Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-05-03
From the n. Y Spirit of tho Times.
ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE GEOR-
CLAN MAJOR.
HOW MISS KEs1AH APRIL-FooLED HIN


To Mr.. Porter-Dear Sir: Ever sense | redd
that Poice IN your paper, whar you sed you would
walk hundred miles Just to shake hands with
me. I've been monstrous anxious to git acquaint-
ed with you. But its SIGH a terrible long ways
to New York, and Cotten's down so low, don't
much think III evor have the pleasure of seein
YOU in this world. But there's one consolation
we literary mems got over common people, and
that is, can form quaintances and friendships
by our writins without ever seem one another.
and bein of us amt no great beauties, per-
haps its good way emmy. lme told vouwr
a monstrous crate long, gander legged Teller
and you may be domination ugly for all |
know; but this thing Tine certain of-you
must be smart man, and a of first-rate
taste or you wouldn't like my ritins so much
| would rt you letter before, but the fact is,
sense last FEBRUARY. haint had much time for
nothing. The baby's been the mis-
chief with the hives and Mary, she's been ain
gooddeal, and then you know this time of year
we planters is all bssy fixin for the crop.
Nothing uncommon haint tuck place down here
| lately. only tother day catasterfy happened in
our family that come monstrous nigh putin
eend to the whole generation Of US. | mover
so near skeered out of my afore in my
born days, and don't believe old Miss Stations
ever will git over it, if she to live a thousand
years. But iii tell you about it.
Last Monday mornin all of us got up we'll and
hearty could be, and sot in room with
Mary, and played with the baby till breakfast
time, little thinkin what was gwine to happen SO
| soon. The little Teller jumpin and CROWN so
couldn't hardly hold him in my arms, and
spreadn his little month and laughin Just like he
know'd every thing we sed to him. Bimeby out
Prissy come to tell US breakfast was reddy, and
we all went III tother room to cat, cept sister
kesiah, who said she would stay and take care
of little Henry Clay, til done. Mary's
SO careful she won't trust the baby with of
the nggcrs single mint, and she's always dred-
ful uneasy when Kesiah's got it, she's so wild
and so careless.
..Well, we all sot down to breakfast, and he.
siah, she scampered up stairs to her with
the baby, lumpin it up, and kssn If, and talkin
to hard as she could.
''Now sis, do be ca reful of my precious little
darlin,'' ses Mary, loud as she could to her, when
she was gwine up stairs.
fairfield bout the baby ses old Miss Stallins-
'.vou don't low yourself mlnlt's peace when
it's out of your sight
..That's fact" ses sister Carllne, s'shc won't
let no BODY do nothing for little Henry but her
self. know fwculd be SO crazy bout no child
of mine.''
"Wcll, but you know sister Kiz is 50 careless,
Pm always fraid she'll let IT swallar something,
git fall. some way.
Tut tut SOS the old woman, ''they amt no
sense in bein all the time scared to deth bout moth
in. Peoples got enough to do In this world to
boar the trouble when it comes. 'thout studdyin it
up. Take some of them good hot corn mullins,
ses she, ''they's mighty NICE
We was eatn along-the old woman was talkln
bout her gardin and the frost. and | was just
raisin my coffee cup to my mouth when | heard
Kesiah scream out-'Oh my Lord! the baby! the
baby!" and whap it come rite down stairs onto
the floor Lightnin couldn't knocked me off my
seat quicker-down went the Coffee and over
went the table with all the vttlcs-Ntary scream
! III g ><o1- l<,r
chcer-I was SO blind couldn't hardly see, but
never breathed breath til grabbed it up in
my arms and run round the house two or three
times, fore had the hart to look at the poor hit
tie thing to if it was died.
Bv this time the gals was holt of me hollerin
'.April FOOL April Fooli'' as hard as they could
and when come to look, had nothing in my
arms but a bundle Of rags with little HcnryClay's
clothes
shuck all over like had ager, and felt a
monstrous sight more like cussin than laughin
april Fool, dngnaton!'' ses I-"funs fun; but
Pm dad blamed if there's any fun in any SIGH do
ms; and was jest gwine to blow out a little.
when hoard Mary screamln for me to come to
| her mother.
When we got in the dnn room. thar the old
woman was keeed over in her cheer, with her
eyes sot in her head and corn muffin stckIn in
her mouth. Mary was takin on at terrible rate,
and all she could do was Jest clap her hands
and holIer-'.Oh mothers dyin mothers dyin!
whar's the BABY Oh, my poor mother !Oh, my
darlin babv!"
tuck Mary and 'spaincd it all to her and tried
to quiet the poor gall and the gals got at the old
woman: but it took all sorts of rubin. and ever
so much assafedity and camfire and hartshorn
and burnt hens feathers. to bring her too. and
then she wouldn't stay brung too morne'n min
| it fore she'd keel over agn and | do believe if
they hadn't brung little Henry Clay down SO she
could see him and feel him and hear him squall.
she never would got her senses agin. She amt
more'n half at herself VII. All the gals kin do,
they can't make her understand the April Fool
bisness. and she won't let no body else but her.
self nurse the baby ever sense.
As soon as | had time to think little. / was
so monstrous glad that it warnt no worse | could
Mt stay mad with the gals. But tell you what.
was terrible rathy for few minlts. | don't
tbo LIE