The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-07-23
Uncle Tommy's New Coat.

| -.. Uncle Tommy's New Coat se-,E
Mr.. TredWeli was a man in soul as we'll as
in stature, and more honorable distinction
surely cannot be conceded to a human being
The gossips Of the day called him strange,
queer, eccentric man-but man he was '.for
a that The main reason, and perhaps the
only one which induced people to think him
queer or strange, was that he emphatically
thought for himself, and had moral courage
enough to carry out in action what his judg-
ment sanctioned as being right in principle
He often remarked that he did not care the
burntend Of straw as to what people thought
or said about him-that they were as likely to
think wrong as right, and he rather guessed a
little more so-and that all the odds he asked
Of others was to pay him what they owed him,
and keep their hands out of his corn crib. 1t
must not, however, be surmised, from any of
these expressions, that be was close -fsted
creature, or one of those narrow -souled wretches
that would give child Il penny to 90 to bed
without his supper, and then steal it from him
while he was asleep We have ntimated enough
to repel such conclusions already. He was
neither churl nor miser-he though hit like a man,
independently and fearlessly-he felt as man
!
that, but while he wiped thete with one hand
he was very likely to relieve, Unnecessary, with
the other. His house was the strangers home,
and from its portals the child of want was never
sent empty away ia Etla =.e--fg
Every body knew and respected Uncle Tom
my, for SO he was famiarly called, 'tthough," /"
they would say, she has such odd Ways
When he went to town with wagon full OF
produce, or load of hay, dressed in his cor
duroy trowsers and linsey -woolsey coat, with
pewter buttons, with his old broad brimmed
felt hat, everybody saluted him with "Good
mornin', Uncle Tommy!" ''Fine day, Uncle
Tommy" and as he walked along the road
even the little urchins would run up to him and
catch hold of his knees or coat tail, exclaiming,
"Addydoo, addydoo, Uncle TommyH' But
we must hasten to our story. E. s..-s ... = o..
Uncle Tommy's wife was not quite so indif-
ferent to the opiuions of ''other folks" as he
was. She had great notion of smarting up,
or, in other words, showing off. They had a
little ''sutthin' in the world, she would say,
and she had no idea of living like paupers-
"Why, wife, what do you mean?'' Uncle Tom
my would answer, t'don't we have good VIC
tuals and plenty Of it, and everything comfort
able and snug around us?'' "Oh, yes; but that's
neither here nor there. l am for doing as other
people do" "lf other people make fools of
themselves, wife, that is no reason why you
should do the same" "Gracious sakes ave!'
Aunt Hannah would say, as Uncle Tommy
sloped off to get rid of the subject, Il do think
Eve got the strangest man in this world for a
husband" Aunt Hannah was mistaken-her
lot in life was not so EVERY pecooliar.' Her
estimate, however of her good mans pertina-
city, cannot be better expressed than by a re-
mark she once made to "deacon Ketcham' S
widder." "Aunt Hannah" said this person
age one day, "why don't you make Uncle
Tommy rig up like other folks-if he was my
man, | guess I'd make him do it, or else he'd
hear thunder.' My dear woman replied
Aunt Hannah, raising her hands and shaking
her head with despalring sigh, lit aint no
use; talk and talk and talk to my old man;
but it don't do bit of good, for he goes away
and does just as he pleases."
The more the old lady pondered the matter,
the more "uppsh" she became Spring, too,
was coming on, and it was requisits TO make
some important additions to the family ward
robe. Susan and Caroline were both coming
out with elegant silk dresses, splendid shawls,
new hats and feathers, and all that-BiIly was
to sport a fashionable blue coat and other fix
ins, and she vowed and protested that Uncle
Tommy should come to terms and no longer
mortify the laudabe pride of his family with
that everlasting rusty old slouched hat and
homespun clothes Aunt Hannah's mind was
made up on this point and to those who un-
derstand the gentle sex, we need hardly say,
that with her, when once firmly resolved, the
object was very likely to be accomplished;
"For when woman will she will, depend ont font
And when she won't, she won't, and there's the end
The good dame was well aware of the neces-
sity Of prompt and decided measures, and de-
point. She therefore watched her opportunity,
and when she concluded that the auspicious
moment had arrived, she opened gentle fire
upon Uncle Tommy, which he endured with
the fortitude of a soldier who has faced the can
mons mouth too often to be frightened at small
arms. Victory, however, was Aunt Hannahs
watchword, and she had laid her plans too
sklfui]y to be easily driven from the field She
had taken care to have ''corps du reserve"
whose assistance she could command upon an
emergency. When, therefore, the first assal-
ant had exhausted her artillery, the two daugh
ters rallied to the onset, and poured upon the
enemy such volley of entreaties, and such
shower of killing darts from their bright eyes,
that at length Uncle Tommy was compelled to
cry for quarters, and acknowledged himself
fairly defeated. ." ... H
The services of Mr.. Primeft, the village
sssutferer,' were Immediately put in requisi
ton; and in very short time our friend was
inducted into a fashionable black broadcloth
coat, which he averred gave him an exquisite
idea of the pleasures of the plory, and an ele
giant pair of drab pants, encased in which, his
legs looked as ifthey had been melted and run
into them-in short, he found himself COM
pletely transmorgrifed from plain, unpretend-
ing farmer into fine gentleman. The ladies
contemplated the improvement they had effect
ed with the liveest satisfaction; and little Billy
his conviction that if his honored
sire had always made SO respectable display,
he would have BEEN member of congress long
ago. ~........-..l....s
And now, in beauty and gadness, dawned
the peaceful, hallowed morn,
@ hen village bells awake the day,