Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-07
SAR' EMMER'S DEFEAT.

 trim back yard.
 II low dey neber was sich a mean woman s ole Mis- Crabtree." pursued the voice, after an interval of silence "Here she's went an picked all dem green tomats-wC dn't even wait till dey was ripe-an' lowed she'd gu me to skin lem dis yer day. Picnic i'll Lumm's woods, an I sh'n't git to go! Owl owl owl"
 The sufferers wool was too short and pre- cious to tear, so she vented herself, as was her wont, upon the queens English instead, and glanced vindictively at the rows of shin ing pails on the back porch, filled to the br1m with plump green tomatoes waiting to be peeled.
 ''Sar' Emmerr' called a peremptory voice from the kitchen door.
 But Sar' Emmer chuckled and never stirred. "Reckon I'll be deef dis yer time" !" she muttered. 'sHard O hearin' an ain't got no trumpit''
 Mrs. Crabtree wavered the doorstep. 'Provokin' thingr' she complained; "how long does she mean to keep me here screechin' after her? Sar' Emmerl Sar' Emmer Mum son!"
 The currant bushes nodded with passing breeze, and Mrs. Crabtree, her eye falling upon them, merely speculated that they would do better next year. Here's all these GOuldCeIS "SilG1u UO DC poe1eO, duu UuttG gal traipsin' round, the land knows wherep
 "Ke-e!" jeered the currant bushes, very audible to the common ear, but silent as the grave to old Mrs. Crabtree. Wont she be mad eff l don't git back time to skin emr'-. for Sar' Emmer had evidently made re- solve. "Now dat woman she's jes' went an picked dis day for servin' tomats count O de picnic, so's wouldn't git to go. Now Iain't go'n' to let Mis- Crabtree go on dis yer way. Only las night was week was de temprunce meetin' in de clutch. Ebery chile in dis yere neighborhood went 'cep' me. De presidents an lvices dey set in de altar, an de joiners all c yn in front lowed I'd be joiner mys dat night, but Mis- Crabtree she set dat amber seben shoe O hers down, an 'clar'd niggers hadn't no business wi de Christian temprunce-lowed dey was goin' crazy bout de subjeck-an' fetched out de collick for me to Farm out de pray book. Is been comin' to dis yer state O min Is in eber sence dat night. Mis- Crabtree can't be lowed to go on dis way no longer, keepin' me out O inn'cent 'musements, an maxim me b'lieve dat pray books all de law an gospil." :"
 Sar' Emmer gathered herself together, and stood up cautiously. Old Sukey glanced sympathetically toward her from the barn yard, and half a dozen fowls clacked their approval of her course; or so, at least, Sar' Emmer interpreted it.
 II How dis yer sprigged caliker's good huff to go in," she assured herself, doubt fully, recollecting the back stairs and the perils that would attend her should she at tempt to reach the storehouse of her finery. "Like's not she's settin' plumb up agin dat star door, now jawin' de cat for lettin' me git out. No; I'll hab to war dis Hope to goodness dat new boy fum Griff1th's sto' won't be darl" and Sar' Emmer cast up her hands coquettishly, as if exercising certain charms which she knew how to operate, in dependent of all accidents of raiment
 Then she walked slowly out of the yard, and slammed the gate with Q defiant click. Wagon loads of acquaintances were all ready on the way to Lumm's woods, making flashes of color along the dusty road, which Sar Emmer traversed on foot. ''Ten buckits O green tomats, am she'll have to skin 'e1n all herselfr' exulted the runaway. "Teach her lesson, bettern all the collicks in de pray book, bout 'vol1in' chillun to wrathr p and here she caught sight of the new boy from Griffith's store, arrayed in jacket of red and buff flannel, with cap to match.
 Gland O lub!" thought Sar' Elnmer, in a | transport of admiration, "ain't he good | lookin'a Wonder if he'll hab charge O de 1 lem'nade bar'l2'
 | She drew off her apron, soiled with tears and watermelon juice, and flung it lavishly into an adjoining field. Now that she had fairly entered upon the path of vice and pleasure, she might as well travel it without | limitation, she thought. She rejoiced that ill her flight she had still kept her hold upon what she considered the climax of millinery art; this was hat, abandoned by Mrs. Crab tree, and given over to Sar' Emmer, who had trimmed it according to her own devices and the resources of Griffith's store ''Wish't I'd a wore dat pink an white stripe an Mis- Crabtrees man till," she mourned. "Dis yer hat d go well wi de man till"
 Lumm's woods when she reached them were swarming with the kind of life il which a young person of color most delights Gay garments and guffaws of laughter per colated through the trees, accompanied by the chatter of dishes and the odor of clam set to roast in hot ashes.
 'So ole Mis- Crabtree's let yo off fu oncet," they congratulated her. "Law chile, yo' ought to pitch in an joy yo'self. They were all interested in the refugee.
 s'Le' me-" said one ''duce yo' to de nev boy fum Grif1ith's sto'. Mister Ricketts, di yer's Miss Munson. Hope yo'n joy yo'selves.
 Sar' Emmer scraped her shoes in the tur and bowed low. "Glad to make yo'r 'quaint ance, Mistah Ricketts," she simpered. An ah, how far were ''green tomats' from he memory!
 MT. Ricketts took off his hat with one han and kinked his left arm at right angles wit his heart. He was light colored, with sof eyes, and was, as Sar' Emmer had remarked very comedy. He invited her to walk wit him in the direction of the ice cream benches and the pair were followed by admirin eyes Sar' Emmer's alert vanity could fee their approval sheer through the purple ca 1 ico and the skirt ''improvers' which she ha manufactured out of the hoops of eide keg.
 "Must like to feel as if you was settin' o corduroy road," Mrs. Crabtree had r marked, sarcastically, when Sar' Em,ner ha triumphantly exhibited this feat of her il genuity. But then Mrs. Crabtree was unappreciative in matters of dress as those of amusement, and Sar' Emmer pitie her from the bottom of her soul.
 "How ole is dat Sar' Emmer, anyhow inquired spare little girl who had not bee escorted to the ice cream benches, and wi now stood, sharp and erect as knife, watcl ing Sar' Emner with vivid expression countenance. "I low she ain't so growed | as she makes out"
 "Sho, Rosy, don't yo' know gals grove up when she gifts on long cloes an does | her harp said the lady in rick rack wal | IL | H. cy-