St. Landry democrat., 1885-07-25

guide the slow progress Of Bob and
Blinker, was to him high delight and
honor which impressed him the more
forcfbly because It was SO totally unex-
pected. The Government position had
held forth glittering advantages, which
had greatly attracted him, but which
his mind did not entirely comprehend.
But to drive the oxen was real thing,
q joy and a dignity which he knew all
about. Dick was entirely satisfied. As
to the pages salary, which his memory
or his ears had SO greatly exaggerated,
he did not even think of it.
Uncle Enoch determined not to an
nouHce his intention to his neighbors,
nor to take counsel of any one. He
went into the house, and, after electrify-
ing his family with the statement of his
intended step into what was to them
wealth and high position, he set them
| all to work to get him ready for an
early start the next morning. Washing,
ironing, patching and packing went on
during a great part of the night, his
wife, "Aunt Maria" his three daugh"
tiers, and even Dick, doing their utmost
to fit him out for his great undertaking.
"What Use gwine to do wild dat seb-
enteen hundred dollars said Uncle
up a gap in one of his Sunday boots, sis
to buy dis track O. land on de hill back
heah, an make q VINEYARD Nv it. No
use foolin' no more wild little later
patches, an cabbyges, an tree or foh'
dozen hills o. cohn; I'll sell de grapes,
an buy all dat sort O. ting. At de wine
cellar in town dey'll take all de grapes
yoh kin raise an eff have to buy a boss
an wagun to haul 'em inter town, yuh
won't see dis yere family waikiki to
church no mo'h wild de mud up to dere
knees and de hot sun brilin' on ter dere
heads"
A little after daylight the next morn
ing Uncle Enoch, wearing his tall white
hat with the broad band of Grape around
it which it had on when it was given to
him; with his highest and stiffest shirt
collar; long black coat reaching nearly
to his heels; pair of blue jean trousers
rolled up at the ankles; his enormous
Sunday boots well BACKED; in one hand
avery small cowhide trunk tied up with
a rope and carried in the manner of a
violin-case; a vast umbrella with horn
handle in the other hand; and the
greater part of his recently paid month S
wages in his pocket, started off to walk
three miles to the railroad-station ON his
way to become a Congressional page.
Dick assumed the ox-Whip, and as
there was no one else to take the vacated
place, he cracked it in pride and glory
over the heads of Bob and Blinker, and
although they ran into more stumps,
and got into more deep ruts. than was
good for themselves or the cart, the
winter wood of Mr.. Gregory continued
to be hauled.
One week, and two weeks passed on
without news from Uncle Enoch, and
then Aunt Maria began to get impatient,
''Look a-heah, Dick, y she said, when
you come home ter-night, an has had
yuhr supper, an has done split up dem
ole rails, what's too short fur de fence
anyway, fur faint no use for yuh to try
no mo'h on dat black-gum log what yuh
daddy done went away and luf, an ef
he don come back soon he won 'tfind no
fence at all, Ireckin, when he do come.
Yuh JUS sot down an, write him a letter,
an tell him faint no use fur him to be
sabin up all dat sebenteen hundred dol
lars to buy vineyards while his chill
lun's gWine about wild scace no close to
dere backs.
s.Dere's yuhr sisr Charlotte what has
to 60 to church wild dem light blue slip.
pers Miss Sallie glib her, an no stockuns,
an no wunner de people laf at her. An
dere's yuhr daddy maxim all datmoney
down dere il Washin ton wild de Con-
gressmen.
cam she a gal, too, what's done won
de prize treetimes in de cake-walk.
spec he's done forgot what l tole him
bout de weddin' ring fur me. | done
tole him to buy it wild de fus' money he
got an send it in a letter. Use nebbel
had none yit, though we wus both mar
ried long back befoh de war.
ssAn' it's no use waitin', nudder, ful
little .Jim's funeral till he comes back
He kin SEN de money fur de cake ant
wine JUS as well as not, an Bruddel
Anderson is ready, he tole me las
Sun'y, wild de fax an de tex. Little
Jim's been dead now nigh on ter two
yeah, an it's time his funeral wa
preached.
II amt got no 'iections to de wine
yard, spesh'ly eff we hab ter hab Wag
on to haul de grapes, but I dom want
yuhr daddy to come back heah an fine
hissef .shamed Nv his family arte
livin' down dar 'mong all dem quality
folks. I'll send Charlotte dis maWnin
to borrer sheet nv paper, an pen an
ink from Miss Sally, an see eff sheW won
let her pick up some apples in de or
| chord while CHEFS daT am n rang shell
give her bucket Nv butrermilk eff she'
} done churned yistiddy. An yuh put al
dat in de letter, an SEN 1t off JUS a