West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-04-04
WE WERE SEVEN.

People don't mean harm, they only
do 1t; and the way we came to have n
finger in fate's pie was this
10 begin with, there were seven of
us-seven demoralized young savaccs
turned loose on lonely farm, along
with stepmother who dealt out Justice
very much as Mrs. Squeers dealt out
treacle, and n forloru old father who
dared not call his soul his own. He
was such big, grand fellow, such a
gentleman. was my father, so genial.
ana accustomed TO being the master IN
n own house Chat other house where
mamma lived and died) that think il
must have come ''stone hard" TO him i'm
his old age to play second fiddle to our
severely proper second ma. He fell
along with Richmond, and when mn
had brought him captive in chains mat
rimonial to her country home-his beinu
conllscated and gathered up us chi
dren from the poor relations and poorer
schools where mammals death had
drlfted us, she Just emptied us out i'm
her wilderness of pines and waste of
sand to scratch our way through child
hood rs best pleased Providence and orr
numerous selves.
Weeds have one thing to be thankful
for-they are not dug around. nor
shifted at, and they keep their heads
TIL they grow to seed The sun may
fling hot kisses to their vagrant. M
turned faces, or storms batter their
stalks to earth, but there is ALWAYS that
one grand privilege that poverty gives
to her worthless children-the privilege
OF being let alone.-and if freedom
means happiness, then we were lust AS
gloriously happy rs the summer DAYS
were long.
We were gregarious little wretches.
hunting together, climbing together.
hshlng an lighting together, regard 'css
of sex or age. If John dived of the
wharf after mud oysters, the rest Of the
gang were expected to dive after mud
oysters, too. True, there were snaos
IN dangerous plenty that only showed
their black, sh ny faces at low tide. but
the Providence that goes about CARING
for fools or children ordained that tbey
should not interfere with our snort So
far rs TO deprive us Of our brains. If
ne (mean ne John again climbed M
the brown ribs of the barn fU lac
reached the caves and then flung him.
self madly on the hay-r.cks below. six
interesting young followers would
swarm about the tObaecO-plantS cllrinc,
under the caves, ready o. ,neeIe them.
selves of the beams and down into Inc
hollow he had made One mOrnins
when old black Joe mo reference TO the
song and chOrus) came into the barn
and caught us-somc pantng i'm our
fragrant yellow nests. one I'm mid-9ir
curied up like ball, and file Of five
balancing on the raftcrs ready for a
turn how his old body 0uivored. and
how bis eyes suggested oiled err. with
the shells OF, as be scratched under the
straw and G-bcd up before our demon
allled eyes the farm hoe The big rake
with its cruel teeth upward. and two
scythes cleaning with wicked keenne-s
in the summer sun
Ma was down with one of her aches
and pains that day poor dear, and
papa having invited us tO flav away
from the house 10 uddonly oceurr q TO-
our ambitious minds To- 20 out boating
IN the -nOw. To Doe sure there were
white ladies' riding ON the biz blue
waves out iu the channel but they
might have been witches stradd..py
their brOOms'icks Tor all we thought or
cared for wc were ampbiJIou, in those
days, 50 far as lratern Iiny with water
.''..A ~. r. N.N.If.'I r'..t-||N.| |If'a
went or bObbing c0nteutcdv i'm tine
frothy surf. with the brown fin of "a
shark looming before us between tho
rise and fall Of the wave. n was a
ramshackley I'D boat, grmv with ors-
Ter shells and Shiny with Gsh bait and
scales There were ucnri-h crab claw
plastred about her iJc and roafny
on her leaky bottom and the bafug.
can. as mattcro course. was nowhere
10 De seen neither was her rudder.
neither was her anchor neither were
her oars
Welged Do as uncomfortable "a. Cleo
patra crew iu lhe picture. and unable
- row or steer, wo showed heroH iu the
heavy surf and being both fools and
children. trusted to- Providence fo keen
us along Che shore The frs, taiuy we
dld was to wO5bio and as $50 rather
liked webbing "a chorus went up ~
that effect iu seven grateful Wells Then
we rocked The cradle iu the tree-top