The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-18
Am Interesting Missouri Girl.

A correspondent in Southern Mis-
souri, gives the following delightful
picture of society in that delectable re-
gion:
Driving along the road we encoun-
tered q slender, sallOW female, with
arms bare to the shoulders, not much
clothes on if we except the cOpperas-
colOred %petticoat, was working a small
patch of tobacco. The work was that
of pulling off the shoots which are
known as suckers and crushing the
mOnstrOuS green worms.
Inquired if we could get q drink of
water. She spat out a mouthful of to-
bacco juice with a 'chirt,' and said:
'Ihar's the spring over yander, and
thar's the gOurd in it's
Having slaked my thirst with q
draught of highly medicated fluid,
shoes and hOOp-irOn, | sought to strike
up q conversation. In passing to the
spring | saw a man with q very red and
scratched face andtwO fearfully bunged
eyes, sneaking of in the corn.
els that your husband back there? y
! inquired.
"Him? not much l reckon. My old
mans gone down to the bottom to see
if he kin kill a mess Of squirrils or
maybe a young turkey. That's Arkan-
saw Jim, the 0rnarist, tritiingist, good
for-nOthinest whelp this side o. the
nation. He hangs around and helps
my old man with the bosses, but ne
amt worth his salt. Come out O thar.
ye burned galoot, and show yerself.
Yesterday he tuck q COW down to Bresh
crick We sold to Ferris, and got holt O
some whisky, an got drunk as q matter
OF course. Then he got into Il fight
and the other fellow ruthcr got away
with him | guess. | wish he'd u killed
the blasted beast.
What is that truck? l inquired in
nocently, pointing to the tobacco.
We'll, Stranger she replied with a
twinkle i'll her black eyes, 'yOu must be
awful green not to know that. Whar
have you been liyin' all yer life? Why
that's terbackcr. We raise a little for
our own use. People may say what
they please but terbacker's agreatcO
fort. l couldn't get along without it.
say, stranger, have yer got any store
terbacker about ye.? I've got plenty o.
twist, but | like navy the best.
Unfortunately l don't chew, but
offered her a cigar.
A seegar! Well / generally smoke
Il pipe, but don't mind tryin' your cigar
Jest for a change
She wiped the gum Of the suckers on
her petticOat and took the offered cigar,
while ] struck n match. After n few
putfS she said:
"Wcll rather like this. It's n of
them what ye call Havanners, amt it?
Mighty nice tasted, but it don't go to
the spot like the pipe. say, stranger,
wouldn't you like to see my old mar ?
Jest hitch your horse, and tell the Mig
ger to come in out O the sun and I'll
blow the horn for him to come up
| mildly suggested that | was afraid
that "the old MAI might get Jealous
that men with goOd-lOokin wives were
subject to the c%Omplaint.n
Jealous! I'd like to see him try that
on me. I'd give him somcthin' to be
jealous for. He knows burned well
that I'm all right, and that | won't have
any airs put on over me. Ez for being
gOod-lOOkin', I've seen the time, stran-
ger, when you might hev said so, an
told no lie, nuther. But havin' the
ager, and a raft of young uns, and liyin'
like this takes the starch outen a young
gal mighty quick, | tell you, This is a
fine country for cows, but it's HI on
wimmin. Morning stranger. Next
time ye see a patch of terbacker you
won't hev to ask what it isl