Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-15
OLD PETE.


OLD PETE.
''ATr. Lawkins," said the internal
revenue collector, addressing me, ''you
will at once proceed to the northern part
of the State, and see why certain people
in the upper part of Acton county think
that they should make living by cut
ting cedar timber that belongs to the
government"
"Yes, sir, replied"
81 don't think that you'll have any
trouble with the men. They are un-
doubleday thieves, but otherwise they
are harmless. Perhaps they do not
know that they are Infringing on the
rights of the government. Take your
time, Mr.. Law Gins. You have been
faithfully engaged during the entire
winter and spring, and now that summer
has come, rest will do you good.
thanked the colonel. That / was
much worn by excessive work, any one
could Sec had been in the revenue
service during several years, and had
done more work than any of my cola
borers, but this was the first time that
any one had even limited that 'lay OFF,
was due me.
Boarding q steamboat at DeVall's
Bluff, proceeded up White river, the
most attractive stream of navigable water
have ever found. The water is so clear
that 1t seems to be but little more dense
than the atmosphere ITSELF A chip float
ing on the surface looked as though il
was being waited through the air. Grass
and graceful trees grew on each side,
down to the cleorlv cut edges of the
stream, while here and there, islands
arose, like great ships with green sails.
thought to myself that did not care
how long the journey continued.
"Goin' fur, cap'nG" asked man, APP
preaching me as / sat on the lower deck
He was grizzly little old fellow, with a
smile oozy with tobacco 'siuice." He
wore blue flannel shirt, a wooden hat,
which repeated pulls had rendered bell
shaped.
Don't exactly know how far am GO
ing, = Ireplied.
"Air you out airtcr landl"
"No."
"CattleY"
oNo.n
''Marketin', mebbe2"
No.
Don't want to buy nothin', l reckon7'
your idea is about correct
''Whar do you liver"
"Oh, most any place."
mot thinkin' about buildin' fences2,'
looked at him and wondered If he
were crazy. He smiled in his oozy way,
but bore no facial evidence of insanity.
"Tell you why asked" he con-
tiuued: "Ef you want to build fences,
plank fences. ken furnish you with the
finest lot OF cedar posts you ever seen. "
How many have you2"
Just oceans o. them. The woods up
my way is full o. them. "
EDO you own the Iand2"
mo, oh, no. Don't nobody own it. -
1T must belong to the government,
then"
eyes, reckon it does, but the gov
er'ment don't want no posts"
. How far do You live from here2o
"Wall, Ireckon it's nigh onto q hum
bred an seventy.five miles.
. What is your name7n
"Plummer. Old Pete, they calls me. -
Mr.. Plummer, / am an overworked
AAtAAA1 UAO
Overworkedp he laughingIy ex-
claimed. IVY, podner' you amt been
dom no work. You amt sunburnt, an
/ don't reckon you've got any Jumps in
your hands.
explained that my work had been
mainly done in an Office
In the shade all the time, want
YOUR
"0f course"
"Wall, that want no work. Lemme
fell you: Eff didn't halter do nothin'
but set in the shade wouldn't think that
had been dom work a. tall.
al shall not argue the question, Mr..
Plummer, however well may know that
you don't know what work is. Mr..
Plummer, would like to 90 home with
you aud stay until / am rested OF
course l expect to pay you"
ssPay me nothin' You air welcome TO
come to my house, but dinged if you can
pay cent. ] amt that sort o. man,
let me tell you. Don't put on no style
up thar, but live ct home, world without
eend.
Here ne pulled down his hat and strobe
up and down the deck. told him my
name, but did not explain that was 3
revenue officer. had found the very
man wanted.
Mr.. Plummcr lived but short dis
lance from the river. His house. rude
structure, was made Of cedar logs. He
said that his wife and child years ago,
had been drowned in an overflow. Since
then he had lived alone. The FIRST morn
ing after my arrival, he went out and
killed me mess OF squirrels. It seemed
as though he could not do enough for
me. He explained how he cut cedar
timber and rated il down the river. /
asked him If he did not know that he
was violating the law. He replied with
. sharp satire on che human family: