Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-24
SAFE HIDING.
How o Florida Matron Kept Her Fruit
From Spelling.

How . Florida Matron Kept Her Fruit
From Spelling.
Mrs. L. is thrifty housekeeper. As
her family is a large one. her preserv-
ing kettle is one of immense proper
tions. and as the fruit seasons came
around, first Strawberries and then
bIackberries, her preparations began
to assume their usual majestic proper
tons. New to the place. she did not
depend upon her own judgment, but
conferred with some of the older resi-
dents. who assured her that they had
found only one practicable way of
keeping black berries, and that was to
bury them in the ground. So, after the
jars were all prepared, Mrs. L. hired
an old darby to dig in certain spot
where he diligently went to work. Per-
haps quarter of an hour had passed,
when the old black man appeared.
holding up Junk bottle. '''Pears if
de yerth was full oh desc yer" he said
Il goes to one place an digs an up
pops a bottle, and den goes to anoder
spot an digs an up pops anoder bot
tie. Seems if dis yer place is possessed
OBJ bottles.'' Mrs. L. took them. They
were heavy. For moment visions of
enchantment passed before her view.
Were they filled up with jewels-with
goldP For they were all carefully
sealed.
Try again" she said. cheerfully.
when my husband comes in L will
have them opened"
Eyes, missis,' he said. and turned
reluctantly to the task. Half an hour
oil I fn nd
10! before her bewildered sight there
was an immense array of bottles-bot-
ties black as old Tony; bottles stand
ing, lying down, bottles everywhere.
Use got out heap said Tony, look
ing up, awe-struck, ''an' dey isn't done
coming yit. 1 'spect Satan done struck
up a whisky field har. clar to good
ness rs just little skeered,' and the
old man looked over his shoulder.
just then the man of the house came,
and he was more startled than his
wife.
lit might be nitro-glycerine. you
know
Good heavens! and if he broke
one with his spade we should all 60 to
glory" supplemented the husband
Presently a little odd figure was es-
pied coming along the sandy road. 1t
was the gossip and news-monger of
the settlement, and she was coming
directly to the L. mansion. She and
Tony made their appearance together.
the latter with despair written on his
eyeballs.
Use done digging" said the old
man, shaking his head mournfully;
Il Sc heerd O. bottles buried up an be-
witched, with souls on der inside. 1
don't like no such work, an I'll tank
We for de pay so fur
Goodness preserve us! you've found
those bottler' cried the newcomer her
bright little eyes swapping. swell,
you are lucky! There's enough for o
regiment. already"
Enough of what? What is it?"
asked Mrs. L.
"Why, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup-
lots O. things! Them Thomas people
that lived here put 'em up. 1 remem-
Der Miss Thomas standin' jest there
where you're standin' now, and laugh
ing at the long rows O. bottles. You
see, if she'd come back, they'd
akept boarders, and she put up enough
to last for year. But she went for
vacation. and took sick and died in her
old house on East; and l did pity her
husband so! He married Miss Meek
ly year after, so he got over it
most men does - and then he went
away. and he died. so don't see but
them tomatuses is all yourn. I re-
member he spoke of 'em fore he
went away, an said he'd dug an
dug, an couldn't find out where his
vile had put 'em, and she couldn't
tell. No more 1 wouldn't for my
come-after to use-an' I'm glad she
didn't. Lord! but amt you luckyP
Don't need to put up a pickle-not
one"
The old darky was soon appeased
and set to work again. l think he ex-
tracted sixty or seventy. and then
went to work at the blackberries. 1
suppose that must BE- a good way to
preserve them, for Mrs. l.. says the
catchup is delicious. So you see things
can be put away so safely that they
can't be found when wanted. Jackson
Gilte (FIa. Cor. San Francisco Ctroni-
Gle