The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-02-04
DR.. Jex's Predicament.

1t was the funniest thing that ! ever
saw iii my life. Cruikshank would have
gloried in it. [ wish 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-teethed
girls. Mabel, my sister, had married
Dick Hucklestone, and they had begun
life in great contentment and q 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 a meal sack, and presented
himself before Mabel, announcing aifably
that he had come to ''stay on"
''But | haven't any place for you,
Uncle Brimmer," said Mabel, divided
between hospitality and embarrassment
'tLor' honey, you kin ies' tuck nc
aroun' anyaohar. I don't take up no
room"
Mabel looked thoughtfully upon the
big brown gray-whiskered old negro,
whose proportions were those of a Hercu-
les. and shook herlhead You are not a
I II
/ mo ma'am," said he, submissively,
"but I've got his spirit. Couldn't |
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 flour on her head, one
fat hand on her hip. ] suspected her o.
a 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 Of 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 lat
Nanky's services had been called int,
requisition as n nurse, and Aunt Patsey
who was fat and scant o breath, though
she had too much to do; and so sh'
viewed with evident delight the stalwar
proportions of our good-natured gian
from the south.
sDar's de iof', Miss Mabel, she sue
gested.
'It is too small, and is cluttered u
with things already"
"Oh, sho, chile, dar amt nothin' |
dat lof' 'cep' de 'tatters, an de peppers
an de dried apples, an some strings
terbacker, an de broken plow, al
some odds an ends o. de chillen's, al
J Lucy Crittenden's pups. Lor, dar am
nothin' ter speak of in de lof'.
{ ssHe can't get in at the window" sal
( Mabel, shifting her ground.
{ eI,emme try" said Uncle Brimmer.
{ The kitchen was small log-cabi
. some distance from the house-'in goc
S holIerin' reach" to quote Aunt Patse
e Above it was low room, OF lol
crowded with the miscellaneous articl
enumerated. The only way of gettll
: into it was from the outside. A ladd
: against the side Of the cabin admittl
= = one. through little window, no longe
= am sure, than that of railway coac
into this storehouse of treasures. Mani
J Pal. who was as slim as a snake, W
. usually selected to fetch and car
through the small aperture. But Unt
{. Brimmerl
If eI'm pretty sho ] kin do it, he sal
d squirting up one eye, as he took off
coat and prepared to try.