Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-22

can, discarded sun DOnnE ana glganLlc
shoe of Jacinthy's, besidesa dead bird.
This bird in particular waS always turn
ing up unexpectedly in tfezsraost NAL
odorous condition. Forcible arguments
could never persuade Lagniappe that it
was offensive. He had fashion of pre-
senting it to me, after his more fragrant
misdeeds, as an act of Precipitation, I'M
til it resolved itself into one wing and
few feathers.
If I may be forgiven for the remark,
it must be confessed that l often gave
Lagniappe ''boot'' for these presents of
his
With all his faults, Lagniappe was
affectionate, and loved to sit beside me,
smuggling his black muzzle into my
hand After all, there's no friend like
a faithful dog. 1t never makes any
difference to him whether you grow old
and ugly or lose all your money. He
bears your kicks, and curses patiently,
and presently, when you are in a good
temper again, he is ready to wag his tail
and frisk about you.
Poor Lagniappe! he brought me one
ofthe best things in my life. / wish l
had been more grateful, but at that time
my violent temper often carried me
away. The worst of it was that he did
not confine his depredations to my own
domain, but sometimes made raids upon
our neighbors, SO that 1 was several
times under the necessity of restoring
stolen articles.
All this time 1 had been very busy
getting things into running gear, when
one fine day saw Lagniappe trot into
the yard with something in his mouth,
which he secreted under the front steps.
I followed him, and discovered the
object to be thin blue and gold volume
of poems. The puppy having been dis
missed with a cuff on the ears, looked
at the fly-leaf and saw written there:
'sAnne Page. The Oaks.''
Under this a masculine hand had ap-
pended the word, "Sweet Anne Page'
"a compliment snubbed by the severe
marginal note, "Stuff and nonsense
Then I remembered that my father
had given me letter Of introduction to
Colonel Page-no doubt this young
slim and fair, with face like white
rose, and an air of gentle and gracious
dignity.
l intended returning the book imme-
mediately, but each day something pre-
SCltCu uIC 1IOLh StOluS9 SO, uA1Cih III oAAS
meantime became quite familiar with
its contents. Here and there I found
word or line underscored, and these |
read with redoubled interest.
At last l found a leisure afternoon.
Lagniappe showed an inclination to
follow me, but I sternly ordered him to
stay at home. Seemingly he bowed to
fate, for he fingered beside the hedge,
I'd rr;x
ing tweak to the turkeys tail-almost
express carelessness and good con-
science. So left him.
On my way toward Colonel Pages
plantation I took cutoff through the
fields, but soon discovered that it had
in, and followed the bridle-path until
the house; so checked my horse be-
reconnoiter. Peering through the
branches, 1 could see jutting out from
the side of the mansion little portico,
on which silvery- haired old lady was
standing, with a young girl beside her.
Heavy masses of dark hair, a pome-
granate bloom on her checks, and the
widest, brightest, sauciest, most laugh
ing eyes-but l will not enlarge, as the
preachers say. Before them stood an
elderly negro in defiant attitude.
"Abram,'' the old lady was saying,
81 really can not stand this any longer.
Three times in one week you have come
home in state of intoxication.''
"Now, ole mistis, jes you shet up,'
was Abrams astounding reloinder. otis
Missy Anne what I'm addressin'.'
"Wen, hurry up, and say what you
have to say,' retorted the young lady.
"Now, Missy Anne, doesn't 1 always
drive you out nice, an go whar you
sends me? An you know you dom min
sendin' a pore old niger out any time
O. night, no matter eff it's rainin' rattle
snakes-no, nor scarpentcrs, neider,
AM when takes you out in de c'r'age,
an you whistles an sings an behaves
like young lady didn't oughter act, does
ever make any 'jections wild you?''
"No, Abram; should hope you know
your place BETTER" said the girl, sup
pressing a giggle, with severity.
"Well, denim conclusive tone
"what fault has you got to find O. me,
name o. gracious!"
ooh, 90 along, Abram,' said the
elder lady "You are incorrigible. Only
don't let me see you again in such a
condition"
"No, mistis; won't, mistis. But you
doesn't pear to member dat l can't
take teaspoonful o. anythin' thought
its maxim me right down sick.'
And he departed, shaking his head
over her lack of charity.
Feeling something of a sneak, I
thought it high time to emerge. 1 re-
ceived a cordial reception from Mrs.
Page and her pretty grandchild, whom
she had never allowed to feel the loss of
a mother. The Colonel was tall, SOL
dierly man, who told me looked like
my grandfather, and insisted upon re-
hearsing pages of my family history,
while 1 was longing to talk to "sweet
Anne.'' He might have been talking
still had not the patter of feet made it
self audible, and who should come gay
ly into the room but Lagniappe! Max
ing straight for Anne, he Jumped into