The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-06-13
Evidence of Cultivation.

To meet with an evidence of cultiva-
tion away off some where in the woods, is
almost as charming as the sudden dis
covery of flower, lifting its perfumed
petals in waste place where only
weeds were expected to grow.
The day was dreary. Rain was fall
ing. The leafess trees, rattling their
stiff fingers together, shivered while
occasionally rheumatic old oak, suf-
fering his joints to shrek, would cry
out in acute pain. A house-lonely
and humble, with a stark chimney and
clapboard roof, but house.
Come in said the whining, though
not unpleasant, voice of a woman.
Cit outen the way, will you, she add
ed, thrusting the toe of a course shoe
against the ribs of dog. 1T do peer
like the dogs will take the place. Set
down, SIR
I sat down. The woman, while
closely cycling me, proceeded to twist
up her tangled black hair, which, in
the semi-gloom of the ill-lighted house,
looked like the net work of an uncon-
genial night.
Il reckon you air stranger in this
here community
yes
'Out huntin' hogs, l reckon
mo, 1 am not hunting hogs
1T kain't be that you air the new cir
cult rider, ken it
No, madam, / am merely travelling
through this part of the country with a
view of writing it up for a newspaper
wall, WALL she said in astonish-
ment. "a man some time ergo put
something in the paper about our place.
The paper is up here now, reckon
She took down the county paper
and pointed to paragraph setting
forth the fact that her husbands land
was about to be 'sould for taxes.
'Where is your husband2' asked.
Gone to whip the man that put that
readin' in thar. Jim he is a powerful
smart man an ken read anything at
first sight. l amt much NV a scholard
myself. l uster could fgger a little,
but when the war come on 1t so poster
ed me in my mind that l forget how
Dipping cob pipe into the fire, and
skillfully securing coal, she settled
herself down to solid enjoyment.
sThe war was awful she continued.
'They tuck every chicken on the place,
an aigs, why l couldn't keep one, no
way could fix it. Pap he got awful
mad, but he had to lay low. One time
they tuck him outen bed, tied him
across log an whipped him till you
mout Nv hearn him holler mile an er
ha'f. I was powerful sorry for him,
but it couldn't be helped. That want
all. While they was stirrin' round with
him they broke the finest settin' Nv
goose aigs ever laid my eyes on. Oh,
it was shameful the way they did carry
on
'What time will your husband return,
MADAME
'Wall, it's jest OWN to how long it
will take him to git through with the
bus ness in hand. He is usually putty
peart. Laws massy, how he ken slash
round when he is at himself. Don't
know Lit Kelly, do you7'
confessed that was not acquainted
with Lit.
wall, 1 seed pap whup Lit with one
han an pay his respecks to the Parker
boys with the t'uther one. Pap, he
was edycated whar they turn out schol-
ards
On little table, near which 1 sat, l
noticed leather-bound book. Taking
it up saw that it was an old copy of
Byron.
That's pap's,' she said. He
wouldn't take nothin' fur it,
The book was well worn. Pap was
evidently man of some cultivation.
1t was surprise to see that book away
out there in the woods, and to know
that an humble, obscure man felt the fire
of its burning pages.
That's the arnly book he's got, she
continued, 'an' it's the arnly one he
keers about.
Il suppose he spends great deal of
his time reading ita'
Law bless you, no. It's his razor
strap. He lows that there aint't none
O. these here new tangled strops that'll
sharpen razor like that book. Don't
be snatched,' she added as I arose.
'Yes, 1 must go. The rain is about
over
Stop in when you happen to come
along. Wall, er, good day.
OPIE P. READ.