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By Jack Joseph Smith
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I would not see-Mre,.Williems again fer a leng times §levhad called my mother
after lunch, and'teld her ef the hall I called a-reom, New:in the mornings
there-was-ne scheel, and my seconds: became: lifetimes: through dreams locking
from our frent window across-Metzes ‘field touched white in the early winter
sung The stery was that Mr; Metzes- lived alone on ,he other side ef the hill
in an eld stone farmhouse, .that'was in shambles, Everyone knew that he wag a:
mam of the depths and cared nothing fer the outside werld, Semeone said, that
his wife and’children had been burned alive-in a terrible fire, that distreyed
most of the house, Others- saidg that they had atl excaped the fire and Mrs.
Metzes -had taken her children away,,while Mr, Metzes-had stayed on te live-in
the ruins ef the houses The farm was-always-very still, and everyth#ing: grow
wilds From ayr-front window’I could see the wild wheat bending ynder: the wind
and snow all aleng-the hillj.Directly across-the street was-a-creek that. ran
behind seme-neat and pretty homes~ covered’ with greeng.and I imagined’ that cows:
@nce-came-to drink and te care ee part ef the fields
My eyesstraveted'as-far-as: the-tops:of the-Allegany mountains-in the distances,
and ‘stoped there -im the-wonderment of a-childd-heart wanting: his-imagination
to go on{.Each’ day I'would stand’ on the couch and beg-my mother te let me
leaves
No Micheal, Yey should be im nursery school} if you can't stay in nursery
ssheol; you can't go out and play.
De yeu knew Mr§ Metzes mom?
No Iden’, Michaeis
Have-yeou ever seem hin?
Ne I'haven't, and'den't you ever go over theres That's his property, . and