Bridgeton pioneer., 1884-03-27
THE CHARIOT OF FIRE.

THE CHARIOT OF FIRE.
Old Mrs. Peggy Peterson, a rich
old lady, who owns a large plantation
several miles below the city, came to
town the other day and visited her fa-
vorite preacher, the Rev. Mr.. Mulkit-
tie. The boy did not have a very
good chance at her. for her own volu-
bility precluded anything like the pre-
sentation of a suitable occasion He
only called her attention to a few
propositions, exhibiting such precocity
that the old lady had desire to know
him more intimately. She manifested
a desire to be Unidentified in the shap-
ing of the child's growing mind, and
just before she started home she i'm
plored Mulkittle to allow the boy to
accompany her. II will bring him
back in two days time," she said. 81
would SO enjoy taking him out among
the sheep and pigs, and listen to his
charming little comments. Oh, do
please let him come. You would like
to go with me, wouldn't you?" turning
to the boy. ''There knew he would
Finally it was agreed that the boy
should accompany Mrs. Peterson, and
very soon, seated behind the kind
hearted old lady, he was riding rap
idly down the river road.
"You are such fine little fellow"
said Mrs. Peterson, that I'd like you
to come and live with me.n
"Have you got any ducks?" asked
the boy.
''Yes I've got more than a hun
dred.n
''Is your ducks the kind that car
ries mud around in their bills?"
Yes, some of them do"
(which ones?''
"Oh, any of them; it doesn't make
any difference. You are such bright
little boy and she hugged the child.
''Have you any goats?"
eyes, lots of 'em."
Twill they butt?"
Eyes, some Of them"
(which ones?"
''Oh, l don't know; just any one
that takes a notion
(Which ones takes notion?'
First one or the other.n
'Have you got little calves?"
''The prettiest you ever saw"
"How many have you got?"
81 don't know exactly.n
''Why don't you know exactly? If
the calves had their way you couldn't
get any milk from the COWS, could
you? did any of the COWS ever kick
your
My little man you ask so many
questions that 1 don't know which
one to answer first"
Are you married?''
Il was married but my husband was
killed in the army"
WAS he mad?"
81 don't know"
''Then what did he want to fight
for?'
You don't seem to understand.
There was a war between the North
and South, and my husband fought
for the South"
WAS the North an South mad at
each other?'
Yes and tried to kill each other.''
What did they get mad about?''
"Why, the South went out of the
Union"
"An' did the North leave the gate
open so the South could get out?''
"Hush, Willie, we're getting most
home"
''But l wanter know. An when
your husband went out the gate they
shot him, did they?n
'You must hush now deary."
'But I wanter know. Did your hus-
band go to heaven?'
Eyes, he did,
''How do you know"
''Because-whoa! come aroundr'
and she turned around and began to
drive rapidly toward the city.
Where are you going?n asked the
boy.
''Going to take you home. A saint
couldn't stand you. Git up here!''
and the horse almost flew along the
road. Git up!' and she struck the
horse with the whip. The dry sand
flew high in the air. ''Runawayn' peo-
pie shouted as they rushed to their
front gates"
''What's the matter?" demanded the
Rev. Mr.. Mulkittle, rushing to the
gate as the horse, painting, knocked
down panel of fence and stopped.
''HereH' cried Mrs. Peterson. Take
the boy. I've got enough of him."
And she lifted him from the seat.
"She's the chariot of fire." said the
boy, as the buggy dashed away.-Ec
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