The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-01-14
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jiss7a Teg'lar bell and it's buster. You
kin hear dat bell all oyer dis city. You
ought to hear it boom, boom. boona.
when dey's a fire, My sakes! Dey
amt got no bell like dat in Ragtown.
| ben TO Ragtown, an ben mos half
way TO Bockery Ohirty miles) De
bell in Ragtown' got so ole now she
don't make no SCUM, scasely." f'''
Enter the landlord-a kindly man,
vcrging toward fifty. My small friend,
without changing position, says:]
'Bill, didn't you say dat dey was on
ly thirty-three hund'd people in dis
city p
"Yes, about thirty three hundred is
the population now" ra
"Well, some folks says days fo'
thOusan."
Yes, I know they do; but it isn't
correct"
"Bill, don't think dis gen1man kin
eat whole prairie chicken, but dey
tole me to fetch it all up"
"Ye es, that's all right-he ordered it,"
Exit "Bill," leaving uncomfortable
for had been perishing to know who
bill was.
"Bill he's de oldest. And he's de
bes', too. Dey's fo'teen in dis family
all boys an gals. Bill he supports,
'cm allan he dom never complain
he's real good, Bill is. All dem BROTH
ers an sisters O. his'n amt mo- count
all ceptin' dat little teeny one dat
fetched in dat milk. Dat's Kit, sab.
She amt only nine year old. But she'd
dc mos lady-like one in de whole
bilin'. You den'tnever see Kit a-rair-
in am a-chargin' aroun' an kickin up
her heels like de res o. de gals in his
family does gen'ally. Dat was Nan
dat you hearn a-cuttin' dem shines on
the pi-anah while ago. An sometimes
eff she don't rastle dat pi-anah when
she gifts started Tab can't hole can
die to her, but Tab kin sing like de
very nation. She's de only one in dis
family dat kin sing. You don't never
hear u yelp outen Nan. Nan can't
sing for shucks. I'd jes' lieves hear a
tom cat dat's got scalded. Dey's fo'-
teen in dis family sides de ole man an
ole 'ooman-all brothers an sisters
But some OF 'em don't live heah-no.
Bill he supports 'em-lends 'em money,
an pays dey debts an he he'ps 'em
along. tell you Bill he's real good.
Dey all gifts drunk-all 'cep Bill. De
ole man he gifts drunk, too, same as de
res uv-'em. Bob, he don't git drunk
much-jes' sloshes roun' de sloons
some, an takes a dram sometimes.
Bob he's next to Bill-about forty year
old. Dey's all married-all de fam1y's
married cep' some OF de gals. Dere's
fo'teen. It's de biggest family in desc
parts, dey gay. Dare's Bill-Bill Nib.
bles-Nubbles is de name; Bill, an
Griz, an Duke, an Bob, an Nan, an
Tab, an Kit, an Sol, an ST, an Phil,
an Puss, an Jake, an Sal-Sal she's
married an got chil'eD as big as lie
an Hoss Nubbles, he's de las. Hoss
is what dey mos always calls him, but
he's got another name dat l somehow
disremember, it's so kind O. hard to
git de hang of it," Then observing
That had been taking down this ex-
traordinary list OF nicknames for
adults, he said: "But in de mawnin' !
can ask Bill what's IIoss's other name,
l fetchcs yo' breakfast. An may be l
done got sum o'dem names mixed up,
but Bill he kin tell me. Dey's fo'teen.
BY this time he was starting OIL
with the waiter, and pecuniary con-
sideration for his sociabi.ity, and, as
he went out, he paused moment and
said:
"Dad- fetch it, somehow dat other
name don't come. But anyways, you
jes read dem names over an see il
dey's io'teeh." ....
i read the list from the hy-leaf Of
New England Trage-
dies" "Dat's right, sab. Dey's all
down; I'll fetch up Hoss's other name
in de mawnin,' sab. Don't be you on
easy" f."
Exit, whistling "Listen to the
Mocking Bird."] ....