The Mockingbird's Ballad

As she stepped up on the wooden sidewalk from the dirt street and was straightening herself, a voice cheerily said, "Miss Fields, isn't it? From down Dellrose way?" The voice came from a well-dressed, well-fed man in his middle fifties.

"Yes, Sir, Mary Louise Fields. Eagan Place towards Bryson," she responded a bit uneasily.

"My pleasure, Ma'am. I'm John Morgan Bright, attorney-at-law and your new congressman," the self satisfied, well-suited man boasted.

Lou gave him a cold stare.

"Not mine, Sir. I can't vote in this land of the free," Lou shot back instantly disliking the slick talker and obvious blow-hard.

"Now, now, Miss Fields, it is a man's job to take care of business and government. Our gentle southern ladies shouldn't have to soil their characters or virtues with such unseemly activities such as politics or business for that matter. No Ma'am, women don't have the necessary faculties for such. Their virtues are domestically inclined and rightly so."

"Mr. Bright, you come down to my place Monday, say about 5AM, with gloves and work clothes and I'll show you what's men's work and what's women's work. Now if you'll excuse me I've got some unsavory business over at Mr. Gleghorn's bank!" She breezed by the startled politician towards the bank over by Ashby's Hardware on the north side of the square.

===

"Sister, you got more things to do?" Alex asked Lou an hour later as they walked on the south side of the square past Mr. Moore's grocery.

I've got to go by The Observer and do some window shopping, Brother," Lou answered.

Each one's breath made steam as they passed the poolroom. Mr. Stewart at the Lincoln County News tipped his hat and inquired of their families' health. He reminded Lou of his ad rates for her spring mule sales. Then they moved on across the southeast corner of the square.

"Alex, let's go to the hotel and get some dinner. I told Uncle and Grand we'll be over there about now and for them to meet us there."

"Lordy, that's a walk - what, five town blocks at least. We got to double back from Mr. Wallace's paper," Alex reminded Lou. She liked to walk. He liked to ride.

"Suit yourself, Brother. I'm walking," Lou said and kept her pace.

"Oh, I'll walk with you, stubborn, stubborn Mary Louise, but slow down some. Hey, I thought you were going to whip that Morgan fellow back there in front of Mr. Davis' store," Alex chided his twin.