The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-06-20
The Quality.

81 reckon" said old Mrs. Placid, willis
making her first visit to the EdgcrtQn cot
tage, "you han't seed many of your neigh
bors yetW
"No, ma'am," said Laura, ''we have been
here so long, and none have been to see us
until you. We were beginning TO feel like
unwclcomc intrudcrs. But suppose they
were all much attached to the people who
lived here before us, and dislike seeing stran-
gers in bhe place Of their old friends"
"Oh, no! that aint it; they were afcard to
come"
"Afraid !" said Laura, surprised "afrail
of what I"
"Wcll, we heard You was all quality, if
you was broke and was afcard we would git
ourselves into the wrong box. We've seed
them elephants and knows what they is"
she continued, nodding her head knowingly
"Why, l did not suppose" said Laura
smiling, "that we had anything SO lormid-
able in this quiet little nook, and am sorry
that our neighbors should make such bug
bears of US, and suppose us wanting in civil
iiy to them"
"Oh we wasn't minlin tllc ciyility. The
quality lays on that so thick one minute till
You begin TO rub your eyes and wonder who
you is-thinks sure You must be the Pope
of Romc's wife; then they push you one
side before you know it, like as if you wasn't
fttin to tote their puppy dog. But thcysc
sich. a sight of trouble when folks begin TO
have anything TO do with 'cm. Now, thars
the Fcathcrcods They live eight miles off,
but the quality is a sortor restless creetcr
that's alters a wandcrin about out Of their
range. We'll, thcysc mighty fine, and you see
nv daughter, Betsy Baker, likes fine things,
and took to 'cm nightly. She was power
hll anxious for 'cm to come To her so one
Sunday she seed cm all at moctn, and axes
,'cm to come take dinner the next SATURDAY.
Well, they all stood up thar in the nectin
house and talked power Of dictionary talk
bout "cxcccdingly," an "cyquisitely,' IN "in-
tcrchangin of rural hospitality" but whether
they was a coffin or no, Betsy ahc couldn't
make out But howsomcvcr Betsy lowed
she better be on the right side, SO she kept
up mighty fixin all the week. When Satnr-
day came she had everything fine rs brides
cake, 'ccptin the dinner. Betsy lowed she
wouldn't put that on till she made sure if,
they was comm. She had been worlin .
mighty hard all the mornin, l-r aad Tic .
nicrcrs, a rcddcn up the house and dresser ,
up their sleeves. But when levener clock /
come, an no quality, Betsy give EN- ont, and
they all took off their Sunday close an went !
to gcttin every day dinner. They hal to
hurry nightly, but it was all ready artcr
while. The hands was woFkin close TO the 4
house, so Betsy just hollercd to 'cm 10 come
TO their dinner Arter the dinner was all
over, and everything washed up and sot to
rights, an the niggers all sot to work, me an
Betsy sot down in the entry TO cool an sew.
Bout four o'clock Barney Baker come back
from the coathouse, says lac, Betsy, did them
hired men come in to dinner! law says
Betsy, 4 was so taken up expecting them
Feathcrcod folks to dinner. that | forgot all !
about your hirin Bill and Jim Jones to split
rails and bein as theysc SO fur of, reckon
.shey didn't lear when J called the hands IL
L didn't blow the horn.' Confound the quail
,ity," SAYS Barney, thcysc all jest qualified for
the lunatikcr svlum, and l reckon you'll 60
along with. EN-, Just 70 be with the quality
when they go,' an he ierkcd down the horn +.
an blowed blast, you would athought all the
stages that ever rrn was IRWIN thar at onst.
jest then We heerd mighty fuss in the front
ward, an when We looked, thar was fine
carriage full o women, with horses hitehed
M with fshin seins, a cavortin about over b
the yard; and one OF the pulsed up niggers
they had dressed up like solgers. settin on
ahigh bench outside the carriage, was bounced
off like an injin rubber ball / -thought the
crceter might be killed, and run TO him, but
he jumped right up and stood up before me,
an made sich a bow, you never seed the. Ike I
Of it, jest like It was a lzrt Of his maiishus
drill. an SAWS. lie, Mrs. Foathercod, Miss Fea-
,hcrcod, Mss hattie and Mis- Angeline
Feathercod' BY that time Barney hal got
the hossos quiet, and SAYS J, 'You,Ir- Flrn-
key. had better be a opeBin ihe door and dlft
tin them folks ont, siidder siandid here maxim
manners so he did it, 1t was well he told
nc who they sur. fsr ueh lnokin Fargo