St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-06-23
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
The Downtroddenest, Mournfulest
Couple in Tennessee.

The Downtroddenest, Mournfulest
Couple in Tennessee.
just on the divide of a Tennessee
mountain the hind wheels of the buck
board dropped into rut. the axle
broke with q smasl. and after spend.
ing ten minutes in solemn thought the
driver said:
''Well. I'll have to get the consarned
thing down TO Tompkinsville for re-
pairs. and you'd better stay all night
at yon cabin"
perhaps they can't accommodate
me-" ...
There's no perhaps about it. Folks
rs has got a house are bound to keep
folks rs has broke down"
Invent over to the ca bin. which was
arudc log structure. and the only one
within four miles The woman saw
me coming and stool in the open door.
Her husband saw me coming and sat
down on log The five or six chill
dren saw me coming. and arranged
themselves along the opening in the
brush fence which answered for a gate.
As 1 came up approached the man
and explained the nature of the acci-
dent and asked to stay all night.
IS Stranger. if it depended ON me. I'd
say yes" he replied. rs he crossed his
legs and tried 10 put on an injured
look. But it don't depend on me; l
don't amount to shucks around yerc
no mo-"
Now. Ezekiel. what dye talk like
that fur?" demanded the barcfootcd
wife as she came down to the log.
'.Who's said you wasn't boss! Who's
tried to take the lead over you?"
You hcv. an right afore the chi!-
drcn. too! You said wasn't fitted to
drive hogs!
.'Shoo. Ezekiel! you began it by say
ing was extravagans
oh. YES. began IL; / allus begin
every thing! Nobody else never be-
gins nuthin'. and nobody else is never
10 blamer' PET - - ~
..Bnt this'erc stranger wants. to
stay all night. It's comm night and
we can't say no."
..Well calkerlate he kin stay. A
month ago could hcv taken him by
the hand and told him to make my
house his home. but now hain't got
no more rights around yere. I'm only
a sighpher now"
The wife took my sachcl into the
cabin and sat down on the log with
Zeke and offered him q cigar. At the
same time the seven children came
and stood in a row before us, and
called out rs i'm one voice:
1.-The fellcr has dun gin pap a
cigar!' EIFiF%
.Yes. children" said the old man.
rs he scratched a match on his star
board quarter and bit the weed, 'your
pap has got cigar It's the fust
chcerin' thing that has come to him
fur twenty-onc years. and it's proof
that he haih't quite forgotten By all
the world. What are ye standin' here
lookin' at: Whar's yer manners?"
..Hain't got noner' called three Of
them at once. r..
NO. Is pose not and Ican't blame
ye-not bit Children rs come up
without any father can't be s'pected
to hev manners. Whas' yc from.
stranger?"
BRISTOL - -sa sesrta.rt e
Right smart huddlc. I've heard. but
I've never bin thar. Hear 'em say
any thing about mcs'
No"
NO? Well. l s'posc they've heard
of me. but dida't want 10 say any
thing to stranger I'm the man who
had forty-two biles ON his back in one
winter" IT 49, 1E.f t++t
You did?'
Yes; and never got the least SYM
pathy from my family. Two also had.
rheumatism. lung fever. lamc back.
fcver-sore. consumption and yaller
fever Net one of the family shed
tear"
rs it possible!"
And l broke my leg. lost two
hundred-dollar mule by pizen. he'd my
barn burn up lost farm on a mort
gage. and buried two children"
well. you have Suffered
Suffered? Stranger. excuse these
tears; but yours are the first kind
words I've heard since the war
closed"
Pap is beIlering. na!'' shouted the
children. as they ran for the house.
and the woman presently rushed out
and said:
Now thar. Ezekiel. you git, ard
you thar. stranger. come in 10
smack"
Didn't l tell you sor' exclaimed
Ezekiel. as he made bolt for the woods.
I'm the discouragedest. downtrod.
acnest, unfortunatest man in all Gre
alton. and I'm going to hang myselfr
You dass'n't and you know you
1asS'n'tr shouted the wife.
'Youdass'n't hang nuthins." added
kl.,.