Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-12-09
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
A VERY BIG "HAuL."
Abraham Lincoln Cuipepper Goes Fish
Ing and Catches Something Which Ills
nNI T. m. m, Nyaa Galn1 In llnH.

NANNY" urged Abraham Lincoln
Culpcppcr, "gib me dime to buy
some iishin'. tackle. / know dcre's fish
in dat ere pom, an want to ketch
some"
81 amt got no dime to spar yo'.
Aby." replied nanny. who was busy
cutting up pumpkin into q huge iron
pot OH the cook-stove. Use been
n.,ryin' to sabc UP money to buy mo n
tea.kittls an fryer. Take TO- bits
fur 'cm boi. an Is got no dimes to
spar"
.'Bu. want to kctch some fish. y"
whincd Abraham. pcrsistently.
"Ain't no fish in dat ere pom. no.
how" declared nanny.
But the boy was not to be silenced.
"Dere's MINERS" ho insisted. IAN
II dcre's minncrs. why moutn't dcy be
catfish an pikc3"
At last mammy's patience gave way.
"Ef you don't quit a-pcstcrin' me
an hush your mouf, l gwino cuff yo'
years good. Ab'aham Linkum Culpep-
per-" she declared, angrily.
And Abraham Sok himself out OF
the way. muttcring rs he went
"Hi! whar you gwine. Abep" called
Lis sister Maria, coming up from the
spring with long-handled g0urd in
her hand.
Maria's woolly head presented q
strange and startling appearance. plait-
cd rs it was into innumcrablc little tails.
which stuck out in oil directions. "like
quilts upon the fretful porcupine."
"Whar's you gwine. AbeT she re-
pcated. tossing the gourd on to q bed
Of onions, and rushing after her broth
or. who was just opening the broken.
hinged gate leading out into the lane.
"Oh, dunno whar." answered Abe,
sulkily. NANNY wouldn't glib me a
dime to buy dat ere fishin'-tacklc. an
] jcs' good mind to run away"
"Sho, Abe, don't run away. Les !
nm you gwi down to dc hig road an
hunt for dimc." advised Naris. hope.
fully. "Mc be We kin fin one in dc
dat"
But Abe shook his head doubtfully.
Nanny Culpcpper lived with her
two children in hal.-.umbledown little
cabin OH the outskirts Of Western
village. A grove Of black walnut trees
stretched their great arms above the
humble roof, and q "sink-hols' pond.
common to that section OF the country.
showed its stagnant waters few yards
from the house. Nanny had but re-
Gently moved into the little cabin.
which she obtained for merely NOM
inal rent. and supported herself and
her offspring by taking in washing and
ironing from the village.
81 wusht could OF Glib him dime.
she reflected. as she stirred the pump.
kin with q long.handlcd spoon; "do'
/ amt got it to spar. Takes a power
full sight Of money to buy vit'les, an
dem chillen ain't got no shoes fur dc
winter. Hill soon be cole weather,
too, now dc frost has come. An der
amt no fish in dat air pom. nohow."
she added. consolingly.
About an hour later, Abraham came
rushing back. fairly painting for breath,
his round. fat face, beaming with i'm
portance.
Nanny, msmmy!" he shouted.
eagerly. "Mc and Maricr has foun'
punkin In de road-a whoppin'. biz.
yaller punkin, what roll off'n wagon.
an dc man nebcr stop to pick 1t up!
Mariers standin' over II a-kiverin' 1t
with her dress. so dey won't nobody
SEQ it till VIC kin fotch de whecl.bor an
git it. It's too big to totc."
Nanny caught the Infection, anil
hastcncd down the road with the wheel
barrow-a relic from her late husband.
who worked in u brick-ynrd There
stood Maria. screening the pumpkin
with her skirts. 1t was "whoppcr."
sure enough, and took the combined
strength OF nanny and tho two chill
drcn to get it into the whecl-barrow.
"Say, nanny" ventured Abe. after
helping his mother to wheel home the
.wind.fall." "You done gib dime
for dat air las punkin you bought
an hit wasn't nigh so hefty as dis yer
un."
"An' you want dime fur a-hnding
1t heya" replied nanny. good-nat.
urcdly. "Well. dar. Is'pose Id a.had
10 Glib dime fur one. anyhow. 30
take It an 20. an don't poster me fur
no mo- dimes de longest day you lib"
And Abraham chuckled with delight
and danced ''pigeon-wing." as he rc-
ceiycd the coveted dime, which man.
my took from long. black stocking
log, hanging up the chimney. The
fshing.tackle was soon bought, and
the young follower Of 'Izaac Walton"
with Maria at his side, sat for at least
an hour beside the pond, in the bright
afternoon sunshine. without even the
encouragement Of single bite.
"Tole you dey wan. nary fish In
dat air pom" said nanny. coming to
look on, her fat hands pressed close to
her sides.
"Hi! dar's bite now" cried Abra.
ham. suddenly pulling in with all his
might "Golly, It's big fsllcr. too!
Mus be whale. Ketch holt man.
my. an hep me haul him In"
And indeed 1t required considerable
strength to haul in whatever 1t wi"
that had caught onto the hook.
Look out, now, he's a.comin1