The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-29


and her singing is said to have made
many mocking-bird pull out its tail
feathers in sheer envy. She had worked
two seasons in Tallahassee, also, so to
her other charms were added the vague
but delicious refnements of city life.
No wonder the little boy Cupid used
her as bow from which to launch his
dainty arrows. Given the place and
material, he could not have displayed
much greater wisdom.
Both men were in love with her; that
was plainly to be seen. Both settle
ments knew it, snickered at it, gossiped
over it and speculated as to on whom
the choice would fall.
Sophy, like most of her sex, was a
born coquette, and gave no sign of IA
voritism. If she went to ball with
"Ju" one night she went to q festival
with Ananias the next, and accepted
the six sticks of sugar cane with the
same sweet smile and honeyed thanks
from one, as she did the quart of pea
nuts and suspender buckle from the
other. Neither had ever kissed her
SO she although the attempt had
been often made, and it was an open
question as to who would eventually
win.
The climax came one day in balmy
June, when the birds were singing their
sweetest, and the mud turtles felt a
throb of Joy in their gentle bosoms, and
old Aunt Jenny was the cause of it. She
had dropped into the house of Jerusa-
LENS parents for asocial chat, and find
ing no one home but his father, good
old Uncle Hypothenuse johnson, the
conversation rapidly drifted in the di-
rection of his love affairs.
Il year your son gwinter be kicked
by Sophy Giggles, Uncle Muse. Am
dat SOP" said Jenny, inquisitively.
Il dunno, / dunno, Aunt jimmy" was
the reply; ''but eff she marries tibet
trifin, owdacious, yeller niger, An
aniah, she's gwinter be sorry fer hit be-
TO de var am out"
''Well, Uncle Muse, dat boy Mas
am a right peart boy, an I year he's
got right smart bunch OBJ cattle in de
woods somewhat"
Right smart bunch OBJ cattler' said
Uncle Muse, contemptuously. "Sho'.
on'y got three bull yearlin's I'M one ole
COW. Lock yer, Aunt jimmy" excited
ly, "lemme show you wha' my boy
JUL git when he gifts married" And
the old man opened musty old trunk
that stood in one corner of the room,
and, after much delving therein, and
much hard breathing, brought out an
old stocking CHANGING cautiously
around, even going to the door to see
if any one was approaching, he showed
Aunt Jenny its precious contents, a
goodly store of gold and silver, with
some bills. Then carefully replacing it
he resumed his seat.
"Huh! Right smart bunch OBJ cattle,
ehP Aunt jimmy" impressiyely, ''when
tibet boy OBJ mine gifts married he gifts
four-hun' err d -dolIars- AN twenty
archaeological lam"
That settled it; as Aunt Jenny on her
way home met Sophy when about half
way there, there could be but one re-
suit That night, by previous engage
ment, Ju took Miss Sophy to festival
held at the residence of Rev. Capsicum
Grant, on the way back got his courage
to the sticking point, told his love, and
was coyly but promptly accepted. The
kiss that followed nearly made an owl
tumble from his perch near by, and so
bewildered him that an audacious tree
toad sang an air from Norma under his
very nose.
The news of the betrothal was known
all over the neighborhood next morn
ing, and then the storm came. That
Same morning was sitting in my office
trying to evolve an editorial on cur
rent topic. when the door thrilled be-
meath most lugubrious knock
In answer to my "come in!' behold
the long, lank figure of Ananias. His
countenance wore look of mingled
ferocity and melancholy.
Cap )" said he, II has come to
you fer some disvice"
l showed my writing materials aside
and motioned him to a chair. Then I
lit cigar, the brand 1 particularly af-
feet-O. P:-(other people's), and said:
Proceed"
He shuffied awkwardly to the chair,
took position on the extreme edge of it.
ana began MS monody:
Cap pen, has been courtin' Miss
Sophy Giggles gwine onter two years.
[ has boughten her lots OBJ candy,
pinders, an sech like truck, kerried her
to festibules, camp meetin's, an
'scurshins, an oh course was 'spectin'
to ask her to marry me, but Yesterday,
which was Chuseday, she went an
promise to marry dat black mo- count
niger, Jerusalem. l dom care so
much about dat, Cap'pen, but dis morn
ing he stuck out his tongue at me, an
| nebber lows no gentleman ter do
that ter me, so I axes you what I mus
do"
1t is the principal weakness of nv
many weaknesses never to allow an op-
portunity to pass for fun. Here was a
brilliant chance. / embraced it.
MAS" l said, "you are gentle
man, are you not?"
eyes, sah,' said he, "a Souf Car
linY GnntlonIeEn, sun.
Then" replied, ''you must chal-
"What is dat, sah?n
'You must send note to him, saving
he must meet you on the field of honor.
In other words, you must fight him. y
A smile played over his gentle coun-
tenance. lord bless you, Cap'pen."
said he, ''sen' dat note right off; / kin
butt dat niger ter pieces. ?
THAT won't do" said !, sternly: .as
gentleman you must fight him with a
gentleman's weapons. You must chal-
lenge him to fight you with pistols"
His face turned shade paler and he
hesitated. l turned on him quickly,
drew my chair close to- him and said
impressively: "Nias, there is tide in
the affairs of loye-sick niggers, which,
taken at the flood, leads on to mar
rage. / know Ju well. He Is a terri
bic coward, and will run just as soon as
you present your pistol at him. Miss
Sophy will hear of it. All women
despise towards. She will kick him
and you will carry off the cake | will
go with you, act as your friend, and
see that all goes right. Win you leave
the matter to mepn
us you sure he won't fight, Cap pen?''
Certainly am. Now you 90 home.
Keep quiet. | will see You through
this matter, and when you marry Miss