Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-06-09
A CRACKER SKETCH.

A two room log house. with low. di.
iapidated worm" fence around Il. .
ragged honf Ackle vino 4, one side Of
the door web Is never closed. winter or
summer. stunted rose bushes Dor
\ dering thu path Of white sand that glis-
Nened bik:iingly In the sun OF midsum-
,..,r day from the broken gate to the
rickety doorstep
A traveller drew his horse up at the
gate. and. after the fashion Of the coun-
try. shouted. Hello" flc heard q sonor-
GUS growl from within tho house. rs II an
immense III natured African lion had
been disturbed from an afternoon siesta:
then shrili. shattered voice commanded.
You. Watch. git right back thar. " and
the great dog Immediately retired to his
iavori,e couch beneath tho high. incur.
tanned bcdstead
A few moments later there protruded
from the open door an enormous corn cob
pipe. from which tho ssnokc was curling
In q lazy blue column AS the pipc with.
u seemed several sections Of stem. grad
ually made itself visible. Il became EVIL.
den, that tho other end disappeared In an
old womans mouth-a dry. expression.
less mouth. surrounded with ever widen.
ing circles Of wrinkles n Is tho center
Of tree. which circles took In Q long.
sharp nose a hooked chin. two bright,
inquisitive eyes. and finally disappeared
under the folds OF a cotton handkerchief
bound over snowy hair
nm - al sx-aAf
an elIor, extracted from It's accustomed
place between the old cracker mothers
lips as she called. "Olc man s.l'' ........i
here's sum 'un as wanstcr sec you.
The Pipe Is replaced and tho thin col.
umn OF blue smoke curls lazily up rs the
stranger sits In silence under close scru-
tiny from the eyes above the primitive
pipe as well as from a pair Of bright.
starry orbs dimly visible through crack
between two logs Of the cabin
Presently thick stream Of dark yellow
Huid IL projected from around corner Of
the building with the force and volume Of
a lawn sprinkler. heavy quid Of tobacco
II dung out among the stunted rose bushes.
and an old man-dwarfcd In appearance.
thick gray hair locks. from which projects
an aquiline nose and peer two ferret like
and frrtive cycs-comes slowly slouching
Into view lie wears patched and darned
brown jeans clothes, and. as II Is summer
he does not wear any shoes At all lie
speaks first. saying In brcath
'tiood even -tollable-light. mister.
The stranger lights" and enters the
house which. after tho glaring semirath
outside. looks as cool and gloomy Us a
grotto There he camo facc to face with
the girl Of the starry eyes. who indeed
appears perhaps from tho contrast with
her homely surroundings. a rare vision OF
girlish loneliness
As the stranger bowed she smiled bash
fully and said Good mawnin." though
Il Is late In tho afternoon. but no one
makes him acquainted
The young lady whom the mother calls
''Soonic" brings him directly drink Of
cool spring water In q small long handled
gour,i. which Is white and as light rs cork.
aud which seems to impart an agreeable
favor and sweetness To tho water but as
the weary traveller meets Soonics hand In
taking the gourd aud her eyes while drink.
Ing. Il may be that tho virtue did not all
Ito In the gonrd
Tho mother slts beside tho doorway.
knitting smoking and gazing down the
lonely sand, road NJ she has done every
day iheSe las, iifty years Along that
road she tells the stranger her old
man brought hor TO this homo the day
they were married-only he wasn't an old
man then. but one OF the finest boys In
the country along that road her only son
Benny marched away to ''jine Guv'aor
Brown but he never came hack. along
that Rad later on camc one division OF
sherman conquerins hosts as they swept
over the already dcsolated country ON TO
the saa and along that road some day In
the neat iniure she will he carried In q
rough pine box on a jolting ox cart. up
To the burying ground a, New Prospect
church aud lald Ia rest Old man Stubs,
with similar thoughts. perhaps. sits near
her indus, riously chewing u new tobacco
cud ami splitting with deadly precision Mt
the lazv flies basking IN the sun on the
doorstep and asking NJ intervals. like
minute guns
And what did you say your name mout
be. niisirry' though the guest had not rs
yet mrui ioned u
And YOU are from--whcre. misterf-
failing to use the namc after obtaining II
And what mout be ynur business.
mistery' cllnging still tn his iavortte title
And he you n Yankee. misterf'
While gratifying his hosts curiosity
the visitor glances curionsiy about the
room on his own account About the
open fireplace. nj which the family cook
Ing In done ar" ranged the onlv cooking
vessels known IN crackrr'inm an oven "a
bake brrad trying pan IN which they
spoil about al meats deep pot To boil
green's and coh.'r PIT In which they
compound . black irC,~iion strong and
bitter and which they drink enormously
unaasisied with either sugar oT milk
strings If rid pepper hang In long fes
toons frnm the raficrS overhead. along
with home raised hams. ears 81 poPcori
and bags ot unknown contents, on peg
about the wallis hang tho entire ward
robes Of all the family Two tall beds OIL
the rear Of tho cabln. and under one oi
these Watch h growing at the strangers
voice and slrrplly scratching IDEAS
Soonie In preparing supper. frequently
casting expec,ani glances up the sand,
road.
Il n Saturday afternoon. and her sweet
heart will soon como whistling merrily
fnom among the pines, arrayed Ia a suit