E-text prepared by Justin Gillbank
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(/c/)
In Happy Valley
Illustrated By F. C. Yohn
Published October, 1917
To Hope,
Little Daughter of Richard Harding Davis.
Contents
The Battle-Prayer of Parson Small
Illustrations
“You got him down!” she cried. “Jump on him an' stomp him!”
“Mammy,” he said abruptly, “I'll stop drinkin' if you will.”
“You stay hyeh with the baby,” he said quietly, “an'I'll take yo' meal home.”
“Let 'em loose!” he yelled. “Git at it, boys! Go fer him,Ham—whoop-ee-ee!”
“Miss Hildy, Jeems Henery is the bigges' liar on Viper.”
“I'm a-goin' to give it back to 'em. Churches, schools, libraries,hospitals, good roads.”
Night and day, and through wind and storm, she had travelled the hills,healing the sick.
“O Lawd... hyeh's another who meddles with thy servant and profanesthy day.”
The Courtship of Allaphair
Preaching at the open-air meeting-house was just over and the citizens ofHappy Valley were pouring out of the benched enclosure within living wallsof rhododendron. Men, women, children, babes in arms mounted horse or muleor strolled in family groups homeward up or down the dusty road. Youths andmaids paired off, dallying behind. Emerged last one rich, dark, buxom girlalone. Twenty yards down the road two young mountaineers were squatted inthe shade whittling, and to one she nodded. The other was a stranger—oneJay Dawn—and the stare he gave her was not only bold but impudent.
“Who's goin' home with that gal?” she heard him ask.
“Nobody,” was the answer; “that gal al'ays goes home alone.” She heardhis snort of incredulity.
“Well, I'm goin' with her right now.” The other man caught his arm.
“No, you ain't”—and she heard no more.
Athwart the wooded spur she strode like a man. Her full cheeks and lipswere red and her black, straigh
