St. Landry democrat., 1885-07-25

tent fur to stay no more on dis we're no.
count farm, so fur from de railroad.
$50, soon as he sell he 'haccer, de
plantation mouse he go to see his city
frien'.. He glad to see him, an sot him
right down to q pow'ful good dinner
wild all de canvis-back ducks an de tar.
pins an de oysters an de ehampain, an
de udder tings dat he done tell bout.
self I'd a-knowed you was a-comin,
SEES de city mouse, I'D had q reg lar
cump'ny dinner; but yuh'll have to go
long and jus take pot-luck wild as dis
time
Den you didn't git my letterP ses
de phantom mouse.
"sNo, sab. Reckin yuhr man done
forgot to put it in de pos office.
$50 dey sot an eat till dey mos like
to bus, an de plantation mouse he
wonner what he would a-had if he fren'
had done got he letter.
''Jus' as dey was litin' dere cigars,
and putin dey heels up on two cheers
de dinin' room door open, an in walk
de sheriff OBJ de county.
"'Look a-heah, kurnel. ses he, have
yuh got de money ready fur all de ducks
an de oysters an de wine you've had
fur yuhse'f; an de slab meat an de
cohn from de West fur Yuhr hans?
Yuh know said wouldn't give yuh no
longer nur ter-day.' De city mouse he
turn pale, an he TUX de plantation
mouse into one corner, an ses hes
"'Look a-heah, kin yuh len me tive
or free tousand dollars till tomorrow
mawnin', when de bank opens? Den
de udder mouse he pull dretful poor
mouf, an he ses:-
else pow'ful sorry, but it rained so
much in de low groun's las year dat
my cohn wus all split; an dere wasn't
no rain on de high groun's, an de cohn
dere wus all wilted; an de fros' done
cotch my baecer 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:
"sYou call aroun' Monday maWnin',
an FL pay you dat money. wus
a'spectin' 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
eberyting in de house; an as dey didn't
fotch enuf, he sold dat city mouse an
dat plantation mouse fur slaves. y
Dick uttered an exclamation of horror
at this direful conclusion of the story.
'.Now look a-heah, boy" continued
Uncle Enoch, ''ef yuh thinks you is gwine
down to Washin'to to git tarpins an
oysters an CHAMPAIGN out OBJ dem Con-
gressmen, yuh won't be TUX an sold.
cause dey can't do dat now. but yuhll
find yuhse'f gobbled up some way Wuss
dan dat plantation mouse Wus. "
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
chips an trash fur to make de fire, !"
said his father, san don'ttalk to me no
mo'h OBJ dat foolishness.
Dick walked slowly off to do as he was
bid, and for long time Uncle Enoch
remained standing by the twisted black
gum log without striking it blow.
Uncle Enoch was q skillful and prac-
ticed ox-driver, 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.
.'Yuh Dick" said he to his son in the
evening, sis you done glib up all dat
foolishness bout goin' to Washin'tonP''
s'Taint no foolishness, muttered
Dick.
"Why, boy" said his father, "'pears
to me yuh is too ole for dat sort o. ting"
cit don't make no kind o. diff renee
how ole page is," said Dick. ''Dat
man said 50 hissef. He SEES dey got 'em
all ages
'.Dat so, shuhP'' asked his father.
.'Sartin, shuh," said Dick.
"And dey gifts sebenteen hundred dol
lars yearp"
eyes" said Dick. SAN besides dat,
dey can make lots oh money blackin'
boots an holdin' bosses 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. Eff all dat ar moneys to be
got by pagein' I agrees to the notion. =
''Hi-yi!" shouted Dick, beginning to
dance.
'Yuh needn't cutup any SIGH capers, y
said his father. ssY11h amt gwine. Use
gwine mese'f."
IF Dick could have turned pale, be
would have done SO. He stood speech
less.