The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-01-13
DR.. Jex's Predicament.

It was the funniest thing that / ever
saw In my life. Cruikshank would have
gloried in it. wish 1 had him here to
illustrate that scene with the spirited
vigor that only his dancing pencil gives.
1t was in Kentucky that it happened
that pleasant land of bluegrass, and to-
bacco, and fine stock, with white-te -teethed
girls. Mabel, my sister, had married
Dick Hucklestone, and they had begun
life in great contentment and little
three-roomed house scarcely big enough
to hold the bridal presents. But they
were happy, hearty, healthy. They had
two cows, ice-cream every day, charm
ing baby, and Uncle Brimmer. Who
shall say that their cup was not full? In
deed, they thought it full before Uncle
Brimmer added. himself thereto-a very
pondrous rose leaf. He was one of our
old family servants, who fondly believed
that Miss Mabel and her young husband
would never be able to get on without
him. He walked all the way from Mis-
sissippi to Kentucky, with his things
tied up in q meal sack, and presented
himself before Mabel, announcing affably
that he had come to ''stay on"
"But I haven't any place for you,
Uncle Brimmer," said Mabel, divided
between hospitality and embarrassment.
"Lor' honey, you kin jes' tuck mo
aroun' angular. I don't take up no
room"
Mabel looked thoughtfully upon the
big brown gray-whiskered old negro.
whose proportions were those of Hercu-
les, and shook herlhead "You are not a
Tom Thumb, Uncle Brimmer."
''No, ma'am," said he, submissively,
''but I've got his spirit Couldn't 1
sleep In de kitchen, honey?" he went on,
with insinuating sweetness.
''No, indeed" cried our young house.
keeper; 81 put my foot down on any
body sleeping In the kitchen"
Aunt Patsey, the cook, stood by, bal
ancing pan of -four on her head, one
fat hand on her hip. I suspected her of
personal interest in the matter, and in
deed she afterward acknowledged that
she thought Uucle Brimmer's coming
would prove ''blessin' to her feet. +"
Those feet q hers had been saved many
steps through the service of her ten-year-
old daughter Nancy Palmira Kate
called Nanky Pal, for short. But of late
Nanky's services had been called into
requlsition as nurse, and Aunt Patsey.
who was fat and scant O. breath, thought
she had too much to do; and SO she
viewed with evident delight the stalwart
proportions of our good-natured giant
from the south.
'Dar's de lof, Miss Mabel" she sug-
gested.
'Gt is too small, and is cluttered up
with things already"
'Oh, sho, chile, dar amt nothin' in
dat lof 'cep' de 'tatters, an de peppers,
an de dried apples, an some strings o
terbacker, an de broken plow, an
some odds an ends O. de chillen's, an
Lucy .Crittenden's pups. Lor', dar amt
nothin' ter speak of in de lof'."
'tHe can't get in at the window" said
Mabel, shifting her ground.
'Iemme try" said Uncle Brimmer.
The kitchen was a small log-cabin
some distance from the house-'in good
hollerin' reach" to quote Aunt Patsey
Above it was low room. or loft
crowded with the miscellaneous articles
enumerated. The only way of getting
into it was from the outside. A ladder
against the side of the cabin admitted
one, through little window, no longer
am sure, than that of railway coach
into this storehouse of treasures NankJ
Pal, who was as slim as a snake, was
usually selected to fetch and carry
through the small aperture. But Uncle
Brimmeri
I'm pretty sho I kin do it, he said
squirting up one eye, as he took off his
coat and prepared to try.
We stood in the doorway as he eau
tiously went up the ladder; and after al
exciting moment he pushed himsel
through the window, and turning, smiled
triumphantly.
This settled the matter. A cot be-
was procured for Uncle Brimmer, AM
he soon became the mainstay of tn
family. Cheerfully avoiding all tn,
work possible; indifferently as an ostricl
eating all he could find in cupboards O
highways; grimly playing hobgoblin TO
baby; gayly twanging his banjo o.
moonlight nights-memory recalls the
with smile. Uncle Brimmerl I cal
close my eyes now and recall him, big
shapless, indistinct in the semi-darkness
as he sat under the mulberry tree, sing
sing,
"wish was In Tennessee
A-settin' in my cheer,
jug o whisky by my side,
An armS aroun' my dearl"
This was his favorite. Who sha
doubt that it expressed to him all th
poetry, romance, passion, of life?
After time Uncle Brimmer fell il
and we sent for doctor
DR.. Trattles Jex was the medical ma
of our county. Hell ived in Middlebur1
seven miles away, and he came trottin
over on a great bay horse, with pair {
saddle-bags hanging Like Gilpin's bo