Luther as to Tulsa May.
}"No danger of that, Rev." Luther was visibly uncomfortable with the discussion. He cleared his throat. "I was hoping, sir, that I might be allowed to escort Miss Tulsy to church in the morning."
}The preacher raised his eyebrows and folded his arms before him, surveying the young man with surprise. "You intend to darken God's door once again, Luther?" He shook his head and then glanced at his daughter. "My, the Lord does work in mysterious ways."
}SPRING BLOSSOM FESTIVAL HUGE SUCCESS
}Evening Rain Doesn't Dampen Enjoyment
}Cimarron Ornamental Flower Farms held its annual Spring Blossom Festival on Saturday at Cora's Knoll near Prattville. It was estimated that nearly two hundred people were in attendance for the festivities, which included a steam calliope merry-go-round and speeches from local politicians.
}Miss Maybelle Penny, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Titus Penny of Main Street, was crowned Spring Blossom Queen in a ceremony that included the presentation of a
}Chapter 7
}He was a boy again. The wind swept his long black hair into his face and he brushed it away. He heard her call his name. Or did he hear it? Perhaps he felt it? She was behind him. His mother. His mother as he remembered her, not his mother from the photograph that sat on the delicate parlor table in the front room. That mother was a pretty, young, dark-eyed princess with her hair dressed in an elaborate style. That mother was wearing a fancy dress and had her face lightened with rice powder. This was his mother with the long black braids that hung nearly to her waist and the once bright calico dress, much faded and worn at the elbows.
}"Greasy!" she called once again to him, in that way of hers that made it sound like "Greezie."
}He turned to run back to her, but he felt weak and she was a long distance away. His father was there too. Looking very tall. Looking very alive. He struggled to reach them, briefly frightened that he would not make it. But then he was beside them. They were smiling down at him. His father ruffled his hair. "Son, come take your brother," he said in the deep, strong voice that Luther remembered, although he couldn't see his father's lips moving. "He's younger than you and he's your responsibility. You must keep him safe and keep him with you."
}Luther looked down into the blankets. Arthel was a baby once more. Tied into his papoose cradle, he had the same black hair on his forehead and the same shriveled-up face that Luther remembered. The little baby eyes crinkled up and he opened his mouth as if to howl, but no sound came.
}"Be careful with him now," his mother admonished as she strapped the leather binding on Luther's back. "You must watch what you do. You must keep your little brother safe."
}"I will, Mammy," he said, in a soft sing-song voice that sounded nothing like his own.
}Both his parents smiled at him proudly. His father gestured for him to go ahead, and as he hurried before them on the road, he could feel the warm weight of his brother on his back. He felt the comfort of his family's nearness. He was happy. Walking. Walking. Walking up the steps of the Briggs mansion.
}The door was open and he went inside. He stood at the bottom of the stairs.
}Was he supposed to climb up? He turned to ask his mother. She was gone. His father was gone too. The path they had trodden together had vanished with his family. He tried to call out to them, but he couldn't make a sound.
}They were gone. Forever.
}Tears came to his eyes, but he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He turned once more to face the stairs. Yes, he was supposed to climb them. His parents had sent him here expecting him to continue on. He would do as they had hoped.
}He tried to raise his foot, but he couldn't move. Staring at his leg as if it were not his own, he tried again. He still carried the baby Arthel on his back. The weight had grown too heavy. He tried again, forcing his feet to move. But he could not.
}He
}"No danger of that, Rev." Luther was visibly uncomfortable with the discussion. He cleared his throat. "I was hoping, sir, that I might be allowed to escort Miss Tulsy to church in the morning."
}The preacher raised his eyebrows and folded his arms before him, surveying the young man with surprise. "You intend to darken God's door once again, Luther?" He shook his head and then glanced at his daughter. "My, the Lord does work in mysterious ways."
}SPRING BLOSSOM FESTIVAL HUGE SUCCESS
}Evening Rain Doesn't Dampen Enjoyment
}Cimarron Ornamental Flower Farms held its annual Spring Blossom Festival on Saturday at Cora's Knoll near Prattville. It was estimated that nearly two hundred people were in attendance for the festivities, which included a steam calliope merry-go-round and speeches from local politicians.
}Miss Maybelle Penny, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Titus Penny of Main Street, was crowned Spring Blossom Queen in a ceremony that included the presentation of a
}Chapter 7
}He was a boy again. The wind swept his long black hair into his face and he brushed it away. He heard her call his name. Or did he hear it? Perhaps he felt it? She was behind him. His mother. His mother as he remembered her, not his mother from the photograph that sat on the delicate parlor table in the front room. That mother was a pretty, young, dark-eyed princess with her hair dressed in an elaborate style. That mother was wearing a fancy dress and had her face lightened with rice powder. This was his mother with the long black braids that hung nearly to her waist and the once bright calico dress, much faded and worn at the elbows.
}"Greasy!" she called once again to him, in that way of hers that made it sound like "Greezie."
}He turned to run back to her, but he felt weak and she was a long distance away. His father was there too. Looking very tall. Looking very alive. He struggled to reach them, briefly frightened that he would not make it. But then he was beside them. They were smiling down at him. His father ruffled his hair. "Son, come take your brother," he said in the deep, strong voice that Luther remembered, although he couldn't see his father's lips moving. "He's younger than you and he's your responsibility. You must keep him safe and keep him with you."
}Luther looked down into the blankets. Arthel was a baby once more. Tied into his papoose cradle, he had the same black hair on his forehead and the same shriveled-up face that Luther remembered. The little baby eyes crinkled up and he opened his mouth as if to howl, but no sound came.
}"Be careful with him now," his mother admonished as she strapped the leather binding on Luther's back. "You must watch what you do. You must keep your little brother safe."
}"I will, Mammy," he said, in a soft sing-song voice that sounded nothing like his own.
}Both his parents smiled at him proudly. His father gestured for him to go ahead, and as he hurried before them on the road, he could feel the warm weight of his brother on his back. He felt the comfort of his family's nearness. He was happy. Walking. Walking. Walking up the steps of the Briggs mansion.
}The door was open and he went inside. He stood at the bottom of the stairs.
}Was he supposed to climb up? He turned to ask his mother. She was gone. His father was gone too. The path they had trodden together had vanished with his family. He tried to call out to them, but he couldn't make a sound.
}They were gone. Forever.
}Tears came to his eyes, but he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He turned once more to face the stairs. Yes, he was supposed to climb them. His parents had sent him here expecting him to continue on. He would do as they had hoped.
}He tried to raise his foot, but he couldn't move. Staring at his leg as if it were not his own, he tried again. He still carried the baby Arthel on his back. The weight had grown too heavy. He tried again, forcing his feet to move. But he could not.
}He
Similar Books
