Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-10-28
Taking the Census In Alabama
By "a CHICKEN MAN" OF 1910.


the descendants of mother Eve in truly strli-
ing light, and from what we know of old women
generally, we have no doubt but the picture is
correctly drawn:
Our next encounter was with an old lady no.
torious in her neghborbood, for her garulity
and simple mindedness. Her loquacty knew
no bounds it was constant unrcmittinr, inter.
minable, and sometimes laughably silly. She
was interested in quite a large Chancery suit
which had been dragging its slow length along
for several years, and furnished her with con-
versational fund, which she drew upon extern
sively, under the idea that its merits could
never be sufficiently discussed Having been
warned of her propensity, and being somewhat
hurried when we called upon her, we were dis
posed to get through business as soon as posi-.
bic, and without hearing her enumeration of
the strong points Of her law case. Strdng in
10 the house, and drawing our papers
All, well yes bless your SOUL honey take
a seat New do! Are you the gentleman that
Mr.. Van Buren, has sent out to take the sensis
wonder! well good Lord look down, how was
Mr.. Van Buren, and family when you seed him
We explained that we had never seen the
President; ddn': know him from a side OF sole
leather; and we had been written to, to take
the census.
We'll, now thar ngin! Love your soul,
Well, | sposc Mr. Van Buren, writ you let
ter, did he No. Well 'sposc some of his
officers done it--bless my soul We'll, God
be praised, there's mighty little hero to take
down---times is hard, Gods will be done, but
looks like people can't git thar jest rights in
this country--and the law is all for the rich and
none for the poor praise the Lotd. Did you
ever hear tell OF that case my boys has got agin
old Simpson! Looks ike they never will git
to the ecnd on ;-g!ory TO his name! The
children will suffer I'm nightly afeard--Iord
give us grace Did you ever see Judge r.
Yes! Well the Lord preserve US! Did you
ever hear him say what he was agwine to do in
the boys case agn old Simpson No! Good
Lord. We'll, squire will you AK him next
time you sec him, and write me word, and tell
him what say-lm nothn but poor widow
and my boys has got no larnin and old Simp.
son TUX 'em in. lisa mighty hard case on my
boys any how. They ought to ha' had mighty
good start al on EN-, but God bless YOU, that
old man has used 'em up till they aint able to
/ buy a crectur to plough with It's mighty
hard case, tie Will oughn't never to been
broke BID
Here we mterpos ed and told the old lady that
our time was precious, that we wished to take
down the number Of her family, and the produce
raised by her last year, and be of. Alcr good
deal Of trouble we got through with the descrip-
lions of the members Of her family and the Sta,
tistcal table as far as the article of cloth
How mary yards of cotton cloth did you
weave in 1910, ma'aml
J We'll now! The Lord have mercy! Lets
see. You know Sally Higgins that used to live
down in the Smith Settlement! poor thing, her
daddy druv her of on the count of her havin a
little 'un poor creature-poor gal, she couldn't
help it, dare say. Well Sally come to stav
long wi me when the old man druv hcr away,
and she was powerful good and to weave
and | did think she'd hGilp me p,wcr Wei
aF'er she d M here awhile, her baby hit tool
J e".'., and Sld Miss Strnger she undortuk to help
..,-shc's powerful good Aand---od Miss Strn
ger, on roots and yearbs aud sich like. Well
the Lord look down from above She made
sort cf tea, as was sayn, and she gin il tc
Sally's baby bat it got wuss-the poor creetul
and she gin II tea, and gin it tea, and looked
like, the more she gin ittea, the more--
My dear madam, I'm in a hurry-please tel
me how many yards Of cotton cloth you woye il
lSi0! want to get thro' with yor and go on
Well, well the Lord have mercy who'd
thought you'd bin so snappish. Well, as
was sayin, Sails child, hit kept gittin wuss
ani old Miss Stringer, she kept given it th
yearb tea till at last the child hit looked like hi
would die any how. And bout the time In
child was a, its wust, old Daddy Sykes h
come along, and he said if we'd git some nigh
, shed berries and stew 'em with little crear
and some hogs lard--now old Daddy Sykes
mighty fine old man, and he gin the boys
, heap OF mighty good counsel about the case
I boys says he, III tell you what you do--yo
! go -
/. In Gods name, old lady. said we, tell abot
your cloth, and let the sick child and Mi.
S,ringer, Daddy Sykes, the boys, and the la
suit go to he devil. I'm in hurry.
a Gracious bless your dear soul, don't gil 4!
s grawated-I was js, lellin you how i: come
didn't weave nc c'oth las, year