Smyrna times., 1883-12-19

SPoIS, lOr Specteu every minute he'd
I nip me, and what made it worse. I
didn't know whar abouts he'd take
hold. Bow! WOW! wow!" Then l
tried coaxin-"C Come here, good fell
/ low" ses l, and whistled a little to
him, but it wasn't no use. Thar he
stood and KEEP up his everlastin whinin
and barkin, all night. l couldn't tell
when daylight was breakin, only by
the chickens CROWN, and l was mon
strous G lad to hear 'em, for if / had to
stay thar one hour more, don't be-
lleve I'd ever got out of that bag alive.
/ Old Miss Stallins come out fust, and
as soon as she seed the bag, ses she:
What upon yearth has Joseph went
and put in that bag for Mary? I'll lay
it's a ycarlin or some live animal, or
Bruin wouldn't bark at it so.'
She went in to call the gals, and l
sot thar, shiverin all over so l couldn't
hardly speak if tried to-but didn't
say nothin. Bimeby they all come
running out on the porch.
My goodness! what is it?" ses Miss
Mary.
"Oh, it's alive" ses Miss Kesiah, 81
seed it move"
Call Cato, and make him cut the
rope" SEES Miss Carline, land let's see
what it is. Come here, Cato, and git
this bag down"
Don't hurt it for the world" SEES
Miss Mary.
Cato united the rope that was round
the jice, and let the bag down easy on
the floor, and tumbled out all cover
ed with corn meal, from head to foot.
Goodness gracious" ses Miss Mary.
if it amt the Major HIMSELF"
Eyes" ses I, land you know you
promised to keep my Crismus present
as long as you lived"
The gals laughed themselves almost
to death; and went to brushin off the
meal as fast as they could, say
IN they was gwine to hang that bag up
every Crismus till they got husbands,
too. Miss Mary-bless her bright
eyes-she blu3hed rs beautiful as a
mornin glory, and sed she'd stick to
her word. She was right out Of bed.
and her hair wasn't komed. and her
dress wasn't fixed at all, but the wav
she looked pretty was real distractin.
l do believe if | was froze stiff. one
look at her sweet face, as she stood
thar looking down to the floor with her
roguish eyes, and her bright curls
tallin all over her snowy neck, would
have fetched me too. tell you what
it was worth hanging in a meal bag
from one Crismus to another to feel as
happy as l have ever since.
went home after we had the laugh
out, and l sot by the fire till got
thaWed. In the forenoon all the
Stallinses come over to our house and
we had one Of the greatest Crismus
dinners that ever was seed in Georgia.
and don't believe a happier company
ever sot down to the same table. Old
Miss Stallins and mother settled the
match, and talked over every thing
that ever happened in thcr families,
and laughed at me and Mary, and cried
about ther dead husbands, cause they
wasn't alive to see Their children mar
ried.
It's all settled now, 'cept we haint sot
the weddin day. I'd like to have it all
over at once, but young gals always
like to be engaged while, you know,
so spOse must wait month or so.
Mary (she says mustn't call her Miss
Mary now has been a good deal of
trouble and botheration to me; but if
you could see her you wouldn't think
ought to grudge a little sufferin to
git SIGH sweet little wife.
Your friend, till death,
Jos. JONES.