Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-03-11
A NIGHT IN THE WOODS.
Mrs. johnson Tells About Her
Former Lover.

Former Lover.
"Hellor
Hello, yerself." ;"
This is Mr.. johnson, I suppose?
Jones is my name.'
"Waal, no, this amt Mister John
son. My name is 'Lige johnson.
"You live here, Mr.. Johnson?"
"Waal, | can't says live, but l
stays hyar.'
"What will be the chance to stay all
night with youP"
'Purty bad, sur, purity bad. We air
mighty pore folks, an got pore ways,
but ef you kin put up with our fixin'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, turned to-
ward the house. As | entered, was
greeted by the smell of fried bacon,
the yelping of a NANCY hound and the
squalling of two or three children. The
''lady of the house." a tall, angular,
hatched-faced woman, made a low
courtesy, and pointing to a broken
back chair, invited me to stake a cheer
by the fire." She soon announced sup
per by saying in stage whisper:
''Lige, yer supper's reddy."
Come, stranger, draw up yer cheer
en- take seat at the table en- eat
snack. We hain't much, but yer well
come. Ez the sayin' is, pore folks is
got pore ways, en- rich people is got
mean uns. Hev this cupP No, don't
pass it, jest keep it."
''Thet's the only CHIME cup we've
got, 'Lige he drinks his coffee outen
goard, he sez it gives people the des-
pepsy to drink coffee outen CHIME
cup. But | tells him it's bekase he's
too mortal stingy to buy more. Help
yerself to sum NV thet fiour-bread,
stranger, en- hev sum NV the fry
'Lige'd set thar en- let yer starve before
he'd AK yer 'Lige, pass them .lap-
over pies, they air mighty good ef
do say it myself. Hev more, stranger,
you hain't eat huff to keep sparrer
alive. Ef you won't hev emmy more,
jest push back yer cheer, en- go to the
fire. Stranger, what mout be yer
name?"
Jones"
Now yer not akin to them Joneses
over in Dog Holler, air yer?"
mo, don't think l am. 1 am from
Tennessee"
''From TennesseeP Thet's a mighty
fine country, haint itP"
"Yes, it's a very fine country"
1--WE hev mighty pore country
hyar, stranger. b'reve the good Lord
hez sont cuss on this country sense
the war. The Ian don't nigh perduce
like it uster. The peach trees hardly
ever hev emmy peaches on 'em. En- the
bees don't half full up ther stan's with
honey. Everything hez gone ter rack
en- ruin, l tell ye. En- yer say yer from
TennyseeP Did yer ever hearn tell NV
feller by the name NV Jake Hawkins
up tharP'
mo, think not.
Jake he moved up in thet neck NV
woods, EN- | lowed mebby you he'd seed
him. Jake he ulster court me when j
wuz gurrel. | mind the day when me
en- 'Lige wuz merried. / he'd prom
must Jake ter hev him. Gentlemen,
whew, Jake cum thet evening en-
found | he'd tuck 'Lige, he wuz mad ez
wet hen. l never did see Jest sich a
mad man in all my born days.
lie ra'red, en- he charged, en- he lowed
he would tex ole Betsy thet wuz his
rifle gun, en- shoot sumbody's eyes
outen ther heads. When | heard thet,
jest got riled up en- | went out thai
whar the men folks wuz tryin' to git
Jake ter hush, en- jest walked up tel
him en- shuck my fist in his face en- told
him ter git, EN- thet purity quick, er
would ketch him by the ha'r en- jirk
him bald-headed. You oughter seed
him hustle. Stranger, you wan'i
old enough to be in the war, wuz We:
Well, you escaped power NV trubble,
| tell ye. One day. enduring the
war, wuz settin' right hyar singin
Ster the baby, when l heered a man
holler out thar at the gate. En- wher
went to the dore, hope | may die
ef thar warn't Jake Hawkins a-settin
a-straddle NV the poorest hoss | evel
seed. Yer yaller dorg, sez |, 'wha
do you wantP' Miss Johnson se1
he, I'm powerful hongry-Fm narel,
starved, en- want to git a mouthful uN
vittles eff you ken spar it. Well
Jake, stzI, when | ricomember how
You cut up Jack when l merried. hi
makes me feel as if l oughten ter Civ,
YOU no vittles. But then | got tt
thinking mebby he did uster love me
en- give him pone NV bread and ;
piece NV middlin' meat. 'Thankee
Miss Johnson he sed ez he rid off, eel
ef L kin help you at emmy time, you kin
count on Jake Hawkins ez doin' hi
share Well, sur, times got might,
hard, en- my vittles wuz gittin' power
ful low. Lige wuz off in the wa
a-hghtin', init wuz nip en- tuck with M
ter make tongue en- buckle meet, c;
the sayin' is. To make matters worse
Mandy-we alters called her Sis
taken sick, en- | thought she wuz goin
ter die out. Thet's her a-settin' tha
in the cornder. Stranger neve
spected ter see thet gal live ter he
bows Boys is got to comm ter se'
her right lar now, Nv Sundays