The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-06-10
WIGGINS VS.. LAzURUs.
A Suit Brought to Recover One
Spotted Heifer.

Brer Sam Lazarus was the pastor O.
the African Methodist Episcopal church
at Gopher Slope, a faithful shepherd tc
the sheep of his ~pasturage, a veritable
Lion of the tribe of Judea to the black
denizens of the fold. Tall and portly,
black and oily, unctious and well versed
in Scripture, of the church militant, too,
he was a power in the community. He
was about fifty years old, his kinky
whiskers just turning gray. His resi-
dence was a comfortable frame house
of six rooms, well furnished, located in
the center of a ten-acre tract, conven-
lent to the lambs of the flock. His
family consisted of his wife and one
daughter, also a yellow dog noted for
his keen perception in running down
predatory chickens. This daughter,
Leah by name, was about twenty-one
years old, of full figure, bright, shining
complexion, and good solid posterial
feet. Her lips were like two weIl-de-
veloped mulberries, her eyes large and
Jolly, one of them very badly crossed.
This, however, was a positive advantage
to her, as she was thus enabled to see
what all the young ladies behind her
had on without eve turning her head.
Brer Lazarus was a mar of parts.
He had a loud voice and a copious flow
of language. He was equally al home
in the cardboard house where the fried
chicken and white bread fourished and
in the humble ~log-cabin, sanctified by
he plebian corn bread and the awe-in-
spring catfish. He treated all openly
alike, although inwardly he looked
after the main chance. This made him
a power, politically, and his judicious
manipulation of his people at election
times had enabled him to lay by con-
siderable of the coin of the realm. Ca
ring no more for a dollar than most men
do for a house and lot, his PCT idea was
that his daughter should marry wealth,
and for that reason he allowed a
gerated ideas of his own financial con-
dition to become current, hoping there
by to the fly that walketh at
midday. His schooling had been very
limited, but a r%etentive memory enabled
him to obtain the reputation of a pro-
found Biblical scholar. All lack of edu-
cation was made up by an inordinate
s~elf-conceit, a gall that would have
made a map peddler turn green with
envy. The apple of his eye was Miss
Leah, n IN her many accomplishments
he took the greatest pride. He had
brought her up in the strictest Method
ist faith, and looked forward to uniting
her in marriage to one who should be
well endowed with worldly goods. To
this point all his ambition was bent.
How well he succeeded my story will
Brer Lazarus wife was a mud
colored %nonentity. She was a good
cook and housekeeper, but with no self
assertion. In this she differed from the
majority of her people. She, too. had
but one leading idea; the future welfare
OF her daughter. Miss Leah was the
belle OF the neighborhood. Not from
any undue supply of natural charms,
physical or mental, but simply from the
that she was the daughter of her
father, and that father was not only
fixed" but the leading man in
the community.
About half a mile from the parsonage
was the snug. well-kept farm of Juniper
Virgins. a handsome young bachelor
thirty, commonly called June. June
was a thick-set, plain, unpretending
plodder, black but steady. He had a
pair OF fine mules of strong, alto voices,
a nice horse and comfortable buggy, a
bunch of cattle, numerous poultry, two
big yeller dogs, and every year his crop
was "a right smart crop, thank ye.h
This was the lover that Brer Lazarus
had fixed upon for Leah, although for
the present he was too cunning to be-
tray himself to either. Five miles off
was the residence of Rev. Peter Owens, |
pastor o. the Highwater Baptist church
Corn Hollow. With him, at present
residing, recuperating from a severe at
OF dingal fever, complicated with
jim-jams, was Ferdinand Aristocrat
Bellasee, his nephew, aforetime head
waiter at n of the Jacksonville hotels. |
was a dandy from DANDY
vile; tall, slender and yellow, with |
black curly hair and mustache, ALWAYS
we'll dressed, and with a knowledge of |
world that made him very captiyat-
ing to the fair sex. Now we have the |
personae, roll up the curtain
and let the play proceed.
The course of true love ran very
s~moothlyfor awhile in this case, though
some coyness on the part of Miss
Leah, and some audacity on the part of
Juniper. With the perversity of
sex Leah refused to set the day. She
accepted the many attentions of her
lover. his gifts of sugar-cane and pin
ters, rode with him in his buggy, sat
beside him in the church and allowed
him to be her escort everywhere. Fur
her than this she would not go, nor
would she allow him to breach the SUBJ
Iect to her respected parent. lime,
hat bald-headed old gentlemen with
IN impossible scythe on his shoulder.
At last wore out all patience. At any
ate he did with June, and that worthy
to bring matters to a focus.
He determined to have an interview
With Brer Lazarus. Accident favored
aim.
1t was a bright, beautiful day in early
Tune. The little birds sang as if it were
he one day of all the year. The tleas
,icked mp their heels in delight, and
hen lay behind grains of sand in wait
or bare-legged urchins. The hum of
he mosquito answered the low thrilled
whistle of the partridge. There was a
ooSc ~ thO all anu lIOu IQ6 /
ops OF tall trees swayed scarlet caronals
# flowers. June. however, was not
'ull of the beauty of the morning, but of
hominy and fried bacon. He was work
ing fRthe cotton-field when he heard
The monotonous tramp of horses feet.
he looked up. There was the very
nan he wanted to see. Parson Laza-
us, horseback, with a green cotton UNI
V his head.
'tGood mornin', June"
Good mornin', Brer Lazarus"
Flows yo crop. June?"
"On'y tollable, on'y ~tollable."
You's sc jokin'. isn't saw SIGH a fine
rop anywhere in de naborhood. You's
lucky, June. l hopes you tank de Laud
o. hit"
81 allus does, sab. syou in er hurry,
'rcr Lazurus?n
mot 'tickly, June: Whyp,'