Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-06
HAM RACHEL, OF ALABAMA.

aud Characters" jus, published by Harper 4
Eufauls Barbour county, Alabama. is a
beautiful city on the banks of the deep-chan-
neled and rapid ChattahOOchee, and in 1915,
the time OK the incidents Of my story, was the
mart Of commerce for Barbour, Pike, Coffee,
nile, and Henry counties in Alabama, and of
several counties contiguous in GeOrgia.
These Alabama counties were mostly settled
by poor, plain, hardy, robust, and honest
people, many Of them wholly uneducated All
they cared for was Ito make buckle and tongue
meet by raising stock, few bales of cotton,
and little corn for bread. StOck-cow stock
being the chief commodity, they were de-
nominated Cow counties"
Now, mind, these were the first settlers
bufaula was great CITY with them, like Paris,
London and New York, to most folks. When
H"-4uatter,' as some naughtily called them,
carried bis one, two, or three bales to market
in Eufaula, the ''ole oman must needs go,
and maybe one or two Of the ''childeriDg," to
see the big town" Hence you could see the
oHcarts coming in, the ''olo man. driving
aud the ''ole 'Omun" sitting on the top of one,
two, or three bales, and the .childering'
walking. Tho ''Ole 'omun' has brought with
her several extra matters for sale-butter
egg. socks, &c. Then for shopping after the
cOtting was sold. Hundreds of little notions
must be bought. not forgetting jug. at least,
of the good critter. for ailments and sich
things
VI course, EudulH eXerte1 n great influence
over these counties in all things, particularly
in politics. As the town went in politics, so
did the country.
To illustrate: II was in 1913. shortly after the
candidates for the presidency, Cass and Tay-
lor. we're nominated. l was in the storehouse
at Mr. t., Whig. when there came in one
OF the 'sOverelgns, Democrat q tall, stOOp-
shOuidered, salow-faced, meek. quiet teach
ah'e-looklng man, with copperas - britches"
tnn Inistake) nnd homemade cotton shirt
constituting his entire dress. His copreras
was gailused' up as high rs his fork would
admit, which nearly lifted him off the ground
IiIS rustic looks and movements would have at
trscted the attention of the most unobserving
man on earth. Mr.. q gave him a seat. whis b
he accepted, and sat down characteristcalIy
When seated, he looked to Mr.. G. with looks
indicating. Speak, for thy servant heareth
am as young bird; cram anything down me
you choose
After drawing long breath or two in pc
culiar way, he said
What do the people say about here in re-
gard of nomination for President Mr.. G.
Mr.. G.-We are all for Taylor; we know
him. he has fought our battles; he is ono of the
people, N he were To come to Your cabin he
would he at home. drink buttcrmilk, eat bread
and butter and yam potatoes with you. As to
Ten Cass, he's been doing nothing all his life
hut scOOtng canoes up and down the western
waters, and knows nothing about statesman
shiP. Taylor is the man for the people; he'll
he elected sure.
Copperas-Yes. I've hearn of Ginral TAYLOR
be has fout the Mexicans, and licked 'um all
up, like cow licks up salt, and has kivered
tue nation with glory, like a bed-quilt covers a
bed, but a. to this man Cass, nuver hearn ov
him afore L didn't know thar was sich a man
treadIn' soleleather.
III Dir. COpperas did not see a merchant who
was 'emocrat before he left, he certainly
voted for Taylor.
These things promised, it was my "msnifest
destiny to spend night in Barbour county
IN 1919, believe night never to be forgot
ten. 1t was on the IN ain road between Clayton,
the county seat, and Eufaula the mart of com
merce. A little while before sundown called
Mt very good looking house, and requested
TO stay all night a traveller. Permission
was granted by the lady of the house. | saw
no man L soon learned that John Md
resided there, who had gone that day to Eu-
faula, and would soon return L congratulated
myself on my good fortune in getting to quiet
good house, where | could take a refreshing
nights rest. But, alas, to moralze a little,
how soon are our best, most sanguine hopes
blasted. A man knOweth not what a night
may bring forth. as well rs day.
/ seated myself in the pOrtico facing the pub
lie road. got hold of an old newspaper, alma
nae, or something Of the kind, with which to
amuse myself a little; but it was not long be-
fore saw some half dozen agons coming from
AT
cIme In with great freedom and boldness drew
water from tho we'll, and watered their horses
as though it belonged To them, interspersing
their lsbors with waggish remarks and bias
Phemy, not even respecting the presence of the
lady, Mrs. VI D. They then commenced
popping their whips about in the yard loud
enough TO shock the nerves Of nervous people
and then asked the lady If she '.muul nave
some chickens for sale. We hain't bin eatin,
nothin but dried beef 80 long, we wore our
cprn-grinders down to the gums, and we want
sutnin else by way Of change"
We've none for sale, replied Mrs. MD.
No chickens said they Thar goes a
burned old rooster, old as Msthuzlum; yit well
buy him, ruther than wear out our teeth on
dried beef, Won't you sell him. You've sar-
tInly got other roosters to sarye and take keer
Of yer hens, hain't you
How the conference ended cannot tell, for
left, and retreated to another part Of the
house; but one thing do know-those wagon
ers canned In the lane near the house.
As night came on / saw that the uneasness
Of Mrs. MD- increased She would 90 to
the door and look towards Eufaula, uttering
many nervous sighs l suspected the cause,
though did not know that her husband loved
''Sperrits Sometime during the night heard
acrowd coming IN at the gate. One peculiar
voice, IN short sentences, kept up n continual
din, upbraidiEg and cursiDg ..ole John fur git
i'm AZ 0"gentlemanly dog drunk" Soon as
the lady heard that, she understood ii. and
covered her face In her hands and sighed deep
ly- Then came the elambering of FIVE or six
men in at the door, no one speaking but that
reprOSchful sententOus voice
LEI; and went into another room Soon that
tormenting voice, which | soon learned was
Ham Rachel's. sang out:
Here, boys put the ole drunl ar fool in
the bed Et Ham Rachel hadn't IL brought
him home. he'd bin lyin' in the streets of
E1fHulv. UT lyin' along the rosd s-keepinu
company with hogs. The ole cuss he nuver
can 90 to EdfAuly, 'thout g;ttins full as a bce
gu chamber-lye, though Ham Rachel is alters
HlTtln hinI like preacher not to fill his cussei
guts 30 full Here, Mrs. MD" address
ing himself to the lady, here is yer old, poor
unfortunate husband, which Ham Rachel has
had the goodness to fetch home so off.n agiu
ani agin. The Lord o,ny knows how often
Ham will have ter fetch him home Wit some
ov tnese Times, when Ham Rachel ain about
ole MEX VIII gii him, and will pour hot lead
down bis cu<sed throat instid o liquor. Ham
Wrn 4 IONQ Ia ole IL