Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-05-03

the course oftwice as many years his chi
dren amounted TO four and twenty; all 10
~, strapping, registering blades, with tn
exception oftwo or three that were rattle
stlnted in the growth, or as Uncle Sar
used to say IN joke, ''Shrunk in the boi
ing" These last were rather conceite
and jealous, as most little people believ
are.
As fast as these lads grew up, Uncl
Sam portloned them off on MS farm.
which they were to pay for when the
were able, at very low prices. They a
turned out pretty clever industrious feI
lows, with the exception OF here and Their
one who was rather lazy, and got all hi
work done by negroes. They all difFere
IN some respects; but there was a famiI,
likeness among them-all took after tn
mother, who was a pretty considerable,
talkar. One was famous fellow for co,
hshlng; another a great hand at splittin;
shingles; third was an amateur Of roat
making and ditching; fourth was mighty
fond Of barbecues, taking after his father il
IN that particular; a fifth dealt largely II
wooden bowls and onions; a sixth was {
great culdva,or of rice and cotton; &
seventh was pretty high handed spirit
and so on. They all lived together like
loving brothers having a rich father who
could do what he pleased with his money
that Is TO say, they were as Jealous OF
each Other as two cocks running in the
same yard.
If Uncle Sam made a Christmas
present 10 one, or conferred a particu-
lar kindness on another, there was the
deuce to pay among the rest. They
accused the old man of being more
partial to one than the other, and never
gave him any rest till he put them all
on level; which he had no sooner
done than they, one and all, began TO
grumble and find fault, saying the poor
man was in his dotage, only because
he had not given each one preference
over his brother. Uncle Sam some
times said TO himself, "Happy is the
man who has nothing to give away, Tor
his children won't quarrel about his es-
tate"
But this was not the worst oft. The
old Harry got into them about impro-
wing their farms, which they all swore
was Uncle Sans business; he was de-
vOuring all the money they could rake
and scrape together to pay for the
lands he had sold them. They said it
was a sin and a shame for him to make
them pay every thing, seeing they were
his natural born children, entitled TO
bed, board, education, and an outfit.
Besides, the old man was now become
so rich he did not know what to do
with his money, and it was actually a
kindness to rid him of its management
in his old age.
Thus these cunning varlets agreed
N the propriety of sharing Uncle Sans
but they fell out about the man
Ter Of dividing it, like a parcel of IN
iutiful Togues as they were. The
big fellows argued that they ought to
share according to weight, and insisted
hey should all go down to the mill
and be weighed. But the little fellows
who had been "shrunk in the boiling"
1emurred to this, and swore it was all
N my eye, Betty Martin. They were
Is much the lawful sons of Uncle Sam
IS the best and biggest Of them, and
we're determined TO have their share al
he point Of the bayonet. There was
one little fellow particularly, who lived
On an Island about as big as my thumb
nail who talked like giant, and threat
ened to dissolve the family union and
set up for himself if they. did not treat
him like full-grown man. They had
l great many hard bouts at words, and
some OF the neighbors feared they
would come together by the ears.
But though they quarrelled like so
many old women they seldom came to
blows. They had a sort of sneaking
kindness for one another at the bottom,
which always prevented their proceed
ng TO extremities.
But for all this they were forever
-alling out about nothing, and never
gave each other good word except
when they all put their heads together,
IS they often did, 10 diddIe Uncle Sam
out ola few thousand for the improve
nent Of their farms. Fortunately,
however, for the old mans pocket, it
vas seldom they could agree about
he division Of the spOils, or it would
not have been long before he was as
Door as a rat.
Be this as it may, the good man had |
10 peace of his life, and was several
lines on the point of making over all |
lis property TO build meeting-houses,
Ind educate the children Of other peo-
de. Certain it is, he had good reason
o do so, for these undutiful boys left
lim no rest day or night on account of
his money. Not being able TO agree
% the plan Of dividing Uncle Sans
surplus income according to weight,
i was proposed to do it by measure;
out here again the little fellows that
'shrunk in the boiling made most
Internal rout, and opposed it tooth and
nail. They swore they were as good
:. -. L. Ell o,,,, ~, Ja1r IN tho vxoak