The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-09-26

| ''''NN~'h
dc damp air Oh de mawnin'. Now,
den, 'possum, speek out an tell me is
you 'libc or is you dead?'
dat are question frew de 'possum
inter pow full sweat. If he tole de
truf an said he was alibe he knowed
well 'nuf dat de bar would gobble him
up quiCker'n if he'd been hot ash
cake an bowl Of buttermilk but if
he said he was dead SOS de bar
wouldn't eat him, like nuf, would know
he lied, an would eat him all de same.
SO he turn de matter ober an ober in
his min an he wrastled wild his vic
tons, but he couldn't come ter no 'clu-
sion, Now don't you tink,' said de
bar, dat Is got time to sit here de
whole mawnin' waitin' fer you ter make
up your mind whether you's dead or
not. If you don't eide pretty quick
III put big rock atop O. you, an
stop fer you answer when l comk back
in de ebening. Now dis GLIB de pos
sum a pow'ful skecr, an twas cl'ar to
his min dat he mus eide de question
straight off. If he tole de truf an said
he alibe, he'd be eat up shuh but if
he sad he was dead, de bar Wought
b'lleve him. 'Twarn't very likely dat
he would, but dar was dat one leetle
chance, an he done took it. 4 is dead,'
says he. 'You's long time maxim up
your min bout it, says de bar. 'How
long you been dead?' Since day fore
ycstidddy,' says the 'possum. 'AIl
right, says de bar, when dey've on'y
been dead two or free days an kin talk,
l eats en- all de same An he eat
him up"
'sAnd now, Grandson" said Mr..
Morriss, "where is the moral of that
parable?"
''De moral is dis" said Grandson !;
''stiCk ter de truf. If de possum had
tole de truf, an said he was alibe de
bar couldn't eat him no more'n he did
eat him no bar could do dat. AN /
axes you, Mahs'r Morris, don't dat
par'ble show dat eb'rybody oughter
stick ter de truf, no matter what hap
pens"
"FWell, l don't think your moral is
very clear" said Mr.. Morris, "for it
would have been about as bad for the
'possum one way as the other. But,
after all, suppose it would have been
better tor the little beast to tell the
truth and die with a clear conscience
"Dat's so = cried Brother Bijah,
speaking in his ministerial capacity,
ode great thing in dis worp is ter die
wild a clear conscience
"But you can't do dat" said Grandi-
son, ''if you let dis thing an dat thing
come in ter hinder yer. Now OATS
jcs' wot ives been disputin' bout,
Mahsr Morris. l 'clared dat we
oughter stick ter de truf widout lookin
to de right or de lef but Brudder
Bijah, his min wasn't quite made up
on de subjick. Now, wot you say
Mahs'r Morris p
Il say stick to the truth, of course"
said Mr.. Morris, gathering up his reins.
"And, by the, way Grandson, do you
expect to make that payment on your
place which is due next week."
"Yaas, sab, sartin, shuh," SAID
Grandson. Il done tole you I'd do
it, Mahs'r Morris, an L tends ter
stick ter de truf.''
"Now den,' said Grandson, in a
tone of triumph when Mr.. Morris had
ridden away, "you see rs right in my
illusions, and Mahs'r Morris 'grees
with me-"
Dunno" said Brother 'Bijah shak-
ing his head, eds is a mighty duber-
some question. You KEEP dem apples
clar out O. sight, Brudder Gran d'son !;
clar out O. sight"
It was about a week after this, quite
early in the morning, that Grandson
vas slowly driving into town with
horse and wagon which he had bor-
rowed from neighbor. In the wagon
were three barrels of fine apples. Sud-
denly, at turn in the road, he was
greatly surprised to meet Mr.. Morris,
riding homeward.
''What have you in those barrels,
Grandison?" inquired his landlord.
"Dey's apples, sah," was the reply,
dat rs got de job oh haulin' ter town,
sah.U
Mr.. Morris rode up to the wagon and
removed the piece of old canvas that
was thrown over the tops of the barrels.
There was no need of asking any ques-
tions. No one but himself, for many
miles around, had "Belilowers" and
"Jeannettes" like these.
GLOW much do you lack, Grandson"
he said, "of making up the money you
owe me tomorrow"
six dollars, sab, :" said Grandson.
six dollars-tnree parrells-very
good" said Mr.. Morris. 81 see you are
determined to stick to the truth, Grandi-
son, and keep your engagement. But I'll
troub you to turn that wagon round
and haul those apples home And, if
you still want to buy the place, you can
come on Monday morning and work out
the balance you have to make up OH the
first installment and. after this, you can
make all payments in work. A days
labor is fair aud plain, but can't expect
to see through your ways of getting
money"
1t was not long after this that Grandi-
son was blowing in one of Mr.. Morris
fields, when Brother 'Bijah came along