. The girl minced, nibbling at a chicken wing, and
the boys pretended to be dainty, but when the girls were not looking,
grabbed like a hired hand at a barbecue. After a time, when the sun had
moved far around, Old Jasper wiped his knife on his trousers and
remarked: "Wall, I don't know how the rest of you feel, but as for me
I'm goin' off down thar summers in the holler an' take a nap."
Margaret protested, but a word from Mrs. Mayfield assured him that
privilege, and he strode away, humming as he went. Laz and Mag
"santered" off, Sim sprawled out to sleep, Tom and Lou bird-peeped at
each other and Jim and Mrs. Mayfield sat on a log in a lace-work of sun
and shade.
"This has been one of the happiest days of my life," she said.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128