The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-11

> TT was doubtless the publication OF
Prof. LoDgstreet's Georgia Scenes" in
1910, which suggested continuous story
upon the sam3, stage Of action, and in
1912 Major Joney Courtship" appeared.
The author Of this homely, natural and
amusing fiction, Mr. w. 4. Thompson,
an cdit0r in Savannah, is still alive. In
1S48 he followed his first production with
Major Jones Sketches OF Travel" which
possess value rs contemporaneous pic
lures beyond and above their humor,
abundant as that is. The "Courlship,"
however, is novel, originally meant as
travestie, to which time has lent sort
of pathos. 1t is n graphic portraiture Of
the interior life of the South. Rough
and ready as the farce is. il is never vul.
gar. Its characters are few, simple and
vrtuous. 1t deals with clean homespuD.
church, the innocent pic mic, the rural
Fourth of July Celebration, the Christ
mas frolic.
Joseph Jones, the only son OF the
widow Jones, living near the village of
Pinevillc, in Georgia, is well.t0- do
young farmer. He is in love with Mary
Stallins, daughter of the widow Stallins,
near neighbor. Joseph has grown up
on the plantation, an honest, aflectionate.
moral young man Mary has gone off 10
q boarding school aud comes home a
belle. The adventures are founded OIL
the one side by the barnyard on the
other side by the hearthstone. Over all
a pair Of rugged roof trees cast their
Kindly shade. The story runs along like
brook, withoui effort or concealment.
There is no Villain in the piece-oniy II
would:be wit, called Cousin Pete, who is
introduced as tease. The trbulalionS
Of the lovers are very slight; but there is
throughout the narrative q naturaluess
which, being nowhere strained for its
fun, is really captivating. AS an exam
pie, can not forbear quoting the culmi-
nation of the conrtship. You will un-
derstand that our hero had had many
struggles and trials bringing himself TO
the point of popping the question; that,
although he iB almost sure ofIhis sweet
heart, he can not muster courage enough
to make 4 direct proposal that every
body is iii the secret and approves the
match. How the deed was finally done
he shall tell himself:
Christmas come, put on my new
suit, an shaved my face as slick as a
smoothin' iron an skipped over to ole
Miss Stallinses. AS soon as l went into
the parlor, where they was sittin' around
tho fire, Miss Carline and Miss Kesiab
both laughed rite out
Thar, now siz they, i knowed il
would be Joseph
"'Whut's Gone, Miss Car line says /.
"'You come under sisters chicken.
bone says Miss Kesiah, AN for my part
b'leeve she knowed you was comm
when she put it over the dore.'
Ono, i didn't didn't do no sich
thing, now" says Miss Mary, blushin'
red like Sumr.or rose.
"'No matter, says Miss Carlno, you
belong TO Joseph now, or tharsno charm
in chicken. boner.'
to say something. But the dear little
binshin' 30, I Gopidn't say nothin' zackiy
to the pint, so Jest reached up an took
down the chicken. bone and put it in my
pocket.
"sWnat arc you a-gwine to do with
that ole chicken bone, Major Jones /?
says Miss Mary.
I'm a.gwine to keep it as long as
live" says l, .'as o Christmas present from
the handsoniest girIin Georgy.' e
"'Oh, Major sayss she, 'ain't you
ashamed of yourselfY
IAN then up speaks Miss Kesiah, an
says she: Joseph, you ought to give heI
Christmas present to keep all her life.
"Ah,' says ole Miss StaIlin's, when
was gal we used to hang up our stock
in's-' 50
"Why, mother says all of 'em in q
breath, to say stockin'ss before Mr.,
".Hig6ty, highty,' says She old lady,
what monstrous 'fnement. I'd like to
know what harm there is in stockins.
People is gittin' so purlite nova days
they never calls nothin' by its rite name.
When was girl use to hang up my
stockin's and git lots Of presehts'{ 8
""rhe girls KEEP on laughin'.'
"'Never min',' says Miss Mary, at last,
Majors goin' to give ME q Christmas
gift, aint you, Majorf',
"YouS know Ipromised yon ona,' says
I. I've got it for you now; but it'Il take
two.bushel bag to hold it,
"'But will you keep it as long rs you
liver says I.
"I will" says she
CHOW, you hear that, Miss Car'line,
says l. She says she will keep it as long
as she lives '-'-'
"Yes,' says Miss Mary, more positive,
that ! will. But what ia it?"
'esNever mindGsaysf, yon, hang up a
bag big cnaff to'hold it, and you viii dnd
out when you see it Tomorrow mornin'.'
Miss Car'line winked at Miss Kesiah,
and then whispered to her-and then
they both laughed right out. They
'spicioned something.
"'You'll be sure TO give il, to me, now
if | hang up n bag 1? says Miss Mary.
And promise to keep it says I.
'She blushed O little and studied o liz.
tie, and then she saga: well, viii, be.
cause l know you wouldn't give me
nothin' that wasn't worth keeping
sThey all agreed that they would hang
bng in, the back porch TO put Miss
Mary's present lii, and about O'clock /
told 'em good evenin' an went home.
81 sot up till midnight, and arter they
was all gone to bed, / crep' softly in at
the bRck, an thar, sure enuff, was q CRATE
big meal bag hangin' to the jjice. It was
monstrous onhaEfy to git into it, but
was 'termined not 10 back out. So I sot
some chairs on top of bench and got
hold Of the rope aud let myeelf gently
down into the ebag;S but, just rs ! was
gittin' in, the bag swung round agin the
chairs, and down they came with ter
rible racket. Howsomever, nobody did
not wake, up but ole Miss Etalhns, yard
dog, an here he come ripin' an' tarin'
like rath, and round and round he went
smellin' an barkiE' to find out what was
the matter. sot down in the bag an
didn't breathe louder'n kitten for fear
he'd lind me out. Arter while he stopt