Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1881-01-14

fOWeTlul StOTHu OutSluc Stranger
keep them feet gwine, old lady-Ycu
children wipe off your mouths ant
sing with me:
Il was forty miles from Pike,
And the road was full Of snow,
And the wind was getting ready
Fur to hump itself and blow.
FASTER now-change off-kick high
er-up with them hoofs-round wld We
-hoe'er down-ladies change-that
all-stranger, howdyr
was made at home.
Wall, now, but this seems to he the
hand of Providence" said the old man
as drew up to the table. Here We are
showed in and here we are chucked full
of provishuns and happiness, and to-
morrer is Christmas. Stranger, I'll show
We more high steps, more boots and yells
more music an feastin' and dancin
an gettin up stars to-morrer than We
ever saw in all yer born days! Ole wo-
man, if this haint the Loard's doin' $,
I'm petrified reptile, an never got re-
lUun.'
ben yer right" added the wife as she
poured out another cup Of burnt corn
cefee. I'VE is a hospitable family.
When we can't hooper up for a strang-
er on Thanksgiving or Christmas Or
New Years nobody else mead try"
After supper one of the boys took the
fiddle and the rest of the family Timber
ed up for Christmas. When this pro-
cess was ended it was time to 60 to bed
and the old man SAID:
Now then, you can see that we haint
bilin' rich. Here's too beds and nine of
us. Me and the old woman take one
you take t'other, and if the children
can't keep warm afMe the fire Ill Twin
their blood with Cad. Git right into
bed, stranger, and if the children git to
fightin in the night heave your boots at
'em!"
If the children got into row didn't
hear them. 1t didn't seem as if had
slept an hour, when the pioneer shook
Inc by the shoulder and called out:
SAY, Stranger, daylight has arrove,
an Christmas am here. Glt up and
prepare to jine the festivities"
The snow was four feet deep and still
coming, but the prospect delighted my
hO.t, who cracked his heels together
and exclaimed:
IF this hahn divine providence billed
down, then don't like coon and corn.
You children stop that quarreling!
Thomas Jefferson. did you forget to say
your prayers! If you did I'll wollop
you like blaxes!"
We had coon meat, corndodgers,
apple-sauce and coffee for breakfast.
Seats were found for the pioneer and
myself and the mother and children
stood up. There was long and en-
barrassing pause after we were all
ready, and finally the man said:
Stranger. | was givin' ye chance
TO throw yerself on blessin' but you
didn't tumble. Ole woman reel off
sunthin purity.
She closed her eyes uttered the fol-
lowing as if she had repeated it thous-
and times: Now l lay NE down to
sleep, and bless this meat and bread and
sass. We are thankful for what we've
got, and not jealous of our betters.
Keep us in good health, make coons
plenty and cause us to escape the itch
and measles. Amens"
When the table had been cleared away
the pioneer and wife held a consulta-
ton in corner. and when 1t ended the
msp apprOached and asked:
Stranger are We willin to help us
make this hoopln ole day?
les
Good. As family We are 80 per
cent OH a rOugh-and-tumble. I'm about
twice yer size and heft, and it wouldn' t
be IA show, but the ole woman is
pretty even match. and she's jist achin
ter lay We on yer back!
But | never wrestled with woman
in my lifey'
We'll, it S a good time to begin. She's
wiry an quick and she'll Lay you if she
can. Stand right up, stranger, and do
yer level best Just ter oblige me-.
obliged. The situation was new
and novel, and in twenty seconds | was
thrown over on one of the shake downs
with crash that Jared the house.
The woman cracked her heels together
and crowed Justify, the children laugh
I'd. and the pioneer helped me up with
the explanation:
stranger, she's practiccd this for ten
years, and she downs any man IN this
county, cept me. l knowed bow it
would he but am much obleeged for yer
kindness. The hull family will now
swarm for their paternal dad.