Fire Over Atlanta by Gilbert L. Morris Page A
Authors: Gilbert L. Morris
firmly. “When that happens, you just wait until the next year and try again.” They talked about farming a while longer, and then she changed the subject. “Tell me some more about Drake.”
“Drake? Well, he’s all kinds of a fella. Good lookin’,as you can see, and can play a fiddle. Can do just about anything.”
Charlie digested that, then said, “I guess he’s had lots of sweethearts.”
“Quite a few.”
The brief answer did not seem to satisfy her. “I bet none of his sweethearts had a farm like I’m going to have. That ought to be in my favor, don’t you think, Rosie?”
Rosie did not answer at once. He walked along slowly, letting her match his stride. “It ought to, I guess—if he wants to farm.”
“Didn’t he ever farm? Didn’t he grow up on one?”
“No, his folks ran a store. He’s mostly a town fella, Drake is. He likes his comfort.”
The news seemed to depress Charlie, but then she brightened. “He’ll like it if we get a nice house.”
Rosie said slowly, “Charlie, have you ever thought that there might be more to gettin’ married than havin’ a place to go to?” When she turned to look at him, he threw his hands apart in a helpless gesture. “I mean, after all, two people don’t live together for all their lives just to have a farm, or a house in town, or a business. I mean, there’s more to it than that.”
“Oh, I know,” Charlie said. “Miss Lori talked to me about that. About romance, you mean.”
“Yes, about romance. A fella likes a little romance in his courtin’. Don’t you?”
“I don’t know. I never had any.”
“Didn’t any fellas come hang around you back in Macon?”
“Why, no. Well, maybe some of ’em did, but I knew they wasn’t serious. They was after the towngirls or the ones that had pretty dresses and knew how to dance. Mostly they let me alone.”
“I think you better study about how to make yourself more like other girls. If you’re gonna catch a fella like Drake—you gotta use the right bait.”
“What do you mean—bait?”
“A fish don’t bite a bare hook, does he? You got to put a nice, juicy worm on there.”
“Are you callin’ me a worm?”
Rosie laughed aloud. “Of course not! But a worm’s what draws the fish, and you know what draws fellas like Drake. You just said it. Fancy dresses and learnin’ how to be especially nice to a fella …”
“How would
you
want a girl to behave if you was lookin’ for one?”
“Me? Well now, I’m different from Drake. I’d just as soon go possum huntin’ with you as go to any old dance. But lots of fellas want a girl to tell ’em how handsome they are and smile a lot at ’em. Just stuff like that.”
“Maybe I can try to do some of that,” Charlie said. “It don’t seem to come natural, though. You’ll help me, won’t you, Rosie?”
“I can’t do none of that for you. I can just tell you what I think.” He hesitated, then said, “But I sure wouldn’t want you to make a mistake. You haven’t had much experience, Charlie, and Drake’s had a lot. That could be a bad combination.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, some fellas would take advantage of a girl.”
“I know that. I’ve seen enough of it, I guess. Although it’s never been tried on me.”
“Yeah, but you’re just practically throwing yourself at Drake, saying, ‘Here I am, take me.’ If a felladidn’t have any honor, he might take you up on that, then leave you flat.”
Charlie’s cheek flamed. “I would never do anything wrong, and I don’t think Drake would either.”
“I just want you to be sensible. You’re a good Christian girl, and just remember that.”
Suddenly Charlie reached over and took Rosie’s hand. She squeezed it and then held it in both of hers. “You’re a good friend, Rosie. I never had a friend like you. I appreciate you helping me out.”
Rosie was very conscious of the girl’s warm, strong hands and of her large, winsome eyes. He wanted to
“Drake? Well, he’s all kinds of a fella. Good lookin’,as you can see, and can play a fiddle. Can do just about anything.”
Charlie digested that, then said, “I guess he’s had lots of sweethearts.”
“Quite a few.”
The brief answer did not seem to satisfy her. “I bet none of his sweethearts had a farm like I’m going to have. That ought to be in my favor, don’t you think, Rosie?”
Rosie did not answer at once. He walked along slowly, letting her match his stride. “It ought to, I guess—if he wants to farm.”
“Didn’t he ever farm? Didn’t he grow up on one?”
“No, his folks ran a store. He’s mostly a town fella, Drake is. He likes his comfort.”
The news seemed to depress Charlie, but then she brightened. “He’ll like it if we get a nice house.”
Rosie said slowly, “Charlie, have you ever thought that there might be more to gettin’ married than havin’ a place to go to?” When she turned to look at him, he threw his hands apart in a helpless gesture. “I mean, after all, two people don’t live together for all their lives just to have a farm, or a house in town, or a business. I mean, there’s more to it than that.”
“Oh, I know,” Charlie said. “Miss Lori talked to me about that. About romance, you mean.”
“Yes, about romance. A fella likes a little romance in his courtin’. Don’t you?”
“I don’t know. I never had any.”
“Didn’t any fellas come hang around you back in Macon?”
“Why, no. Well, maybe some of ’em did, but I knew they wasn’t serious. They was after the towngirls or the ones that had pretty dresses and knew how to dance. Mostly they let me alone.”
“I think you better study about how to make yourself more like other girls. If you’re gonna catch a fella like Drake—you gotta use the right bait.”
“What do you mean—bait?”
“A fish don’t bite a bare hook, does he? You got to put a nice, juicy worm on there.”
“Are you callin’ me a worm?”
Rosie laughed aloud. “Of course not! But a worm’s what draws the fish, and you know what draws fellas like Drake. You just said it. Fancy dresses and learnin’ how to be especially nice to a fella …”
“How would
you
want a girl to behave if you was lookin’ for one?”
“Me? Well now, I’m different from Drake. I’d just as soon go possum huntin’ with you as go to any old dance. But lots of fellas want a girl to tell ’em how handsome they are and smile a lot at ’em. Just stuff like that.”
“Maybe I can try to do some of that,” Charlie said. “It don’t seem to come natural, though. You’ll help me, won’t you, Rosie?”
“I can’t do none of that for you. I can just tell you what I think.” He hesitated, then said, “But I sure wouldn’t want you to make a mistake. You haven’t had much experience, Charlie, and Drake’s had a lot. That could be a bad combination.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, some fellas would take advantage of a girl.”
“I know that. I’ve seen enough of it, I guess. Although it’s never been tried on me.”
“Yeah, but you’re just practically throwing yourself at Drake, saying, ‘Here I am, take me.’ If a felladidn’t have any honor, he might take you up on that, then leave you flat.”
Charlie’s cheek flamed. “I would never do anything wrong, and I don’t think Drake would either.”
“I just want you to be sensible. You’re a good Christian girl, and just remember that.”
Suddenly Charlie reached over and took Rosie’s hand. She squeezed it and then held it in both of hers. “You’re a good friend, Rosie. I never had a friend like you. I appreciate you helping me out.”
Rosie was very conscious of the girl’s warm, strong hands and of her large, winsome eyes. He wanted to