The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-12-08

place her rich auburn hair, and now, with a
bound forward, gracefully catching the thread
that slipped from her fingers. Sweet.voiced,
too, was Lucy Wallis, az she stood at her
wheel, spinning tVO threads, one Of cotton on
her spindle, and one Of gossip, with my excel.
lent and loquaciOus friend, Dick Mccoy.
Plague take the girl! She has made me
forget her ugly father! Mr.. Wallis and his
{ old woman , were from home when We GOT
there-hating been on visit to a sick neigh
bor-buti in half a hour they returned.
thar they Gomez said Dick, as he heard
voices outside the cabin seat yourself, and
don't be scared! Then Dick looked at Lucy.
You've never seen daddy, 'Squire-huve
yOu!' she asked, slightly cOlOring and pOut-
ing.
'Never, have always had a curiosity'-but
the wounded expression of the girl stopped me,
and in another moment, the ugly man was be-
fore me.
Truly had Mccoy said snOthin' on the
breathin yearlh can match him!' His face
generally had the appearance Of a recently
healed blister-spct, His Prominent eyes SEEM
ed ready to drop from off his face, and were
almost g~uiltless Of lids. Red-red-red was
the aII-pefvading color Of his countenance-
even hIs eyes partook Of IT, His small hose
turned back upon ITSELF, unplessantly reveal
ing his %nOs;riis. His neutrality-suspicious.
as If it had been very lately kicked by a rough
ly-shod mule, after having been originally
made by gouging a h lie in his face by a nail.
grab! The tout ensemble was horribly, nnspeak-
ably ugly And yet, in the expression Of the
whole was legible proof Of the paternity Of his
lovely daughter!
$50 you've come to see old Ugly Mug-have
you Squire? rVe heal Of you before
YOU'RE the man as took the. sensers of this
county last lime. | was in Georgy them
Well, you're mighty welcome! Old 'oman
fly around, git somethin' for for the 'sqnire
and Dick to eat9 Lucy, amt you got no fresh
aiggss'
Lucy went out at this suggestion, and her
father went on: 'They calls me ugly Squire;
and lam my father was before me the ugliest
man that ever lived in Hancock county. But
Pll give you my ixperance after supper. Be-
likes yoH've heatn that I've been through the
ruffs. No? Well, when we git somethin'
down our belIies' I'll tell you all aboutit Old
'Omau, for Gods sake, do fly around thar!'
The old lady did fly arOund' and Lacy got
the : aiggs,' and between them they got a
most excellent supper. The putty Of the
table-cloth, the excellehey of the coffee, and
the freshness Of the eggs, not to mention Luz
cy's good looks, were more than set-off against
the uglihess Of old Billy; go that Dick and l
continued to eat iuite hea,ty, to the evident
qualification ofour hospitable. though ugly en-
tertainer.
Supper over, old Bill drew out his la &c soap
stone pipe, and 6llilg'and lighting il, plac, d
il in his mouth. After q Whit or two3 he be-
gan: "a
"lt's no use argyfyin' the malter-I am the
ugliest man now on top of dirt. THur's marry
hOther like me! Pm in a crowd by myself!
l alters UGs. The fust l know'd Of it, tho,
was when l was bout ten years old, | went
down to the spring branch one mOInin' to
wash my face. Great God! how | run back,
hollenn' for nanny, every jump! That's the
last time | seen my face--I darsan't but shut
my eyes when | go bout water!"
90 -
Don't you use glass whom you 5have?'
1 enquired.
Giass! Hi What glass could stand liz
-'twOuld bust il, If twas an inch thick. Glass!
-pish!"
Lucy told her father he was too bad,' and
that he knew it was no SIGH a thing; ; and the
old man told her she waSa sassy wench ; and
to hold her tongue"
'Yes,' he continued; it's sos haven't seen
face in m i forty year, but know how it looks.
Well, when I CROWD up, | thOrt it would be
the devil to ind a woman that'db be willin' to
take me ugly as wash
'Oh, you was not SO Oncomntoa hard favored
when you was a young man, said old Mrs.
Wallis.
"oNcoMMoN! HI! l tell you when l was
ten years old, Gty wouldH't light on my face
and it can't be much wuss now! Shet up, and
let me tell the esquire my ixperance."
s.Its no use,' put in Lucy, s to be r)unnin',
One's own self down that way daddy! 1t amt
right.'
sRunnin' down! Thunder and IightnIn'A
Luce you'll have meas good loOkin' directly as
John Bohemian. your sweet-heart' Ashe said
lis, old Bill looked al me, and SdCCsedsd In
half-cOvering the ball Of his left eye, BY way
Of a wink. Lucy said no more.
The old man continued.
Well; hard as | thodghtit SID be to git q
vile, fust thing ! knowed, | had Sally here,
and she lie, OF was, as purity as any Of 'on."
And old Mrs. Wallis knitted convOlsively,
and coughed slightly.