The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-01-08
NUMBER As.

That settled it; | was for web
! ster and his blae-cOvered spelling
book. Jim seemed to be favOrably
= impressed with me, even in my
iIenched condition. / might ex-
plain here that no man in that Sec
lion was ever called or known by
bis proper name. james was Jim
and William was Bill aud Hiram
was Hi. Mister was something un-.
heard of except 10 "a stranger or
that very rare individual, the
tax collector. The question of my
employment settled, 1 Immediately
began to make arrangements for
a boarding house. Some Que suE.
gested that board around like the,
preachers, but as l was to get
salary, l preferred to pay for my.
entertainment. Mr.. Anderson had
n little eight by five room tackled
on to his cabin, and boarded wish
slabs, which he said IcOnId occupy.
The rest of the family, to the nun;
Der of eight, slept in the only other
room of the house, most of them on
pallets on the floor, bedsteads being.
an inconvenient luxury. l was to
pay Mr.. Anderson $40 month for
my board, washing and sewing.
The topography of the country was
much more inviting than that had
just left, as the gronnd was much
higher, and snakes did not appear to
he so plentiful. slept at Audef'
sons that night prepared to start
early in the morning for DEVILS
Swamp for my wardrobe and books.
l was awakened at 4 O'Clock by
the members of the family stirring
in the next room, but as it had been
understood that 1 was not to be dis
turbed until 6, l did not get up. The
contract In regard to being disturs-
ed, however, was not fulfilled to the
letter. l got up at little before 6
and began to dress.
Somehow my clothes would NOT
fit me, J wondered rcd IL If J bad fiSsadie
a mistake in getting into one Of
the boys trousers, but no, there
were no other garments in sight,
but what looked like my blue fan
mel suit. The trousers positively
refused to go below the knee, not
withstanding pulled aud tugged
and-prayed. Truthfully did pray
as a spices of dernier resort. The
trousers might have remembered
that l had to walk through water,
but such unsolicited consideration
| failed TO appreciate.
| could smell the fat bacon trying
and hear the baby crying, aud f6t
every sizz Of the bacon and every
yell of the baby | gave tug at the.
watered stock, but tile over issue
had been called in.
There was no help for it, so l put
on the vest. 1t reached inst about
half way to where it should.
l fell OH the bed aud gloomily
surveyed FIVE inches of crumpled
yellow shirt between the top of the
trousers aud the bottom OF the vest.
Mr.. Anderson raped OH the door
to announce breakfast, and in des-
peration i put on the coat. ] had
always prided iiyset on getting
good fits, aud when | bought thar
coat it was faultless. 1t was cut in
frOck style, but the prevailing con-
traction had reduced it to an abbre-
Waited jumper.
The sleeves caught me about the
elbow, and the tails somewhere at
the waist. The buttons on the back;
which ought to have been at the
waist, had cfawled to rest under
my shoulders. Invent to breakfast;
but the bacon was not iiaiatabie,
and | declined to take molasses or
''lOng swfeienlR" in my coffee. L
iad not the slightest objection to
the entire way back to
DEVILS Swamp if necessary, in
ruth | coveted the the necessity!
Still unable to get % horse or a
mule / walked back to Hi Smiths
and gave the cows a treat. l since
earned that the eOrnfields along
he road were troubled very little
Oy the crows that summer.
The Smiths sympatbized with me,
but the younger ones looked as #
hey would hate liked to pull the
string. L dc not believe q school
leacher ever presented a more ludi-
:rOus and more undigni6ed appear
ance to bis pupils.
Next morning gave the clothes
10 young ten-year-old Sam. They
we're little tight, but ON the whole
itted quite nicely. A conveyance
being unobtainable, / packed some
1f the most necessary articles of
my wardrobe in an oat sack and
back to Yamacfaw. l.
opened school on May Ist, and
sWam Lots creek for the first three
weeks to get to the school l-house.
Of course ! stuck it through. Eda,
;ation was looked upon more fav-
)rably ia Yamacraw, and enjoyed
be society OF twenty-seven bare
looted pupils; eighteen of whom
belonged 10 the Seal family.