The Librarian of Boone's Hollow - Kim Vogel Sawyer Page 0,17

No need to say goodbye yet.”

Spence shook his head. “I’m headin’ home with my folks now. Dad’ll send somebody next week for my stuff. ’Course”—he put his hands on his hips and gave a mock scowl—“that means I’m trusting you not to take my clothes back to Boone’s Hollow with you.”

Emmett laughed. Spence was six inches shorter and probably forty pounds lighter. Not even Maw, who was clever with a needle, would be able to stretch the fabric and make Spence’s clothes fit Emmett. But maybe she could shrink them down for his little brother. The eight-year-old was closer to Spence’s size than Emmett was. Emmett couldn’t imagine Dusty wearing such fancy duds, though. “Your stuff’s safe, Spence. You can trust me on that.”

“Aw, I know it. Just joshin’ you. Well…” He walked backward and gave a salute. “Nice knowin’ you, Emmett Tharp. Take good care now.”

Emmett waved, then turned toward Bradley Hall. He worked his way between groups of chattering, celebrating students and families, feeling more alone with every step. He’d hoped for a job here in Lexington, but the kind of job he wanted—the kind for which people would hire a man with a BS in commerce—probably wouldn’t exist until the country got on its feet again. That might be years from now. So there really wasn’t any other choice except to do what Spence said and go back to Boone’s Hollow.

He reached the men’s dormitory and slung off his robe, careful not to catch his diploma in the fabric. He flopped the robe over his arm and climbed the stairs. Slow. Plodding. Putting things off. Because once he packed up, what would he do? Go home, for sure. He wanted to see Maw, Paw, and Dusty. But after that…what?

Like the wind yanking at his hat, a remembrance breezed through him. What had the hiring agent at the chicken plant told him he should do? Try hiring on with a mining outfit because they had office jobs. He came to a halt midstep, letting out a huff. Why hadn’t he thought of it himself? Of course the mining companies needed office workers. And what better mining company to work for than the US Coal & Coke Company in Lynch, where Paw had worked for the last fifteen years?

Hope lifted his spirits. He jogged the rest of the way to his room and dragged his old carpetbag from under his bed. He’d pack, head to the station, and catch the first train to Lynch.

Boone’s Hollow

Bettina Webber

BETTINA TAPPED HER FINGERTIP ON the big black number in the middle of the square on the calendar page. She nudged her friend with her elbow. “This here’s the day, Glory. Emmett’s graduation-from-college day. He’s all done with his schoolin’ now, so he’ll be comin’ home.”

Glory squinted at the calendar. “How do ya know for sure today’s his”—she scrunched her face the way they used to do when biting into persimmons—“gradjee-a-shun? It ain’t wrote on there.”

Bettina rolled her eyes. “Like I’d scribble up my Christmas present.” Pap had ordered the calendar from the Sears ’n’ Roebuck catalog, and he’d even let Bettina hang it in her bedroom instead of putting it out in the main room of their cabin, so it was hers. She loved admiring its photo of the Dionne quintuplets from Canada all lined up in pretty little ruffled gowns. Bettina’d never seen fancier gowns on babies, nor on nobody else for that matter.

She leaned against the chinked log wall and slid her hands into the pockets of her baggy overalls. “I know for sure ’cause way back in January his maw told me his graduatin’ day was the fourth Saturday in May, an’ I tucked it way inside my head. Been countin’ the days off one by one. An’ now it’s here. An’ he’ll be comin’ home for good this time, not just for a short spell.”

A smile pulled on the corners of Bettina’s lips. When Emmett was home for good, they could really get to sparking. Seemed like she’d waited forever, but wouldn’t be long now and she’d be putting on a fine gown. Not as fine as the ones those little babies were wearing, but finer than any of the folks from around here had seen before. She’d already used some of her WPA money and bought one at the company store in Lynch—a creamy ivory crepe with real lace at the collar and a pale blue silk ribbon bow floating over the bodice like a waterfall