Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-18
GRANDISON'S QUANDARY
BY FRANK Il. STOCKTON.
Author of the 'Ruddcr Grange" stories,
"The Lady or the Tiger" "What
Turned on Heel Turner"

/ -
RcscrVcd.l
Grandson Pratt was Il colorcd man of
about thirty, who, with his wife and two
or three children, lived in neat log cabin
in one of the Southern States. He was u
man of II very Independent turn of mind,
and he much desired to own the house in
which he lived and the small garden
patch around it. This valuable piece of
property belonged to Mr. Morris, and as it
was an outlying corner of his large farm
he had no objection to sell ii to Graudi-
son, provided the latter could pay for il ;
but of this he had great doubts. The
man was industrious enough, but he
often seemed to have great deal of difi.
Guilty about paying the very small rental
charged for his place, and Mr.. Morris,
consequently, had well grounded doubts
about his ability to purchase it,
but, sah,' SAID Grandson one day
when these objections had been placed be
/, fore him.
as been turnin' dis thing ober in my
min ober an obcr. | know ies how
much Kin make an how much Is got to
spend an how | kin save ter buy the
house, an if agree to pay you so much
money ON such Il day an SO much on such
anudder day Is gwine ter do it. You kin
'jes' put that down, sab. for sartin shuh. y
"Well, Grandson,' said Mr.. Morris
'I'll give You Il trial. If ut the end of six
months. you can pay me the first install
ment, II have the necessary papers made
out, and you can 90 ON and buy the place
but If you are not up to time on the first
payment, | want to hear no more about
the purchase"
"All right Mahs'r Morris" said Grand-
son. "It | GIBBS you my word ter pay de
money on de fus' day oh October, is
gwine to do it. OATS sartin shuh.n
Months passed on and although Gran
cd iii lN. al L.,
found towards the end of september, that.
in the ordinary course of things, he would
never be able to make up the sum neccS-
sary for the first payment. Other meth
DDS out OF the ordinary course came into
his mind, but he had doubts about avail
ing himself of them. He was extremely
anxious to make up the amount due, for
he knew very well that if he did not pay
it on the day appointed he might bid fare
well to his nope of becoming Il freeholder
In his perpeNltN he resolved to consult
Brother Bijah, the minister of the little
church in the pine woods to which Gran
Olson belonged
Now, look-a-heah, Brudder 'Biah."
said he, "WOts | gWne to do bout dis
bizness. | done promised ter pay dis
money on de fus day Oh dc comm month";
yit." ~ w - ''''' anu 7''
An aint dar any way ter get it ?" ask
ed Bijah.
aus, uilr ; one way, Sllu Grandson.
us been turnin dis matter ober an ODER
in my, min, an dars only one way. |
mought sell apples. Apples is mighty
skarse dis tall, an | kin git - Il bar'l for
EN- IN town. Now, If was ter sell three
bar,ls of apples I'd hah dat dar So, sartin
shuh;. Don't you see dat, Brudder 'Bi-
jah p
OATS all clar 'nuf,' said the minister,
but whar you gWine ter git three bari :
o apples You don mean ter tell me dat
you got nut apple trees III your little
gyardln fur ter shake down three bar'ls o
apples"
Now look a-heah, Brudder 'Biiah, Z"
sad Grandson, his eyes sparkling with
righteous Indignation, dat ; too much to
spec Oh Il man WHO'S got ter work all
day to port his wife an chillun. digs,
an | ploWS, an | plants, an | hoes an if
anybody glbo me amy gWahner | dusts
dat on de groun'. But all dem things
am nul ter make apple trees grow in my
gyardin like as dey wa, cohntiel' peas"
Dat 5 50, sald 'Bljah, re1ectlvely.
Dat = too much to spec Oh any man
But now you @Wlne ter sell de apples il
You aim got EN- -
"ls got ter Gil en-" said Grandson
Oar apples man grown roun. AN not
SO fur away dat | can't tote EN- ter my
house III DatSkct Its puwiul hard ON
man wot's worked all day ter have ter
tote apples ahlter night but dar amt no
other way ob Gl'tm' dat dar money"
81 spec de orchard whar yous thinkin'
o gWlne is Mahs'r Morrlscs," said the
minister
"Iou don 'spose Ise wine ter any oh
dose low down orchards on de udder side
de crlck, does We Mahr's Morris has got
the. bes' apples in dis county. OATS de
kin Wot tutch II ii bari.
"Brudder Gran son." said Biiah sol
EMMY, rs you MIA runnin on takin'
Mahs r Morrises apples inter town an
sellin' 'em -
'Well, he gifts de money, don't he -
answered the other, 'and if don sell his
apples faint no use sellin' none. Dem
udder httie uubbns ruun heah won't
fetch no two dollars Il bar'l."
Dem amt justiiyln' deeds wot's run
mn IN your mind said 'Bijah. "Dey
amt justltyin'.'
SOB course said Grandson, "dey
Wouldn he justifyin if had de six dol
lars. Butt amt got 'em, an Ise promised
to pay en-. Now, is ter stick to de trui,
OF isn't -
"Iruf is mighty" said the preacher,
IAN. ought not be Rendered from pre-
yailin''
Dat 5 50 dat's 50 - exclaimed Grandi-
son. You can't 90 agin de Scripters.
Irut Is mighty an faint fur pore hui
man critters like us 10 try to upset her.
Wot were got ter do is ter stick to her
through thick an thin
W course. dat : Wut we Oughter do, ~
sad Bljah, but can't ,oe my way clar
TO you scllIn' dcm apples"
But dar amt nullin else ter do - eN-
claimed Grandson, AN ci / don't do dat,
away goes uc irul, Ciar Out o sight An
,Wy9t Ioit ilgion you call dat, Brudder
faint no Kind at all, said 'Biiah,
lur we : bound ter stick to de truf, which
Is de bottom cornerstone Oh plousncss.
but ucIh apples don't seem ter cit dem
selves Strengthened out in my mind Brud-
der Gran SON
ut pears ter me, Brudder 'Biiah. dat
you doan look NJ dem apples in dc right
lSht. II was Swne ter sell cm to cit
money ter buy Il lot % spotted calliker Ter
make trocks iur de chillen, or chen Ter
buy TWO PAIRS o shoes fur me an Judy ter
90 TO church in dat would be Il sin sart I'M
shuh. But you done turgit dat Is gwine
ter take dc money straight OIL ter Mahs'r
Morris. II apples is riz an | gifts - - "A
BARI oh course keeps dc eXtry quarter,
which don pay anyhow fur de trouble oh
pickln an hanlin' EN- But de 81 | gibs,
cash down to Mahs'r Morris Don YOU