Read Online Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lee Smith
Tags: Historical, Adult
Ads: Link
pale green leaves on them now I saw, the oak trees had leaves as big as squirrel paws, all was a pale pale green. Tenessee talked to herself all the way in her singsong voice, but Momma clumb with her jaw shut tigt and her eyes set strate ahead. Are you all rigt? I axed her one time, and she said yes. We past by the path that went to the bald where the chestnut trees is, and we past by the rocky-clifts where Daddy used to bring us after black-berrys, and this was the fartherest I had ever been up ther before. We was out of the tall woods by then, moving throgh scrub pines, so you culd see the sky wich was blue as blue culd be, I reckon it was about seven in the morning by then, and one or two hawks was flying circles up ther. Ethel pointed up but did not speak. Tenessee and Granny had dropped behind.
Ho! Victor said and then we were ther. It was not much to see. Him and the Conaway boys had dug a big hole and the dirt was all red and muddy, piled up beside it. It was a little clearing on the hillside, that is all, where the trees dont grow. I dont know exackly how I thoght it wuld be, may be like the sematary at the Methodist Church in Majestic wich is pretty with flowers and gravestones. Well they is none of that here at the Rowe berrying ground up on Blue Star Mountain. Theys little mounds, that is all, and some so old they have sunk in insted of humped up, and some old wooden markers you cant hardly read and some you can. And theys four lattice houses bilt up ther, two of them falling in, one of them bilt over the grave that holds Daddys daddy and momma, to keep out animals I reckon.
They put Daddys coffin down into the grave.
It was Mister Green Patterson and Mister Delphi Rolette and Stoney Branham and Roland Fox and Dove Yates and Victor, all of them sweating by then, and they taken off ther hats and bowed ther heads and everbody was looking out of the side of ther eyes at Momma who looked for a minit as if she wuld speak, but then she bit her lip and set her jaw and turned away, and the Conaways started shovelling.
Rest in peace, Victor said just about to himself, he looked down at the ground when he said it.
I went over and sat on a rock by myself while they shovelled, but after a wile we heerd the sweetest singing, this was Tenessee who had got up ther at last. She stood on the edge of the woods and sang When I can read my title clear, to mansions in the skys, I will bid farewell to evry care, and wipe my weep-ing eyes. Been a long time travelling here below, to lay this body down. It was Garnies song wich he used to sing at his preachings, when we wuld play Town. But Garnie did not sing. Instead he was starring down into the grave wile they filled it up until you culdnt see the coffin any more. Momma looked up in the sky, shading her eyes with her hand, and I looked too and seed them hawks still circling. They was a little wind up ther, clean and cold. Silvaney come out of the woods and watched Tenessee singing God be with you till we meet agin and I sat on the rock.
Then they were done shovelling and Tenessee was done singing and Momma turned to me and smiled the first smile she had smiled since Christmas and said Gentlemen, I thank you. And I felt my soul lift up like the hawk flying.
It was over.
I know Victor and Early Cook will go back up ther and build a little lattice house to cover his grave, I heard them say it, and I know the preacher man will pray for Daddy too bye and bye when next he comes, iffen Momma will allow it. But it is finely over.
And you will not belive what has happend next!
When we come back to the house the firstest thing we saw was Danny and Johnny out in the muddy yard wearing nothing but ther drawers, this was so irreglar as you will gess.
Hidy! Hidy! they hollered. Beulah has got a baby.
Lord lord, Momma said and we come busting in as fast as we culd and sure enogh, Beulah was laying in the bed all warshed out looking and smiling, and blood everwhere.
Holp me Granny, Beulah
Ho! Victor said and then we were ther. It was not much to see. Him and the Conaway boys had dug a big hole and the dirt was all red and muddy, piled up beside it. It was a little clearing on the hillside, that is all, where the trees dont grow. I dont know exackly how I thoght it wuld be, may be like the sematary at the Methodist Church in Majestic wich is pretty with flowers and gravestones. Well they is none of that here at the Rowe berrying ground up on Blue Star Mountain. Theys little mounds, that is all, and some so old they have sunk in insted of humped up, and some old wooden markers you cant hardly read and some you can. And theys four lattice houses bilt up ther, two of them falling in, one of them bilt over the grave that holds Daddys daddy and momma, to keep out animals I reckon.
They put Daddys coffin down into the grave.
It was Mister Green Patterson and Mister Delphi Rolette and Stoney Branham and Roland Fox and Dove Yates and Victor, all of them sweating by then, and they taken off ther hats and bowed ther heads and everbody was looking out of the side of ther eyes at Momma who looked for a minit as if she wuld speak, but then she bit her lip and set her jaw and turned away, and the Conaways started shovelling.
Rest in peace, Victor said just about to himself, he looked down at the ground when he said it.
I went over and sat on a rock by myself while they shovelled, but after a wile we heerd the sweetest singing, this was Tenessee who had got up ther at last. She stood on the edge of the woods and sang When I can read my title clear, to mansions in the skys, I will bid farewell to evry care, and wipe my weep-ing eyes. Been a long time travelling here below, to lay this body down. It was Garnies song wich he used to sing at his preachings, when we wuld play Town. But Garnie did not sing. Instead he was starring down into the grave wile they filled it up until you culdnt see the coffin any more. Momma looked up in the sky, shading her eyes with her hand, and I looked too and seed them hawks still circling. They was a little wind up ther, clean and cold. Silvaney come out of the woods and watched Tenessee singing God be with you till we meet agin and I sat on the rock.
Then they were done shovelling and Tenessee was done singing and Momma turned to me and smiled the first smile she had smiled since Christmas and said Gentlemen, I thank you. And I felt my soul lift up like the hawk flying.
It was over.
I know Victor and Early Cook will go back up ther and build a little lattice house to cover his grave, I heard them say it, and I know the preacher man will pray for Daddy too bye and bye when next he comes, iffen Momma will allow it. But it is finely over.
And you will not belive what has happend next!
When we come back to the house the firstest thing we saw was Danny and Johnny out in the muddy yard wearing nothing but ther drawers, this was so irreglar as you will gess.
Hidy! Hidy! they hollered. Beulah has got a baby.
Lord lord, Momma said and we come busting in as fast as we culd and sure enogh, Beulah was laying in the bed all warshed out looking and smiling, and blood everwhere.
Holp me Granny, Beulah
Similar Books
