The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-28

w ORTHLESS NICK.
AN ARKANSAS STORY, BY oPIE P. REED.

gaunt fellow. with slouching gait and an air of
.yuneoncern.s His voice was drawing, his eyes
were large. and were lighted with that peculiar
iustre the origin of which can be traced back to
che introduction of talow candles. Nicks moth
er was widow, ana she and her son lived on a
small farm more productive of sassafras sprouts
and persimmon bushes than of any kind of mar
ketable vegetation. Mrs. Pages crops were so
uncertain that when anyone in the neighborhood
Baid. sYer KANT put no mo- coincidence in it
then yer ken in ole Mz Pages CON- it was at
once understood to be comparison greatly
damaging to the thing Of which the person had
sspoksn. The uncertainty of crops the Page
farm not caused by neglect on the part of
QRrovidence, but by neglect on the part of Nick.
In the spring of the year, when the neighbors
were blowing and planting, happy in the work
which brings reward IN autumn, Nick follow
ing a half dozen half-starved dogs, would prowl
ihrough the woods.
.'Coine here ter me-" his mother would say
when he returned home. "Oh, yer good fur
nothiu' whelp. I'm err greet min not ter let yer
have er mouful Nv nothin' ter eat Here yer
air, strappin' boy twenty-one years ole, an
with not as much sense as ten year-ole chile.
do think in my soul that yer air Their no count
EST, good fur nothin'ist whelp ever seed sense
wuz put on Their top side nv God'ul mighty's
yeath. When air yer goin' ter break up that
groun, says' "a
"Tsergin on it Ia ther mornin'. / reckon
'.Do yer know whut yer may do Of yer don't3
Yer may take yerself erway frum here an never
put yer foot on this here place no mo- while
breaths in my body Amt got long ter live,
an ter think that Their SON that have raised an
keered fur--fur-'
Thar now mann, don't cry. Til 60 ter work
ter-mor'-blame if, eff yer keep on er cryin' I'll
jump ther fence an never come back no mo-
Among those whose dislike of Nick amounted
E1o contempt was Tobe Crabtree, an Industrious
old fellow who condemned laziness with as much
vehernence as Cherokee chief would exhibit in
condemnation of timidity. Old lobe would
never have agreed that man was made to mourn,
but that man was made to work. Mr.. Crabtree,
although confessedly religious, considered
Sunday in summer as day OF punishment
psather thaa day of rest. After suffering
through sermon more notable on account of
bodily than of mental strength, the old man
would go into the field; and, scarcely able to re-
sist the temptation of laying hold of sprouts
WHICH, IN spite OF oil MS loEiucE cioiec, sio"
among the corn. would linger there until sum-
moned to ask a blessing over corn bread, hogs
iowl and turnip green's. Mrs. Crabtree was q
weak woman, who seemed to have worn herself
out with a pair Of cotton cards. She had been
taught TO believe that the sooner she wore her.
self out the sooner the saints would
amile upon her with the gracious light
. or approval John Crabtree, young man
Of much industry, was the only son OF
Abe old couple He had but little to say, but
was the most popular young man in the COM
munity, People said that he would be the next
sheriff of the county There was one member
nf the Crabtree family who was favorlte with
every one-Sis, the daughter. Nothing could
have been backer than her hair; nothing could
have excelled the brightness of her eyes; nothing
eould have rivaled the fairness of her face.
Worthless Nick loved Sis and this was one of
the reasons why old lobe regarded him with
such deep hatred
ISIS said old lobe one @Sunday evening
While the family sat under hickory tree in the
gard, didn't tell yer not ter talk ter that no
count Nick Pager
"Yas, sir. bleye yer did,
Didn't see yer talkin' ter him at meetin' ter
aayl'
Il reckon yer must've"
'sTheu whut Their devil-nay ther Lawd fur
give me fur usin SIGH er 'spression on er Sunday
-whut did yer do it furl'
"I-I-didn't 90 ter"
sOh. shet up now. ] ken talk ter er sensible
oman, but when or oman talks like or fool, I've
cot no mo- ter say that is. amt got no further
argymint 10 carry on with her.
sTobias, don't scold the child Mrs. Crabtree
meekly suggested.
II Amt q scoldin' nv her, Puss,' the old man
replied II only want her ter unerstan' that she
nusnt fool roun' with that trifin Teller. Wy,
Puss, it is err disgrace ter ther family ter have
sher err talkin an er giggn with that offscourin!
Eff she's so keen ter marry WY don't she marry
Wilson, Their sheriff. He's putty nigh dead airter
her; but no, she must fling him ter side, like
er ole coat an turn ter err fool not fttin' ter be
tuck up out Nv the mud ter keep er wagin' frum
runnin' over him. Err sheriff. mind yer; er
sheriff nv er county that's putty nigh outen debt,
beia' flung er side fur such er thing as that Lem
me tell yer somethin'; there mout be some good
pints in er drunken loafer, but Their sober loafer
Amt no count whuiever. When whisky makes
or man loaf hit gin'relly let's him 60 back ter
work agin when it gifts done er plzenln' nv him;
but when natur' tells err man ter loaf, thar amt
no use'n foolin' with him. Sis!'
Eyes, pap"
did yer hear whut said|
'Yas, sir"
avail, then. mark whit I've told yer, an
Ere's somthin' else want yer TO understan' in
purticuier an that's this don't want that fell
Ter ter come on Their place no mo, FL he does
hit won't be good fur him, fur wush may die
dead Of don't frail him with the fust thing ken
iaym hams ON
II heard him tell Sis that he'd be roun' here
ter night said John Crabtree. He was sitting
A. .-o,.ul nuftir0 mn xnffs ofO with his