The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-13
AT GEORGIA CROSSROADS STORE
'Tt Takes All Kind of Folks to Make a
WorId.D

WorId.D
Betsy Hamilton, in Atlanta Constitution.
Tother day me and NAV walked over to the
crossroads store to do little tradin' and rs we
come in sight and seed the gang that was
gethered round the door. NAV she lowed:
Betsy. its jist as your pap says; it takes a
heap of different sort Of folks to make worlda
1t was SADLY, and they was waitln' for the
mail; it don't come but oncet a week, and they
inginnerly waits tel then to come to the store.
The women folks comes too and fetches Their
babies and little fee dogs, and sometimes they
fetch aiggs and ingon buttons and dried fruit to
swap tor cotton cards and factory thread and
snuff.
They comes soon of a mornn and sets about
all day long and dip snuff and smoke and Tugs
their babies and if anybody kicks the little fee,
IT makes en- as mad as if you'd slapt the
baby
Their is alters gang of half grown boys
pitehin' horseshoes and playin' marvels under
them trees back OF the store; they sound like
they are quarrelin' all the time, but they are
hayin power of fun. '.Vench your routidance"
Look at Bill he's a fudgin.n Fat and stick
it. Thar now, Jim's dead That's not far;
Jake he Judged; its not far. so it haint. Jim's
not dead, kase Jake he Judged flaws on the
middle" "Vench your backs "Knucks."
'Roundanee, no losaace.1 kicks. 'Vench
your taws.e Fat and go ast;' and with all Of
this some of 'em can't keep from mixin' ina few
oaths Some boys think they cant be a man tel
they larn how to cuss
The men folks inginnerly sets on them goods
boxes fore the store door and chaws tobacker
and smokes ther pipes and whites sticks and
talks religion, and politics, and the craps and
the weather and waits for the mail. Some of
EN- never got a letter in Their lives: / know in
reason old Wigginsoker never. and if he did he
couldnt read it; but he takes the county papers,
| Our Mountain Home and The Reporter and
Watchtower' They had his name in one of
'ern oncet and he has been takini of it ever
sense. His old oman raised turrible big
nd ho f,,rl 4 40 n,rv
and the paper said it was "a beet that beat
all the beets in that beat" and sense
then he's been hayin' the papers read to MIN
and listenin for his name. He can't write and
he don't git no letters, but regular as SADLY
comes, he pokes his head and Greens his neck
over the railin' at the postoffice and axes: Air
thar airy docky ment for mel--A. j. Wiggn-
soker, Esq, or Jim Wigginsoker, as it wair, airy
one; will gemme my paper ct thar haint no docky
ment.n
Squire Robertson ingenery reads the paper,
and they all gether around him to near the news
and if he haint thar to read it, old man Simp-
son tries to spellit out for EN- and they know
about as much when he quits AS when he sot in,
but they pear to go home satisfied Sometimes
a fancy dressed drummer will be thar. and they'll
git him to read. though some of EN- had sooner
listen at him talk asread. H tells the news from
everwhars; and as he talks old Wigginsoker and
old man Simpson listens with Their under jaws
drapt. and believes every word of it. whether
thar's airy bit of truth in it or no. They've got
confidence IN Squire Robertson Some of EN-
never gives Their opinion on nothin' tel they hear
what Squire Robertson thinks on the subject
Old man Simpson will 90 with the Squire in
politics every tine but when it comes to religion
nobody can't turn his head. He reads the Bible
and puts his own meaning on what he reads and
Mr.. Nobody needn't try to tell him different.
He knows what he reads and sees with his own
eyes bettern anybody else can tell him.
He will set and arsy his pint half day, or
as long as anybody has got the time or keers to
IGfnr mud hn HkNvaff ,tr.ly, ,lNDb
heaven lessen they believe his way. But he is
| ignant and don't know no better.