The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-03-04
ARKANSAW PINEWOODS.


Ny name is Lige johnson"
"You live here, Mr.. Johnson?"
sWall, I can't says live, but stays
hyar." -.
'What will be the chance to stay all
night with you?"
4Purty bad, sur, purity bad. We air
mighty pore folks an got pore ways, but
eff you kin put up with our fxin's, you
kin stay en- welcome. Jest git down en-
take out yer hosses. Turn 'em in that
lot thar, you'll find sum fodder en- shucks
up thar, en- you kin feed them to suit
yerself."
After feeding my team, I turned
toward the house. AS I entered, was
greeted by the smell of fried bacon, the
yelping of NANCY hound, and the
squalling of two or three children. The
"lady of the house." tall, angular,
hatchet-faced woman, made a low court
esy, and pointing to a broken-back chair,
invited me to take cheer by the fire"
She soon announced supper by saying in
stage whisper: "'Lige, yer suppers
reddy."
SCome, stranger, draw up yer cheer en-
cake a seat at the table en- eat snack.
We hain't much. but yer welcome. Ez
the sayin' is, pore folks is got pore ways,
en- rich people is got mean uns. Hev
this cup: No, don't pass it, jestk it,
~Thet's the only CHIME cup we've got,
'Ege he drinks his coffee outen a goard,
he sez it gives people the despepsy to
drink coffee outen chinie cup. But L
tells him it's bekase he's too mortal stingy
to buy more. Help yerself to sum NV
: that flour-bread, stranger en- hev sum Nv
- the fry Lige'd set thar en- let yer
starve before he'd ak yer. Lge, pass
them 'lap-over pies they air mighty
good ef I doc say it myself. Hev more
stranger, you hain't eat 'nuff to keep
sparrar alive. If You won't hev emmy
more, jest push back yer cheer, IN 80
to the fire. Stranger, what mount be yer
name?"
Jones"
Now yer not akin to them Joneses
over in Dog Holler, air yer::'
NO, I don't think am. I am from
Tennessee" d.
From Tennysee? Thet's mighty fine
country, haint it?"
ayes, it's a fine country"
1--WE hev a mighty pore country hyar,
stranger. I b'peye the good Lord hez
sont cuss on this country sense the war.
The Ian don't nigh perduce like it lster.
The peach trees hardly ever hev emmy
peaches on 'em. En- the bees don't half
full up ther STAINS with honey. Every
thing hez gone ter rack ell ruin, I'll ye.
En- yer say yer from Tennysee: Did yer
ever hearn tell Nv a folier by the name
NV Joke Hawkins up thar"
mo, 7 think not"
Jake he moved up in thet neck Nv
woods, en- I lowed mebby you he'd seed
him. Jake he ester court me when WIZ
a currul. mind the day when me en-
'Lige wuz merried. 1 he'd prommust
Jake ter hev him. Gentlemen, whew!
Jake cum thet evening en- found l he'd
took 'Lige wuz mad ez wet hen. never
did see just such mad man in all my
born d.eys. He ra'red en- he charged, en-
lowed he would tex 'Old Betsy, tibet WuZ
his rifle gun, en- shoot sumbudy's eyes
outen ther heads When I heard thet, I
lest got riled up an went out thar whar
the men folks wuz tryin' to git Jake ter
hush en- l jest walked up ter him en-
shuck my fist in his face en- told him ter
git. en- tlset purity quick, er I would ketch
him by the har en- jirk him bald-headed.
- You ougilter seed him hustle.
Stranger, you want old enough ter be
in the war, wuz we? Well, you escaped
a power NV trubble, I tell We. One day,
enduring the war, wuz settin' right
hyar singin' ter the baby, when heerd
man holler out thar at the gate. En
when I went to the dore, hope may
die, eff thar warn't Jake Hawkins
a-settin' a-straddle Nv the porest hoss 1
ever seed. 'YeE yaller dorg' sez l, what
do YOU wanty Miss Johnson sez he, I'm
powerful hongry-I'm narely starved,
en- want to git mouthful Nv vittles ef
YOU ken spar it. WELL. Jake sez I,
when / ricomember how you cut up
Jack when merried, hit makes me feel
as if oughten ter give you no vitt!es.'
But then I got to thinking mebby he did
uster love me, en- give him a pone Nv
bread and a piece Nv middlin' meat.
@Thankee, Miss Johnson he sed ez he
rid off, zen eff kin help you at emmy
time, you kin count on Jake Hawkins ez
doin' his share
"Well, sur, times got mighty hard; en-
my vittles wuz gittin powerful low.
'Lige wuz off in the war a-tightin', ell it
WIZ nip en- tuck with me ter make
tongue en- buckle meet, ez the sayin' is.
To make matters worse, Mandy-we al
Iers called her 'Sis'-talicn sick, en-
thought she wuz goin'ter die out. Thet's
her a~settin' thar in the cornder.
Stranger, never 'spected ter see thet gal
live ter hev bows. Boys is got to comm
ter see her right reglar now, NV Sundays.
-, L., l,oJ .oro,>nI ,,,> 4ba