Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-27
rooted up mighty nigh all NV whut little dab of


isis oh, Sis" called Old lobe.
time"
$50 Is Chrismus er comin'," the old man re-
torted. Come on now an stir yer stumps;
You an yer mother'll have er putty tight pull
ter-day. Hurry up, fur some NV ther men air
already i'm sight, am 1t ud be er everIastin'
Nose Sanders and ND Tai smith - entered the
yard and were warmly welcomed. Sanders
was short man with a red neck and hair
which looked like the dead silk on an ear of
corn He had never been esteemed on &C
count of intellectual activity, but was noted
an ak. Tai Smith, as his acquaintance said,
struck pretty fair average in every way,
ing, however, an appetite which defied compe-
titlon, and which fingered long at table before
acknowledging satisfaction.
Mlghty glad ter see yer, boys" said old lobe,
"Come in. He won't bite yer. Git out!" he ex-
claimed, storming at dog walk right in.''
The two men nodded their heads at her.
she looks ez putty ez er pink this mawnin',"
Must be or thinkin' Nv her sweethot," San
| ders suggested.
81 haven't been doin' no sich NV er thing" Sis
Uh huh! yer kaint n tell me that way" said
nsghborhood IS e eattn ther eyes at yer 'As'
"Gentlemen." said old lobe, "ef yerve had
breakfns yer'd better come on, fur her Their
| logs put up ter-day SOS ken kiver ther ruff at
my lezhur"
Hearty collaboration makes hard work easy,
otherwise the building of an old-fashioned
| barn would be tedious achievement. The men
| went to work with rough but good hundred
badinage Every man who had joke on any
| one else wEO was present told it. Chips flew
| from the corners where skillful axemen made
the logs join; and strong arms, with hand
| spikes and ''skidS," showed enormous timters
"Wall, dog my catsr' exclaimed Sanders,
| standing erect on his corner and shading his
| eyes with his hand; "yander comes Wuthless
Nick. Whut biZness has he got here, yer
reckon9 Didn't think he wanted ter hang
| roun' any place whar work wuz goin' on"
| HE amt got no bZness here, let me tell yer"
said old lobe. "Imer greet mine ter take a
| saplin and larrup him often ther place."
| Don't tech him. someone rejoined, "fur we
| don't want no howlin' round here"
| Nick came up and lazily seated himself on a
| spat through his teeth.
"Whar've yer been, Nick?" Sanders askep. as
he took up his AK and began to trim the
shoulder of a log.
NO wh'ars."
"Wh'ar yer goin'?"
"Say: Nick, before forget it, I wanter tell yer
| sumthin. Airter this when one of NV my
him back
when did one Nv 'em start ter foller me?"
liner yuther day, an morn that yer let him
ioner yer, an morn that he followed yer out in
the woods, whar Teller wuz chopin, an er
tree fell on him an killed him."
"Twan't my fault"
"Yas it wuz, fur ii you hadn'ter been so fetch
taxed lazy yerd drive him back"
Vas" Nick rejoined, IAN eff he'd been lazy
ernuff he wouldn't er followed me-"
"Oh, go on, yer talk like er fool.''
"Jes as well talk like one as ter ack like
one."
Sanders, with vigorous blow struck his ak
into a log, Strengthened up and said: Look
here, Nick Page, don't sinuate that 1 ack like
er fool or IN hop down thar an slam the day
ISLAM me an yer'll never slam nobody else"
Nick carelessly replied.
N. MOSe.' SOmphO6v fad
derS had jumped down from his corner and,
with ungentle mutterings. was making for''
Nick -Jes stop right thar fur we don't want
Nose stopped and Old lobe said: Don't tech
Their triflin' thing, Nose. He amt with er
.I'l let him off fur the present." Sanders re-
piled, but say fiereeiy turning to Nick,
it. I've had er whippin laid up fur yer FUR
some time an Their very next time ketch yer
out where nobody won't hear yer boiler I'll
give it TO YER
A white rag fluttered in the yard signal
which every one understood. "Come men,
Page" the old man added as Nick got off the
stump and began to stretch himself 81 don't
mind feedin' any pusson that's haungry, but 1
don't want you ter come ter my house. Do yer
hear me?''
'Ain't deef," Nick replied.
"Wall, then, clar out frum here, now. don't
want yer 'roun here, an in the presence NV
these here gentlemen 1 want ter give yer far
warnin'. Ell yer ever put yer foot in my yard,
mind yer, eff yer ever put yer foot"
(which foOt?'' Nick broke in before the old
man could finish the sentence.
"Hit don t make no diffunce which one. Hull
out trum here, now. Come, gentlemen, am less
eat somethin'."
That night, just after the family had eaten
supper, Sis, who during the day had appeared
nervous, arose from a seat where she had been
buried in meditation, drew Il shawl around her
in an agitated manner, turned to old lobe and
said:
Father"
1t was the first time she had ever called him
Il md nj 'Tnh lyst6 Writ
Ivy. Sissie"-he always said Sissie during
his tenderest moments-"what's the matter?''
mus leave yer"
.'Whatr' the old man and his wife in aston
ishment exclaimed: John looked up from a
piece of glass, but said nothing.
"ias, 1 must leave YER" she repeated as
| with shudder, she drew the shawl tightly
around her shoulders. "Yer'n never know how
| much / love yer, but yer'll think when Pm
gone .., how unworthy rIlSn I've I've, ailus been
man, "what does she mean?''
John had resumed the work of scraping the
Ak handle, but upon hearing his fathers last
! exclamation looked up and said:
''Air yer all biine? KANT yer see pap that
shes goin'er way; goiner way ter marry Nick
The old man with a roar sprang from his
| seat.
.Tobie, Tobie." said Mrs Crabtree, "Tobie.
mind yer SELF" she gently took hold of her hus-
Cit away, Puss, don't tamper with me.
"Yas, SIR"
"Whut air yer goin' ter do?"
Il am goin' out in ther woods whar Nick is
watin' fur me. Then me an him air goin' ter
get married. / know that he amt no Count
father; on, yes, 1 know that" clasping her
hands, shut KANT hep lovin' him. Oh pap
i wush yer cOuldknOw how do love YER but
yer KANT; no, yer kain'tr'
The old man struggled with himself His
wife, with soft words, attempted to sOothe
bin.
Il know yer will hate me-" the trembling girl
continued, "but KANT hep it. feel like
somebody mas tied rope round my waist an
es pullin' it,
isis, said the old man. raising his left arm
his right arm was held by Mrs Craptree-.Sis,
hop ter God that yer'd sink inter hell atore
mawnn'.'
ION, pap, don't say that" pleaded the GIRL
"Ia a., do. hOpe-no don't, ;" he continued
becoming strangely calm. "Puss - turning with
sorrOwful gentleness to his wife, 81 had hoped
both NV us had hoped, that this time never
would come Sis, must tell yer somethin' an
then yer may go. Puss, must tell herr"
"las, lobe; yes, but look at YER Tobe yer air
cryin'. Stop cryin', lobe, an tell her"
The old man wiped his eyes and said: "Thar
Amt no gratitude in this here worl'! 1 wuZ
onct told that yer mout live ter bring me
trouble, Sis, an yer have. Now, I've got ter tell
yer soInthin' that didn't never want yer ter
know-didn't want John thar ter know Sis
HE an Puss amt yer father an mother We
tuck yer when yer wuZ er little baby-wait till
1 git through. We tuck yer cause yer Their am
mother wuz dead. We soon gunner love-loye
| yer mo- then we did pore john an when he
wuZ little an cried in ther night, we'd let him
cry, but when little Sis cried, we got outen bed
a L.