The Osceola times., 1885-07-25
turn pale, an he TUX de plantation

Il Sc pow 'ful sorry, but Il rained so
much in de low groun's las wear dat
my eohn WIS all split; an dere wasn't
no ram on de high groun's, an de cohn
dere wus all wilted; an de fros' done
cotch my baccer craps, an didn't have
money enuf fur to buy quinine fur de
hans.
"Den de town mouse he ses to de
sheriff, ses he:
"'You call aroun' Monday mawnin'.
an I'll pay you dat money. [ wus
aspectin' my fren' ter-day, and done
forgot to k'lect it..
Dat won't do, ses de sheriff. Use
heerd dat story often 'nuf.' An he
rung he auction bell, an he lebied on
eDerytlng in de house; an as dey didn't
fotch enuf, he sold dat city mouse an
DAT plantation mouse fur slaves"
DICK uttered an exclamation of horror
at this direful conclusion of the story.
Now look a-heah, boy" continued
Uncle Enoch, ''ef yuh links you is gwine
down to Washin'ton to git tarpins an
oysters an champain out OBJ dem Con-
gressmen, yuh won't be TUX an sold.
cause dey cant do dat now, but yuh'll
md yuhse'f gobbled up some way wuss
dan dat plantation mouse wus.n
Dick grumbled that he wasn't a mouse,
and he wasn't "gwine arter tarpins, nur
oysters, nudder."
Jus yuh 90 long an pick up some
chlps an trash fur to make de fire.
SAID his father, IAN don't talk to me no
mo oh dat foolishness."
Dick walked slowly off to do as he was
bid, and for a long time Uncle Enoch
remained standing by the twisted black
gum log without striking it blow.
Uncle Enoch was a skillful and prac-
ticed oX-driyer, working in that capacity
for the farmer on whose land he lived.
All the next day he walked meditatively
by the side Of the slowly moving Bob
and Blinker, hauling wood from the
mountain. He did not shout as much
as usual to his oxen, but he guided
them with all his customary precision
around stumps, rocks, and the varied
impediments of the rough woodland
road.
"1uh Dick ~ said he to his son in the
evening, sis you done glib up all dat
foolishness bout goin' to Washin't 'tonP"
"'Taint no foolishness," muttered
Dick.
why, boy" said his father, "pears
tome yuh is too ole for dat sort O. ting"
1T don't make no kind o difference
how ole a page is" said Dick. "Dat
man said so hisse'f He ses dey got 'em
all ages"
"Dat so, shuh?" asked his father.
"Sartin, shuh.n said Dick.
"And dey gifts sebenteen hundred dol
lars a year,"
Yes" said Dick. "An' besides dat,
dey can make lots ob money blackin
boots an holdin' hosses an runnin' ar
rants fur de Congressman, when courts
out"
Uncle Enoch looked steadfastly at his
son for some moments without speak
ing. Then he said, "Look a-heah, boy:
Use made up my mind bout dis yere
business. III all dat ar moneys to be
got by pagein', Iagrces to the notion
"Hi-yi" shouted Dick, beginning to
dance.
"Yuh needn't cutup any sieh capers,"
said his father. "Iuh aint gwine. Use
gwine mese'f'
If Dick could have turned pale. he
would have done so. He stood speech
less.
"Yes. sah," continued Uncle Enoch
"Ef ii don't make no difference how ole
de pages is, kin step roun' as lively as
any NV em, an kin wait on de Con-
gressmen better'n any boy. | know
what de gemmen wants, an | knows
how to do it. Use waited on 'em fore
yuh was bawn, boy, an yuh neber libed
'mong white folks, nohow. JUS yuh
take dat oX-whip ter-morrer mawnin,
an tell Mahsr Greg'ry dat Use done
gone to Washin ton, and dat yuh've
come To drive de oxen. Yuh's ole enuf
fur dat now, an it's time yuh was be-
ginnin'.'
Downcast as Dick was when he heard
that he was not going to be a page in
the halls of Congress, his spirits imme-
diately rose when he was told that he
was to take Uncle Enoch's place as OK
driver. To crack the long whip and
guide the slow progress of Bob and
Blinker, was to him a high delight and
honor which impressed him the more
forcibly because it was so totally unex-
pected. The Government position had
held forth glttering advantages, which
had greatly attracted him, but which
his mind did not entirely comprehend.
But to drive the oxen was n real thing,
joy and dignity which he knew all
about. Dick was entirely satisfied. As
to the pages salary, which his memory
or his ears had so greatly exaggerated,
he did not even think of it.
Uncle Enoch determined not to an-
nounce his intention to his neighbors,
nor 10 take counsel of any one. lie
went into the house, and, after electrify-
ing his family with the statement of his
intended step into what was to them
wealth and high position, he set them
all TO work to get him ready for an
early start the next morning. Washing,
ironing, patching and packing went on
during n great part of the night, his
wife. "Aunt Maria his three daugh-
ters. and even Dick, doing their utmost
to fit him out for his great undertaking.
"What Use gwine TO do wild dat seb-
enteen hundred dollars, said Uncle
Enoch, as he sat on low chair sewing
up a gap in one of his Sunday boots, sis
TO buy dis track o. land on de hill back
heah. an make wine-yard NV it. No
use foolin' no more wild little tater
patches. an cabbyges. an tree or foh'
dozen hills o. cohn; I'll sell de grapes,
an buy all dat sort o ting. At de wine
cellar in town dey'll take all de grapes
voh kin raise an eff have to buy hoss
an wagun to haul EN- inter town, yuh
won't see dis yere family waikiki to
church no mo'h wild de mud up to dere
| - L l., L., unn hrilin' ON ter dpre