Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-11-28


dat are coon comes playin' de banjo and
singin' around here oh ebenin's like
squinch- while Mr.. Jackson is here,
I'll get yo' pappy to run him OF, sho' as my
name is Bette Bosley."
II don't keer if you is done took up wifi
dis fine darby; he dust puts me in de min
oh a ole slippery black SNAKE" Alviry re-
torted, spiritedly.
'See here, now, gal, isn't gwine to take
none oh yo' sass, speshilly after de fine
dress and hat done buyed you to-day.
amt so sho' I'll let you hab dem nohow,
'thout'n you behave ye'self like lady, and
6tten to wear dem.''
This dreadful threat had the desired effect,
for Alviry's whole soul had revealed in an
ecstacy Of pride and delight as she gazed on
that Powered lawn, or looked in the ten by
twelve mirror, where she saw reflected her
own head with its little wisps of wool
braided up on white Irvine strings and sur
mounted by the gorgeous hat bedecked with
roses.
In her widest dreams she had never as
pired to such fnery, and the bare thought
of giving it up sent an incisive pang
through her heart, so she made no moro
critical or dlsparaging remarks about Mr..
Jackson.
Aunt Bette held a consultation with her
husband out at the corn-crib little later.
II don't know what done got in dat fool
gals head, dat she's so sot agin sech q fine,
'igious gemmen as Mr.. Jackson" she said,
anxiously. Zone ting certain, has made
up my min she's got to marry him eff he
wants her, so you kin jest let dat Glen
Shores know dat his room am better dan his
company mex time he comes aroun'. An,
ole man, Yves got to hab pullet TO- supper,
and some OBJ dem roas' en-years, and you'll
hab to git dem, ease Alviry KANT, 'thout'n
spilin' her clo'es.''
Accordingly Uncle Moses meekly obeyed
orders, not forgetting to send poor Glen
Shores off ''wif flea in his year, that
night, as Aunt Bette had instructed him.
A week, two weeks, went swiftly by, and
the pension business fourished, Mr. Jack
sons glib tongue convincing nearly every
,colored man he metthat he was entitled to a
big pension, no effort on their part being re-
quired excepting to pay him for getting the
necessary papers made out and sent to Wash
ington. In this way quite an amount Of
money, varying in sums from two to ten dol
lars, found its way into Mr.. Jackson's pockets,
even Uncle Moses contributing two dollars.
Mr.. jackson, assured him, however, that
this would not have been necessary, as he
could have allowed it to 60 on his board
bill, had he not forgotten to draw any money
from the bank while in Cairo.
Meanwhile he paid court to AlvirY in the
most lover-like fashion, and though the
girl cordially hated him in her heart, fear
of losing her fnery, and dread of the I'M
merciful cowhiding she was sure to get
from her nanny if she betrayed this feel
ing, made her at least passive in her attitude
toward her sutton.
When, therefore, he asked her to marry
him one evening, she dared not refuse,
though she cried all night afterward, think
ing of Glenn Shores, whom she could not
forget, in spite Of the riches Mr.. Jackson
assured her were awaiting her as his wife.
Aunt Bette fairly overtiowed with pride
and qualification as the prospective mother
in-law of the wealthy pension agent, and
preparations were at once begun for the
wedding.
The lawn dress was fitted and made, invi-
:tatiOns were sent out all over the neighbor-
hood. chickens were killed, and a big "pot-
pie' made; a sheep was barbecued, and a
young pig roasted and it's mouth decorated
with a big red apple. The soap-kettle was
cleaned out, and filed with roasting ears to
he boiled for the occasion, and mashed pota-
toes completed the more substantial part of
the feast. Then there were apple-pies and
'watermillions," the GROWING delicacy be-
ing q big ''sweet-cake," such as cole mis-
used to have made down Soul when she Civ
a gram party"
a long table, improvised of boards placed
upon empty barrels, was stretched out in the
yard and on this the sumptuous repast was
laid. When all was in readiness the guests
assembled under the big beech tree by tbs
door, and the interesting pair stood on tho
porch in full view of the crowd, ready to be
made one
Alviry's eyes were red from crying, but
she gave no other sign Of discomfort, while
Mr.. Jackson was that contradictory thing, a
sunbeam in black
Rev. Ricks Bradley was to perform the
marriage ceremony, but just as he stepped
up in front of the waiting couple q gentle
man rode up to the gate, and dismounting,
walked rapidly toward the porch. Mr..
Jackson glanced at him, gave gasp Of ter
ror, and, with his face suddenly grown
ashy in hue, ''staid not upon the order Of
his going" but snatching up his hat, fled
through the cabin out into the corn field,
where he was lost sight of in moment.
"Halloa! what's that rascally darby doing
away out here9'' inquired the gentleman,
dimly compromising the situation
Mutual explanations followed, in which it
came to light that the gentleman was from
Chicago, that he had come to Beech Ridge
to buy several car loads Of watermelons and
that Mr.. Jackson, the pension agent. was
fraud. a sneak-thief, and gambler, who
had escaped from Jail there a month or two
before, and that he had wife and two or
three children.
Aunt Bette put her apron to her eyes and
began to cry. "De good -for-nuff1n houn'