on his back. I said I'd keep her on here, but I reckon Clark wanted her to know thet she be his an' somethin' special, not jest one of a brood. Besides he never did want to be beholden to anybody. There was a childless woman in town who would have gladly took her, but Clark would have none of it. Said she would have growed up so spoiled she would have been unfit fer even herself to stand; that's what Clark said. Anyway, Clark's prayers seem to be gittin' answered and Missie has you now an' a right good mama ya be a makin' too-- sewin' thet sweet little dress an' all."
She patted Marty's arm.
"Yer doin' jest fine, Marty. Jest fine."
Through the whole speech of Ma's, Marty had sat wide- eyed. The hearing of Clark's sorrow had opened afresh the pain of her own. She wanted to weep but sat dry-eyed, feeling the horror of it all. It had been a shock for her to hear that Clem was dead, but she hadn't had to sit by him for hours watching him suffer, not able to lift a hand to relieve him. She decided that she had had the easier suffering of the two.
"Oh, Clem," her heart whispered, "Clem, I'm glad thet ya didn't have to bear pain like thet."
She roused as Ma hustled up, exclaiming that time had just flown and the menfolk would be looking for coffee.
87
Chapter 14
Missie
The next morning at breakfast Clark informed Marty that Thursday of the week Missie would have her second birthday. Marty felt concern. She wasn't sure how Ellen would have celebrated the event. She didn't want to let Clark down, but how was she to know what the family chose to do about birthdays? She was rather silent, weighing the matter mentally for the rest of the meal. Clark sensed her mood and finally inquired.
"Somethin' be a troublin' ya?"
"No," lied Marty and remained silent for a few minutes, then decided that that would never do. If they had to share the same house, they'd just have to be frank and honest with one another, so she blurted out. "It's jest thet I don't know what ya would want planned fer Missie's birthday. Da ya have company? Have a party? Do somethin' different?" She shrugged. "I don't know."
"I see," Clark said, and she felt that he really did see. He got up and refilled their coffee cups.
"Dad-blame," thought Marty, "I missed thet second cup agin with my deep thinkin'."
Clark didn't appear to be at all bothered by it. He sat back down and creamed his coffee, pushing his plate back and pulling his cup forward as though preparing for a lengthy stay. By this time Missie was getting restless and wanting down
88
from her chair. Clark lifted her down and she ran into the sitting room to find her new book. Clark continued then.
"Funny thing, but I don't rightly remember any fixed thing thet we be a doin' fer a birthday. Seems in lookin' back thet they were all a mite different somehow. Missie now, she only had one afore an' she was abit young then to pay it much mind," he hesitated. "I think though thet it would be nice to be a havin' a cake fer her. I got a doo-dad in town last Saturday while I was there. I hope it pleases her. Jest a silly little thing really, but it looks like it would tickle a little 'un. I don't think thet we be needin' company's help in celebratin'. She'll enjoy it jest as much on her own."
Marty felt relieved. That kind of a birthday celebration she felt that she could handle. She sat quietly for a moment and finally raised her eyes to Clark's and said almost imploringly. "I been thinkin'. Seems thet I don't know much 'bout Missie an' seems as tho' I should be a knowin' a sight more if- fen I be goin' to raise her an' all. Ya know how young 'uns be. They like to hear their folks tell of when they did this an' when they said thet, an' how cute an' clever they was, an' quick in their ways an' all. Some day soon Missie's goin' to be wantin' to hear sech things, an' I should be able to tell her. The only thing I know 'bout her is her name."
Clark surprised her by laughing quietly. It was the first time that
She patted Marty's arm.
"Yer doin' jest fine, Marty. Jest fine."
Through the whole speech of Ma's, Marty had sat wide- eyed. The hearing of Clark's sorrow had opened afresh the pain of her own. She wanted to weep but sat dry-eyed, feeling the horror of it all. It had been a shock for her to hear that Clem was dead, but she hadn't had to sit by him for hours watching him suffer, not able to lift a hand to relieve him. She decided that she had had the easier suffering of the two.
"Oh, Clem," her heart whispered, "Clem, I'm glad thet ya didn't have to bear pain like thet."
She roused as Ma hustled up, exclaiming that time had just flown and the menfolk would be looking for coffee.
87
Chapter 14
Missie
The next morning at breakfast Clark informed Marty that Thursday of the week Missie would have her second birthday. Marty felt concern. She wasn't sure how Ellen would have celebrated the event. She didn't want to let Clark down, but how was she to know what the family chose to do about birthdays? She was rather silent, weighing the matter mentally for the rest of the meal. Clark sensed her mood and finally inquired.
"Somethin' be a troublin' ya?"
"No," lied Marty and remained silent for a few minutes, then decided that that would never do. If they had to share the same house, they'd just have to be frank and honest with one another, so she blurted out. "It's jest thet I don't know what ya would want planned fer Missie's birthday. Da ya have company? Have a party? Do somethin' different?" She shrugged. "I don't know."
"I see," Clark said, and she felt that he really did see. He got up and refilled their coffee cups.
"Dad-blame," thought Marty, "I missed thet second cup agin with my deep thinkin'."
Clark didn't appear to be at all bothered by it. He sat back down and creamed his coffee, pushing his plate back and pulling his cup forward as though preparing for a lengthy stay. By this time Missie was getting restless and wanting down
88
from her chair. Clark lifted her down and she ran into the sitting room to find her new book. Clark continued then.
"Funny thing, but I don't rightly remember any fixed thing thet we be a doin' fer a birthday. Seems in lookin' back thet they were all a mite different somehow. Missie now, she only had one afore an' she was abit young then to pay it much mind," he hesitated. "I think though thet it would be nice to be a havin' a cake fer her. I got a doo-dad in town last Saturday while I was there. I hope it pleases her. Jest a silly little thing really, but it looks like it would tickle a little 'un. I don't think thet we be needin' company's help in celebratin'. She'll enjoy it jest as much on her own."
Marty felt relieved. That kind of a birthday celebration she felt that she could handle. She sat quietly for a moment and finally raised her eyes to Clark's and said almost imploringly. "I been thinkin'. Seems thet I don't know much 'bout Missie an' seems as tho' I should be a knowin' a sight more if- fen I be goin' to raise her an' all. Ya know how young 'uns be. They like to hear their folks tell of when they did this an' when they said thet, an' how cute an' clever they was, an' quick in their ways an' all. Some day soon Missie's goin' to be wantin' to hear sech things, an' I should be able to tell her. The only thing I know 'bout her is her name."
Clark surprised her by laughing quietly. It was the first time that
Similar Books
