The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-08

u
YOU know, David, he come into the
property an begun to fix up about the
place. He raised the old house story
higher and shingled the roof; painted
the barn an fences, an made everything
as neat and snowy as a new harness.
Some one asked him what he was
doing so much fixing up for, as there
was plenty of room in Tie old house for
him an mother, but David. he sort o.
smiled, as he does, an said as how il
was the first time in his life he'd been
allowed to du rs he was a min tu. he
thought he'd 20 the hull figger. But
sence then he's never spent a copper on
the place. though he's alters KEEP it
tidv.
Woodbury., you know. who lives in
that flat-topped house down the road a
piece yonder, is David's full brother.
but he amt mite like David. 1t ain t
fair to David to speak On 'em both in
the same breath. Woodbury. took all
the old mans cranks and meanness. an
he's shattered too, SOS faint safe {
have him around; leastways | don't
want him near me. He's an odd critter,
Woodbury. is, an is up to all sorts o.
capers, but there's a good deal of Gus
sedness into him, too. He was born
and raised here, an everybody knows
him, but that don't help him a bit.
He's eternally cuttin' up didos, an
scarin' the women folks, an most every-
body wishes he was somewhere else.
Two years ago he ripped out the hull
insides of his house, maxim one room
upstairs an one room down, an not
even buttry or partition anywhere, an
he chopped up the doors for firewood
He says he done it because he wanted
more air within, an as long as it is his
own house 'spose he could do as he
was min to; but the trick didn't give
him very good name.
Then again he hauled lot o. brush
an piled it up in the road, an sot it on
fire at midnight, an scared folks most
out O. their wits. Everybody run out to
see what the fuss was, an there sat
Woodbury., smokin' his pipe by the
roadside, an askin' each one that came
up if he thought it Id be fair weather
come day time.
He's widower, Woodbury. is, an he
has boy suthin' like twelve years old,
who's as big loon as he is, an goin'
to be more so. Las winter he stripped
the boy stark naked there want a
rag on him-an' put him in bar'l o.
the strongest brine you ever see.
The boy yelled like fury when the salt
began to eat into his hide, an the
neighbors all run in to see what Wood
bury was up ter, an twas well they
did, for he was just headin' of the
bar'l up, an the boyd been dead as
a red herrin' in a few minutes. Wood
bury, he said he was fearin' he'd run
short o pork that winter, an as the boy
want no good anyhow, he thought
he'd pickle him. But this didn't seem
to take with the selectmen, an they had
Woodbury. sent up to, tie county farm
where they want no fear O runnin'
short O. pork. But he come back again
this spring; an has sence been Twin
over yonder with the boy, just as if
nothin' hadn't happened. Peoples sort
O. skeared of him, as they don't know
when he's agoin' to break out next.
. But David, he amt mite like him,
as his queerness all runs to gettin mar
ried, though he's now past fifty-two
years old. The girls has had lots O.
|
but make game of him. He never done
any visitin' till two winters age; Sc
when he came to house where any
women folks was, an single at that,
they knowed he was courtin' an begun
to fool with him to wunst. He's had
so many setbacks that he's sort O. used
to EN-, you know.
But last winter he had a snubbin' that
he amt quite got over, an | calkerlate
he never will. Every body in three
counties knows it, an woman must
be mighty fond O. gettin' married who
will take up with man that has gone
through with what David has.
1t all came about in this way. One
Sabbath day at meetin, last winter
Horace's wife says to'David, says she
david, we've got some company a
our house"
''To be sure" said David.
"Woman company" says Horace.
wife. 1.-The girls an boys has got home
from school at Ex'ter, and they'v,
brought a friend with 'em, a school
ma am" says she.
II want ter know" says David.
"Yes, an she's just the match fo1
you," says Horace's wife. mot too
young, nor too old, but just young an
old enough, an they say she's grea
ketch where she lives, David say
she, IAN if you're still of a mind t
marry, you kin come around Saturda,
night an I'll make you acquainted witt
her, an you and she kin do som,
sparkin' in the best parlor."
II want ter know" says David.
So, on Saturday night, David fixeC
himself up in his Sunday best, as prett,
as ripe pumpkin, and he moseyed owe
to Horace's house to see the woman
| cnmnnnv from Ex,ter He wns intro